SEVERAL Nigerian languages are among a raft ones the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) plans introducing into its schedules next year as part as an aggressive drive to increase its global audience.
At the moment, the BBC broadcasts in 29 languages, including Hausa and reaches an estimated 246m people around the world every week. There are now plans to expand this with the inclusion of Yoruba, Igbo and Pidgin English to its schedule, alongside other languages including Afaan, Oromo and Amharic, spoken in Ethiopia, Tigrinya, the main language of Eritrea, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu and Punjabi.
Way back in 1932, the BBC World Service started out as a radio channel for English-speakers in the British empire but has transformed over time into a respected provider of news to global audiences. This latest expansion is said to be as a result of a funding injection of £289m until 2020 announced by the government last year.
BBC director-general, Tony Hall, said: “This is a historic day for the BBC as we announce the biggest expansion of the World Service since the 1940s. The BBC World Service is a jewel in the crown – for the BBC and for Britain.”
Fran Unsworth, the director of the World Service, added that the new funding from the government would have no impact on the service’s independence. She added that the BBC will remain an independent provider of news.
Ms Unsworth said: “Where the money comes from is irrelevant. The World Service is going to do what it’s always done – go over the heads of government providing a service directly to citizens of the world.”
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