£11m Funding For BBC NI Announced

The BBC has announced it will be investing over £11 million in additional funding into services in Northern Ireland over the next three years.
The investment will enable BBC Northern Ireland to transform its digital output across news, sport and other areas, produce more drama, factual and comedy content on BBC One NI and boost its service to younger audiences.
Over the next three years, the additional £11m investment will facilitate:
• An enhanced digital service from BBC News NI, with improved news coverage throughout the day and weekends.
• Greater coverage of local sport online, including live streaming of events across a range of sports.
• A 50 per cent increase in commissioning spend on local television content - meaning more drama, comedy and factual programmes and events on BBC One Northern Ireland.
• New digital content and services for younger audiences and new digital investment in radio.
• New content to mark major historical anniversaries in Northern Ireland.
Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, said: "This is great news for BBC Northern Ireland, but more importantly, great news for audiences. It is the biggest single investment the BBC has made in Northern Ireland in 20 years. It will transform our digital output - for news and sport and more. It means more drama, factual and comedy content. All things we know the public love and want from the BBC."
(CD/LM)