BBC BRING TOGETHER BBC WORLD SERVICE AND BBC WORLD

THE BBC are to create a single integrated international news and information division, bringing together BBC World Service and BBC World.
The aim is to create a clearer, co-ordinated presence in the international media marketplace, improving the impact of BBC services and journalism with global audiences.
The division will be led by Mark Byford, who will have the new title of Director of World Service and Global News, and will include BBC World Service radio, BBC World television and the BBC’s international facing online news services. The new division will work in partnership with BBC News, which will continue to provide all newsgathering and English language news and current affairs programmes.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which funds the World Service through grant-in-aid, has been fully consulted about the proposition and is supportive of the development. BBC World is a commercial service funded by advertising and subscription. The separate identities of the two services and their different funding streams will be respected.
BBC Director-General Greg Dyke, said: "The BBC’s global role is of huge importance and significance, never more so than at this time of conflict. I have been planning for some time to bring the BBC’s global news broadcasting activities together within a single division. The World Service has a unique reputation and impact and is a beacon of high quality, distinctive public service broadcasting. BBC World is building its reputation and continues to extend its global reach. Both services, as well as online, bring huge credit back to Britain for independent and impartial coverage in diverse communities and cultures."
Mark Byford will be responsible for leading the delivery of all the BBC’s international news services. He will develop the BBC’s overall international news strategy and ensure greater editorial, marketing and audience research co-ordination to deliver a more integrated BBC strategy around the world.
BBC News will continue to provide newsgathering and all English language news and current affairs programmes to all global news services including the World Service and BBC World.
The new structure, which will be set out in more detail as part of a detailed implementation project between now and next April 2002, will have BBC World Service and BBC World as two distinct groups within the new division.
BBC World Service will be a separate entity within the new division with distinct grant-in-aid funding. Byford will continue to lead the World Service and chair the World Service Management Board. He will also become CEO of BBC World and, in that capacity, will be a member of a new BBC-wide Commercial Board, chaired by Greg Dyke. BBC World will continue to be funded commercially, although it will no longer be part of the BBC’s commercial subsidiary BBC Worldwide. (CD)