According to the UK Press Gazette, the BBC now claims a weekly global audience of 308 million people, "after adding in Facebook, Youtube and 'entertainment'" to the way it calculates its figures.
The corporation aims to reach 500 million people by 2022.
The BBC said in a press release that, for the first time, television (148m a week) overtook radio (133m a week). Online attracted 55m a week.
It said the World Service’s audience has increased by 10 per cent to 210m, with BBC World Service English recording a weekly reach of 52m, up 25 per cent.
Fran Unsworth, director of the BBC World Service, said: “These amazing figures demonstrate the importance and impact of the BBC around the world.
“In times of crisis and in countries lacking media freedom, people around the world turn to the BBC for trusted and accurate information."
That's why the BBC needs closely watching.
Remember, Jeremy Paxman said this is how the BBC ought to "spread influence". Curiously, 250 million members of that audience aren't forced to pay the license fee and get it via commercial means. Surely evidence that the BBC can survive if it was ended.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes but no, but yes...
DeleteStill rather nice to have the safety net of an assured £4Bpa taken from a hapless UK public no matter what... just in case.
Which may explain why Mark Serwotka and a well-coordinated activist squad are limbering up using every social medium the BBC has so heavily invested in.
As for Facebook, it seems such numbers around the world comprise an awful lot of tribal foes keen to knock spots off each other publicly, with the impact of the BBC mainly to foment conflict.
Whether such folk would be prepared to front up a sub to keep the dialogue going with the unique BBC modding imposed is another matter.
"Online attracted 55m a week."
ReplyDeleteHow many of these were merely following links to confirm that utter "rowlocks" (cockney rhyming slang) was being posted on BBC tinternet?