BBC Arabic Television Launch

BBC Arabic Television – the BBC's news and information channel in the Arabic language – is to launch on Tuesday 11 March.
Initially broadcast for 12 hours a day, the television channel is part of the BBC's integrated multimedia news service for the Arab world. It will move to 24/7 in the summer and is the BBC's first publicly-funded international television service.
BBC Arabic is already available on air and on-demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week on radio, on the internet through bbcarabic.com, on mobiles and on handheld computers – in whatever way best suits the audience.
BBC Arabic Television will be freely available to everyone with a satellite or cable connection in the region, whether they are in North Africa, the Middle East or the Gulf.
BBC Arabic Television is distributed on the Arabsat, Eutelsat and Nilesat satellite systems.
The TV channel's schedule includes news headlines every 15 minutes and a full news summary every 30 minutes.
On-the-spot news coverage will be delivered by 250 correspondents reporting from 72 bureaux around the world – the biggest newsgathering team in the world. Additional regional expertise comes from an extensive network of local reporters and correspondents.
The channel also features news and current affairs programmes such as the twice-daily Newshour, which highlights news, analysis, key interviews and debate on the top events making the news in the region and around the world that day.
It also features the pioneering live multimedia interactive debating forum Nuqtat Hewar, already popular on radio and online, three days a week.
A showcase of the best BBC documentaries and specially produced in-depth reports from the Arab world will reinforce the TV schedule.
Its presenters will include Rania Al Alattar; Fida Bassil; Tony El-Khoury; Dalia Mohamed; Osman Ayfarah; Hasan Muawad; Lina Musharbash; and Dina Waqqaf.
The BBC's World Service Director, Nigel Chapman, said: "BBC Arabic is renowned for broadcasting impartial and accurate news and information which is strong on analysis and expertise. This enhanced multimedia service meets the needs of an audience with a very strong appetite for news and debate. We will be contemporary in style and independent and incisive in our journalism."
(DS)