Tag: BBC

BBC launches flagship technology programme Tech Now

On Saturday 29th March, the BBC will launch Tech Now, the flagship technology programme on the BBC News channel and international digital platform, BBC.com.

Tech Now (previously Click), uses its international network of technology reporters to explore the latest innovation and technology shaping our lives. Bringing audiences the inside track on global trends and advancements happening in the tech space today – from AI and robotics, to health, climate, transport and gaming.

In the first episode of Tech Now, technology reporter Adrienne Murray explores the future of air travel and the race to decarbonise aviation; Joe Tidy visits rural Zambia to see how Bitcoin has helped electricity projects to get thousands of villagers on the grid; Nick Kwek brings us the big developments from SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, and Alasdair Keane heads behind the scenes of Europe’s newest and biggest wildlife endocrinology labs at Chester Zoo.

Future episodes will also be looking at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco; Microsoft’s HQ in Washington; the Rubin Observatory in Chile; and green steel production in Sweden.

Tech Now’s TV programmes are also complemented by engaging short online videos available on BBC.com.

Monica Soriano, Editor, Tech Now: “For over a century the BBC has been an innovator in both technology and content, inventing core elements of radio and television, pioneering online services, and creating programme formats that audiences in their millions have enjoyed.

“With a wide network of technology reporters around the world, Tech Now brings a truly global perspective to the trends and advancements happening in the technology space today and showcasing their potential global impacts”

For more technology content from the BBC, audiences can also subscribe to BBC’s Tech Decoded newsletter which decodes the biggest developments in technology for a global audience, drawing on the expertise of BBC correspondents posted around the world. Rooted in the largest tech hubs, Tech Decoded contains an in-depth analysis of a big global issue, plus snapshots of top technology stories and features.

The first episode of Tech Now airs on the BBC News Channel on Saturday 29th March at 00:30, 06:30 and 18:30, Sunday 30th March at 04:30, 13:30, and Thursday 3rd April at 08:30 (all times GMT).

BBC Studios to make podcasts available to international audiences

Fans of BBC podcasts outside of the UK now have an all-new listening experience on BBC.com and the BBC app. The newly launched audio section of BBC.com and app is curated with international audiences in mind, making the BBC’s vast portfolio of current and archived podcasts, including hits like Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, and Infinite Monkey Cage, plus BBC Radio 4 and World Service radio stations, easier to find.

For the first time, audiences globally can enjoy a fully integrated experience on BBC.com and the app where the BBC’s award-winning audio content sits alongside our renowned journalism and storytelling. Through this new user experience, listeners can explore deeper context and analysis on select topics, gaining a richer understanding of the issues that matter most—all without leaving the platform.

As part of this launch, the BBC will also be making BBC Sounds available exclusively to UK audiences and ending access to the service for international users beginning Spring 2025. UK users who go on holiday (outside the UK) for a short period of time will still be able to use the BBC Sounds app abroad.

This new audio experience is the latest in a series of enhancements that we have been making to BBC.com and the BBC app. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build a single, one-stop destination for the best of BBC journalism and storytelling.

BBC Studios is responsible for the monetization of digital news and factual products including BBC.com, the BBC app, BBC Select and BBC Podcast Premium, whose profits help continue to fund the BBC’s world-renowned journalism and reporting.

Header imager credit BBC

BBC News goes behind-the-scenes at Paris Games’ high-tech international broadcast centre for TechXplore

In the second episode in a three-part special of BBC News technology series TechXplore set in Paris, presenter Paul Carter continues his tech journey at the Paris Games, this time exploring how the events in Paris are being experienced by the global audience. In the episode titled The Global Experience, Paul goes behind-the-scenes at the high-tech international broadcast centre and finds out how AI and the Cloud are transforming the global broadcasting experience of the 2024 games.

Paul then visits the Olympic Timekeeping Laboratory in Switzerland to see how AI is being introduced into the judging of key Paris events; joins an Olympian swimmer in the pool to test out the latest smart googles; tests his skills at an AI Talent Scouting Lab that is looking to find the Olympians of the future; and joins a team looking at footage from the Paris games of 1924 which is now being digitally re-coloured using AI to celebrate some Olympic glories from the past.

TechXplore Paris: The Global Experience airs on BBC News on Saturday 10th August at 01:30 and 07:30 and Sunday 11th August at 14:30 and 21:30. All times GMT.

BBC announce Olympic related content for international audiences

The BBC have today announced extensive content from Paris during the Olympic Games for international audiences (ex-UK). The BBC is bringing people together so they can watch, listen to and read the latest from Paris, with comprehensive international coverage across its digital, TV, audio and newsletter platforms, and special content across the BBC News channel, BBC.com/Sport, newsletters, podcasts and features.

BBC Sport

Throughout the games BBC.com/Sport will have a dedicated “Paris 2024” sub-section which will cover the latest news from the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It will feature live text commentaries with the latest medal winners, expert analysis and user interaction; in-depth reporting on key athletes, major medal events, the host city and newsworthy events around Paris. There will also be regular star name columns from some high-profile former Olympians and Paralympians including Michael Johnson and Steve Cram. As well as live medal tables, schedules of events with results and stats, a day-by-day guide, as well as interactive content including a daily Olympic quiz and audience voting.

TechXplore

The BBC News channel’s technology and travel programme TechXplore will be airing three very special episodes before and during the games, exploring how cutting-edge technology and innovations are influencing how athletes train and compete, and also how the games are broadcast and experienced by viewers around the world.

In the first episode ‘Countdown to the Games’ (TX July 20th weekend), BBC tech journalist and huge Olympic and Paralympic fan, Paul Carter goes behind-the-scenes to see how technology underpins so much of the Olympics and Paralympics – from the events themselves to the way ‘digital twins’ of most of the key venues have been created in the virtual world. These simulations allow organisers, broadcasters and athletes to see precisely how these arenas will operate before they are even built, reducing the number of site visits needed to Paris. TechXplore also gets a sneak peek at the tools developed to streamline the Olympic experience for fans and athletes including the private 5G networks installed to help capture the opening ceremony and sailing events.

In episode two ‘The Global Experience’ (TX August 10th weekend) Carter continues his tech journey looking next at how the events taking place in the summer games in Paris will be experienced by a global audience. With AI and the Cloud transforming the global experience of the Paris games, this will be the first ever games not to use satellites as a key component in the broadcast infrastructure, instead all footage will be transferred via huge data centres in Frankfurt to broadcasters around the world, making the Paris Games far more sustainable than previous competitions.

The third episode ‘Breaking Barriers’ (TX August 17th weekend), airing in between the Olympics and Paralympics, sees Carter head to join the crowds in Paris to capture and join in with their experiences during some of the exciting highs and lows of the Olympic action. This is an opportunity for Paul to witness for himself some of the Paris atmosphere and to test the technology transforming the fan experience, including maps which are designed to help visually impaired people navigate the city and its venues.

Paul Carter, host of TechXplore Paris said: “As a lifelong fan of the Olympics and Paralympics, it’s been a privilege to see up-close how Paris will depend on technology like never before. From athletes to venues to broadcasters, tech will play a key role in making these Games a success and it’s been a real joy discovering what’s happening behind the scenes and I can’t wait for people to see it.”

TechXplore Paris ‘Countdown to the Games’ airs on BBC News on Saturday 20th July at 01:30 and 07:30 and Sunday 21st July at 14:30 and 21:30 (all times GMT).

BBC News Channel

There is a lot more Olympic related content across the BBC News Channel too, with a number of its flagship programmes including Influential with Katty Kay, The Travel Show and Talking Movies, as well as other special programming, all sharing a theme of celebration of the upcoming games.

The second season of the popular interview series Influential with Katty Kay, features four episodes with sporting legends in basketball legend Magic Johnson, alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee and 2-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman.

There will also be a repeat of the Paris special of The Travel Show titled ‘Paris: Beyond 2024’ (airing Saturday 20th July) which aired earlier this year, in which former Paralympian Steve Brown visited Paris to find out how the games are transforming the city.

Pedal to Paris will see UK celebrities traveling by bike from London to Paris and discuss issues of pollution, sustainability in sport, and beating the heat. Content will be featured across digital as well as on the BBC News Channel.

Film programme Talking Movies have also produced a special French Cinema Classics episode (repeating in August) , celebrating one of the most successful film industries in Europe.

Alongside all this special content, BBC News channel’s regular sports update Sportsday will have a reporter on location in Paris to capture the Olympic atmosphere and excitement providing updates on the games plus interviews with athletes and commentators. The programme airs at 23:45 (GMT) with overnight repeats.

Audio

In podcasts from BBC World Service English, Comedian Eliza Skinner and BBC Athletics Commentator Ed Harry interview remarkable athletes about the journeys they took to the Olympics and Paralympics in On the Podium. Presenter Rana Rahimpour takes a deep dive into the complicated relationship between Iran and its heroes with the deeply personal Amazing Sports Stories: Legend of Takhti which tells the story of the extraordinary Gholamreza Takhti, the multiple gold Olympic medal-winner, who in January 1968, was found dead in a Tehran hotel room.

BBC World Service English, will also host  Olympics news and updates from Paris in special editions of Sportsworld and Sport Today, presented  by Lee James, with on-site reporters, Ed Harry and Ade Adedoyin. Isaac Fanin will have reports and interviews on Newsday, while Sportshour, presented by Caroline Barker, will provide the human-interest stories behind the medals.

There are also a number of Olympic related audio documentaries across BBC World Service English throughout July and August including:

The Next Paralympians (TX: Saturday 24th Aug) presented by Dan Pepper, a British ex-Paralympic swimmer who has a learning disability, tells the story of pioneering athletes who are the first to represent their country at the Paralympics in the intellectual disability classification.

In Courting Success – A Journey to Paris 2024 (TX: Thurs 29th August) we hear about the life and career of wheelchair tennis champion Kgothatso Montjane, who has powerful feelings regarding diversity, equity and inclusion in sport and was the first black South African woman to compete at Wimbledon.

The gay activists who won an Olympic-sized battle (TX: Thurs 25th July) tells the inspiring story of a small campaign group who forced a change after the legislators in Cobb County Atlanta, a venue for the volleyball competition at the 1996 Olympics, passed a resolution in 1993 stating that “lifestyles advocated by the gay community are incompatible with the standards to which this community describes”.

In India’s Wrestling School for Girls (TX: Thurs 25th July) BBC Journalist Divya Arya looks at how young girls living in In the industrial town of Haryana in Northern India, are breaking barriers by training to become the next generation of gold medal winning wrestlers – and what it takes to become an Indian wrestling heroine.

And finally, with this year’s Olympic Games in Paris seeing the introduction of breakdancing as a new sport, B-girl Raygun – Breaking into the Olympics (TX: Tues 6th August) follows Rachael Gunn, known as b-girl Raygun, the highest ranked female breaker in Australia and her nation’s biggest hope for a gold medal. What techniques can she use to prepare for the unknown? And where does sport end and art begin?

Newsletter

The BBC Sport team will also be delivering a daily newsletter called BBC Medal Moments offering readers a global picture from the greatest sporting show on earth. BBC Sport has every angle covered from the Paris Olympics – the medal haul, the athletes to watch, the stories behind the remarkable journeys many have taken to earn their place at the Games, recaps of the can’t-miss highlights from the previous day’s action – and looks ahead to what to watch out for, and is available for sign-ups now.

Features

Sections across BBC.com will also have plenty of content including:

Earth will be publishing a series on Sports and Sustainability delving into the environmental impact of the Olympic games.

Innovation will be looking into the Science of Fitness with topics ranging from Olympic sports to everyday athleticism. It will also be covering the Paris Paralympics, looking at how tech can improve accessibility to and beyond sport.

Travel will feature its twice-weekly guide, The SpeciaList, which will be providing a local take on France, Paris and beyond, for those interested in more than just the games. Whilst The World’s Table will have interviews with the French chefs running the world’s largest restaurant: the one at Olympic Village.

Culture will also cover related topics ranging from significant moments of Olympic history to the teams with the best style today.

 

Cassian Harrison, SVP Content Creation & Acquisition at BBC Studios said: ‘As always, the BBC is marking the world’s oldest sporting festival with all the richness, depth and authority that only the BBC can bring. Across our digital, television and audio platforms, we will be offering a definitive but also singular and surprising overview of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games for our audiences worldwide’.

New BBC.com and BBC App Launch Globally

BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, and BBC News today announced the global launch of the all-new BBC.com and BBC app, transforming the way digital audiences read, watch, and find the BBC’s renowned journalism and storytelling outside of the UK. Available to users worldwide, the new website and app boast an updated design and navigation along with more of the trusted, impartial journalism that consumers rely on the BBC for across the world. The new BBC.com and BBC app also allow for a more premium and sustainable commercial offering with ad tech enhancements that unlock new opportunities for advertisers.

The BBC app, which replaces the International BBC News app, brings together content from across the BBC, for the first time ever. The app mirrors the refreshed BBC.com experience, offering stories and videos across Business, Innovation, Culture, Travel, Earth and more, alongside News, Sport, and live coverage. The BBC app is available for download today in the App Store for Apple users and for Android devices via Google Play.

Tara Maitra, Chief Commercial Officer, BBC Global Media & Streaming, BBC Studios, said: “We are excited to bring the new website and brand-new BBC app to audiences and partners around the globe, following a successful first introduction to consumers in North America. These new digital products deliver an experience as premium as our news and storytelling and offers us the opportunity for future growth as we remain focused on finding new and innovative ways to make BBC content more easily accessible across the globe.”

Naja Nielsen, Digital Director for BBC News, said: “We know there is huge appetite for impartial BBC News journalism as we report – without an agenda – on the burning issues of our time. Thanks to our independent journalism, the BBC is the world’s most trusted international news media organisation, reaching more than 400 million people each week. As we expand and develop our global digital newsroom, I am thrilled our new global app and website will provide an excellent experience and much better showcase our world-beating journalism.”

Lori Suchcicki, SVP Advertising EMEA, BBC Studios, said: “The new website and app provide a trusted, premium environment for advertisers and represent the BBC’s continued investment in high-quality journalism globally and our commitment to bringing news and insights from the EMEA region to millions of people across the world. We’re excited that our commercial partners will enjoy several enhancements that make it easier for brands to connect with the BBC.com audience, unlocking new partnership capabilities and opportunities for marketers.”

BBC.com, which re-launched in North America last December, and the BBC app allow users to engage with the BBC’s content in a more cohesive experience. Some of the changes to the website and app include:

  • New Homepage: The new BBC.com homepage and home screen now include a mix of the biggest global news stories of the moment plus a selection of timely and relevant features, curated by BBC editors.
  • New Look, Same Trusted News: Visitors looking to dig deeper into what’s happening around the globe can navigate to News to find articles, videos, and live coverage. Those looking for news from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East can find it in the World section under News.
  • New Sections: BBC’s arts and entertainment coverage in Culture, technology, health and science in Innovation, and sustainability and environment in Earth. Sport, Business and Travel continue to offer agenda-setting stories from around the world, as well as the thought-provoking features readers have come to love from the BBC.
  • More BBC Videos: New Video section offers an extensive library of BBC videos and multimedia storytelling featuring content ranging from news and sport updates to captivating stories on climate, sustainability, science, health, entertainment, and history.
  • More Live Coverage: New Live section makes it easier to find live news updates and live global sport coverage as they unfold.
  • Up-to-the-Minute Breaking News Alerts: Audiences can sign up to receive the same breaking news notifications they always have.
  • The BBC Direct to your Inbox: Discover our newsletters, including The News Briefing, US Election Unspun, Tech Decoded, Future Earth, The Essential List and the brand-new In History

The new website and app, together, create a streamlined digital ecosystem that makes it easier than ever for audiences worldwide to discover a wider array of BBC content. The consistent, unified layout across web and app results not only in an improved user experience, but the unified, single product suite also allows for more opportunities and flexibility for advertising and sponsorship across both web and app.

Advertising partners can now take advantage of more premium high impact ad units that live seamlessly alongside the BBC’s content, making for a more effective consumer journey. Marketers will also benefit from advanced targeting capabilities featuring more sophisticated audience intelligence, segmentation, and attribution that connects campaigns across web and app products, delivering enhanced measurable results for partners.

These new digital platforms and features, coupled with research that shows advertising within news can drive business results, together bolster the opportunity for marketers to reach the coveted BBC.com audience of engaged and informed news consumers. In fact, according to the IAB, advertising in news creates a halo effect, with consumers more likely to consider making a purchase after being exposed to a brand’s advertisement within their preferred news sources. Findings show that 90% of consumers have either a positive or neutral response to brands that advertise within news, while nearly half of consumers find brands that advertise in the news to be more customer-focused and engaging, more innovative, and relevant to them. The study from the IAB reinforces internal findings into the aggregated performance of advertising on BBC.com, which show an 80%+ average lift in likelihood to recommend and consideration across key categories.

BBC.com and the BBC app are the latest step in the company’s ongoing digital transformation, and is supported by its investment in North America, which includes an expanded newsroom that facilitates deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the world. Recently, the company also launched the BBC News FAST channel in the U.S. across leading services, more than doubling the channel’s reach in the region. Ranked as the most trusted news broadcaster in the world, the BBC is driven by its public service mission and editorial guidelines and standards for which the organization is known.

The development and operation of BBC.com and the BBC app is driven by BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming division, which leverages the power of the BBC to reach and engage audiences worldwide. GM&S is responsible for the distribution and advertising of BBC News globally outside of the U.K. GM&S is a division of BBC Studios, the BBC Group’s commercial arm that helps to fund innovation, internationally recognized programming, and the organization’s public service mission.

Caitríona Perry to leave RTE for the BBC

Today, the BBC announced the appointment of Caitríona Perry as chief presenter on the BBC’s news channel – BBC News – which broadcasts around the world, including the UK, North America and Singapore. Caitríona will join recently appointed chief presenter Sumi Somaskanda to anchor out of Washington D.C, reinforcing the BBC’s commitment to better serve North American audiences with more breaking news coverage and in-depth analysis from the region.

Caitríona joins the BBC from RTÉ – Ireland’s national public service broadcaster where she served as the presenter of the country’s main evening news programme and an anchor of special event programmes. Prior to that, she was RTÉ’s US Correspondent based in Washington D.C. where she covered the Obama-Biden and the Trump-Pence administrations, the 2016 elections and all aspects of US economic, political, cultural and sporting life. She has written two best-selling and critically acclaimed books on US politics. She’s also worked as a broadcast news correspondent, documentary maker and a programme editor. She has reported for radio, tv, digital and social platforms from across the US, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Australia. She has interviewed many heads of state including US President Joe Biden, and his predecessors Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.

“I’m delighted to be joining the BBC at this time of its expansion in the US. There is no other news organisation globally which has the same ability and resources to bring the most important news to so many people with impartiality, urgency, accuracy and style,” says Caitríona Perry. “I look forward to continuing my career in public service journalism at the forefront of reporting all the biggest stories around the world.”

Paul Royall, Executive News Editor for the BBC News channel, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Caitríona to BBC News. She brings authority, expertise and warmth to the new channel, and completes a compelling on-air team.”

BBC News, which reaches 50 million consumers weekly in the U.S., is regarded as the most trusted global news brand in the country, ahead of all major US news brands, according to the 2022 Reuters Institute Digital News Report. The ranking is a testament to BBC News’ commitment to its mission of helping people understand the world around them, make informed choices and take an active part in society and democracy.