I.

Introduction

BBC World Service, international radio division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The BBC World Service transmits radio programs around the world in 33 languages. With a regular audience of about 150 million listeners on radio and online, it reaches more people than any other international broadcaster. The World Service also prepares news programs for its sister television organization and is responsible for a major news monitoring service that extracts information from the world’s media. Unlike the domestic services of the BBC, which are funded by license fees, the World Service receives a direct grant from the British Parliament for operating international broadcasting, amounting to about $345 million. It is, however, an integral part of the BBC, sharing the same standards and granted the same editorial independence. The aims of the World Service are: to provide comprehensive, in-depth, and impartial news and information to contribute to a better-informed world; to help meet worldwide needs for education and training, including the study of the English language; and to give people overseas access to British culture and entertainment.