BBC Hits Record Global Weekly Reach Above 500 Million

The BBC has surpassed the half‑billion mark for its weekly global audience for the first time since comparable records began.

Combined reach across BBC News, the BBC World Service and content distributed by BBC Studios rose to 502 million people, an 11% increase year on year.

BBC News added nearly 50 million users to reach 467 million (up 12% year on year). The BBC World Service accounted for more than 70% of the BBC’s international reach, attracting 355 million weekly (up 14%).

Leaders attribute the surge to the division's digital transformation alongside a sequence of major news events. Over the same period, the World Service recorded a digital audience increase of more than 40%.

The BBC remains the most trusted international news provider globally and ranks first for reliability and independence.

With the war in Ukraine ongoing, BBC News Ukrainian has more than tripled its reach, now connecting with over one in five adults across the country on average, driven by rapid growth on social channels. Heightened tensions and conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, alongside protests inside Iran, have also sustained audiences for BBC News Persian, which now reaches nearly 25 million people and is the largest Persian‑language media outlet outside Iran.

BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo grew strongly—up 58% and 40% respectively—largely thanks to performance on TikTok and Instagram.

Reflecting changing consumption habits, the World Service has expanded its emphasis on websites and social platforms. Last year it launched BBC News Polska for Polish speakers—the first new language service in seven years—and introduced new TikTok accounts across its language services.

English‑language output across World Service English, BBC.com and the BBC News channel reached 208 million weekly (up 5% year on year).

Underscoring the BBC's role during crises, 76% of World Service reach is in countries with low levels of press freedom.

India is the BBC's largest international market, with audiences rising to 74 million each week, followed by the United States, Nigeria, Iran and Tanzania.

www.bbc.co.uk