BBC radio increases presence in the Arab world with Arabsat agreement

Both languages are available in digital quality sound, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to a renewed partnership between the international radio and online broadcaster BBC World Service and the satellite operator Arabsat.

Simon Kendall, Business Development Manager, BBC World Service, said:

"We are delighted to be renewing our already long standing relationship with Arabsat. This agreement will ensure that substantial audiences across the Arab world will have easy access to both our English and Arabic radio services."

Khalid Balkhyour, Arabsat President & CEO, welcomed the expansion of BBC Arabic and English broadcasts on Arabsat, wishing them every success: "BBC World Service radio enjoys a well established reputation throughout the Middle East for high quality news coverage, and we are proud to be their partner in delivering their services to our audience of 130 million listeners.

"We are honored by their trust in our system and their confidence in the extensive penetration of Arabsat's constellation of BADR satellites at our 26° East primary fast growing DTH neighborhood."

Khalid Balkhyour also confirmed Arabsat's strong commitment to contribute to its customers' success by supporting their growth throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

Recent reconfiguration of the Arabsat bouquet means that established BBC listeners via Arabsat will need to retune their receivers. The BBC services are available on the multiplex operating frequency 11.861 MHz, FEC 3/4 Symbol rate 27 500. The channel IDs are 20 for BBC Arabic and 21 for BBC English.

Audiences listening in English can enjoy the BBC's flagship programmes Newshour, 60 minutes of news and analysis of the day's top stories from the BBC's most experienced correspondents, and Outlook which brings human interest stories from across the globe. World, Have Your Say is the daily multimedia, interactive phone-in programme encouraging people across the world to question experts and leading international figures in the news.

Listeners in Arabic can enjoy BBC Arabic service's flagship news programme The World This Morning (Al-alam hatha al-sabah) which sets the day's agenda every morning, seven days a week, and Discussion Point (Nuqtat Hewar), the place to exchange opinions and share views on a wide range of issues for Arab speakers across the world.