bbc world service

The BBC World Service is an international broadcaster owned and operated by the BBC, with funding from the British Government. It is the world's largest international broadcaster in terms of reception area, language selection and audience reach that broadcasts radio news, speech and discussions in more than 40 languages, to many parts of the world on analogue and digital shortwave platforms, internet streaming, podcasting, satellite, DAB, FM and MW relays.   The World Service reached an average of 500 million people a week (via TV, radio and online). Now they are broadcasting in additional languages including Amharic and Igbo, in its biggest expansion since the 1940s. The World Service is funded by the United Kingdom's television licence fee, limited advertising and the profits of BBC Studios. The service was also guaranteed £289 million (allocated over a five-year period ending in 2020) from the UK government.    BBC World Service English maintains eight regional feeds with several programme variations, covering, respectively, East and South Africa; West and Central Africa; Europe and the Middle East; the Americas and Caribbean; East Asia; South Asia; Australasia; and the United Kingdom. There are also two separate online-only streams with one being more news-oriented, known as News Internet. The service broadcasts 24 hours a day. The current controller of BBC World Service English is Mary Hockaday.