BBC, the world renowned network, that has always delivered credible news to its audience has now forayed into Telugu too. This esteemed news organisation has launched new services in Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati and Punjabi. Now millions of Indian population would get to access BBC in their own regional language. The services aims to make international news relevant to an Indian audience. The launch of these services is BBC's biggest expansion since 1940 and the UK Government has invested around 291 million pounds in this expansion.
Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, was in India for the launch of the services. On the official opening of the BBC Bureau in Delhi he said that the launch of these services was a crucial milestone for BBC. The Indian audiences have always respected and held BBC in high regard and he is glad to present BBC news to the regional audience, especially the ones belonging to the next generation. They have also recruited more than 150 new journalistic staff from throughout the country. BBC Telugu's services have already started on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. It plans on breaking the old norms and following the traditions and wants to report the happenings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and focus particularly on the youth and women audience. Along with news updates and analysis of the content it also provides news that is informative and entertaining.
He also announced that BBC is working with new TV partners- India News and Eenadu TV. The new services are available online and on social media, with a Telugu TV bulletin, BBC Prapancham, also starting on Saturday. This bulletin will be broadcasting from Monday to Friday at 10:30 pm on Eenadu TV Andhra Pradesh and Eenadu TV Telangana. K.Bapineedu, CEO of Eenadu TV Network, also said that BBC’s brand name is highly reputed as a reliable news network throughout the world. This initiative by BBC will help in delivering international stories to the Telugu audience will only ensure highest reach and authenticity. BBC has launched these news networks with the intention of gaining 80 million audience within Indian and taking it to 500 million globally by 2020.
On the occasion of this launch BBC has put up a special video featuring their staff from the regional languages of Telugu, Marathi, Punjabi and Gujarati announcing the start of these networks, the video can be seen here. The BBC Telugu news website can be accessed here.
