The BBC is stepping up the UK marketing for the World Service now that the global station has been added to the Freeview service as well as various digital satellite and digital cable systems. Despite being hugely popular around the world, especially in India, the station has never had a big listenership in the UK, with most of us only able to receive its output on late night Radio 4. But with the new digital output station bosses hope that will change.
Mark Byford, Director of the BBC World Service and Global News, told reporters: "Most people in the UK know of the World Service but few have actually listened to it. Until recently it's been easier to hear BBC World Service in Damascus, Dhaka or Delhi than in Donegal, Doncaster or Dundee - unless you're a night owl, tuning into World Service programmes on Radio 4, Radio Ulster or Radio Wales. With many new ways to listen, even more of the people who fund us, taxpayers in the UK, can benefit from and enjoy the service."