BBC Arabic Television service begins recruiting

"We'll be initially recruiting output editors - and one for news-gathering," says Salah Negm, who has joined the channel as News Editor. "We're aiming to be fast, modern in style and outlook; strong on analysis with a wide international perspective. It will maintain the BBC values of accuracy, editorial independence, impartiality, while balancing a wide diversity of views.

"BBC Arabic Television will have broad appeal - free from commercial, political and religious affiliations or pressures. We are now looking for the key senior staff to help us turn this vision into an exciting reality."

Applications for the current Editor vacancies can be made through www.bbc.co.uk/jobs. Other journalist and technical roles are to be advertised later this year, and www.bbcarabic.com gives brief details.

"The new channel will not simply be another satellite news station," explains Negm. " It's part of a wider vision to introduce a multi-media BBC Arabic Service - drawing on the great traditions and strengths of its Radio and Online operation to better serve audiences across the Arab world.

"We will be unique among international broadcasters in the Middle East, a region that witnessed a boom in satellite television news and media consumption in the last few years.

"BBC World Service Arabic Television will supply high quality rolling news and information. Dynamic, relevant and modern, it will introduce to the Arab Television viewers all the values that made BBC Arabic Radio an icon in the region over nearly 70 years. It will explain the wider context of events for audiences in a region that is witnessing an extreme polarization in views and attitudes; bringing in to conflict the old and new, tradition and modernity."

BBC Arabic already broadcasts 24 hours a day through FM and online. BBC Arabic Television will draw on the BBC's huge newsgathering network acround the world and will expand its journalistic presence across the Arab world: latest technology will provide its reporters with greater mobility, speed and quality.

"The measured weekly audience for BBC Arabic radio is over 12 million and bbcarabic.com is one of the Region's most visited websited in the Region - with monthly page impressions peaking earlier this year at 21 million and rising", says Jerry Timmins, Head of Africa and the Middle East at BBC World Service.

"With the television station to broaden our appeal further, BBC Arabic is very ambitious to increase its audiences across all media over the next five years."

The Head of BBC Arabic, Hosam El Sokkari, added: "This offer across all media will be designed to cater for the different economic and social conditions across 21 countries. We have a unique opportunity with one service creating content across three media in the same place under a unified editorial leadership and with a shared technical backbone."

The BBC announced plans to launch an Arabic Television operation in October 2005 as part of BBC World Service's multi-media strategy for the next three years. BBC World Service is accelerating its transition from being seen as primarily a radio and online operation to a true multi-media producer, capable of responding to audience demands for information via whatever medium they choose.

"The BBC Arabic Service is at the cutting edge of developments at BBC World Service," adds Timmins. "Our aim is to to strengthen our appeal to our audiences using latest technology.

"With the Arabic Service's trusted reputation in the Middle East and our new found ability to provide news and information across any device the audience chooses, the BBC will be in a unique position in the Arab World. I believe we have a real advantage given that we will be creating a carefully co-ordinated and compelling multi-media news service."

BBC Arabic TV will initially broadcast for 12 hours a day - available free-of-charge to everyone in the Arab World with a satellite or cable connection. A service of BBC news and information in audio and text in Arabic is planned for the remaining 12 hours of the day on the channel. Repeated audience research in seven capital cities across the region indicates that between 80 and 90 per cent of those surveyed would be "very likely" or "fairly likely" to tune in. Potential users cited the trusted nature of the BBC brand and its strong record in news coverage for their strong interest.

The operating costs of £19million a year for BBC Arabic TV will come from existing grant-in-aid funding from the UK government. The grant for 2006/7 is £246 million.

The newly redeveloped Broadcasting House - the BBC's central London headquarters - will be the home of the BBC's Arabic Television service.

The whole BBC Arabic service, including the new Arabic language television service, will occupy two floors of the new purpose built East Wing from launch. The service will create multi-media news and current affairs output across Radio, TV and Online for Arabic speakers around the globe.

"Broadcasting House is going to be the main centre for the BBC's national and international news operations when the redevelopment of the building is complete," says Timmins,.

"I'm really pleased that the BBC's Arabic Service will be the first part of the BBC's Global News Division to move in. It will ensure the Arabic Service is close to the heart of the BBC's overall news operation.

"The BBC Arabic Service is at the cutting edge of developments at BBC World Service. Our aim is to to strengthen our appeal to our audiences using latest technology.

"With the Arabic Service's trusted reputation in the Middle East and our new found ability to provide news and information across any device the audience chooses, the BBC will be in a unique position in the Arab World. I believe we have a real advantage given that we will be creating a carefully co-ordinated and compelling multi-media news service."

The new base at Broadcasting House for the BBC's multi-media Arabic Service will process and edit news feeds from BBC bureaux and studios throughout the Middle East and world-wide - as well as handling material from news agencies and the public via mobile phones and e-mail. It will be staffed by some 200 journalists working together to process material for Radio, television and online.