A year of record-breaking impact for BBC World Service

The BBC World Service Annual Review for 2006/7,
published on 3rd July, provides information about
its performance during a year of major news
events.

The review highlights:

Independent research which indicates that BBC World
Service's reputation for trust and objectivity is
stronger than that of any other international
broadcaster in virtually all markets surveyed.

An increase in its audience to a record 183
million, a rise of 20 million on the previous
year, giving BBC World Service a third more
listeners than any other international radio
broadcaster. Audiences rose in the Middle East,
the wider Islamic world and Africa.

The availability of BBC World Service on FM in
152 capital cities, up from 150 last year.

A steady growth of online traffic. The BBC's
international news websites attracted a record
763 million page impressions in March 2007,
up from 546 million compared to March 2006.
Around the world there were a record 38.5
million online users in March 2007, up from
32.8 million a year ago.

BBC Global News services - which include BBC
World Service, the BBC World television channel
and BBC international online news sites attracted
a record global weekly audience of over 233 million
during 2006/7.

The Annual Review can be accessed at
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/us/annual_review/2006/.

Source : BBC World Service Publicity