'BBC Dunia' launched on ETV with a focus on young viewers

The 10-minute programme, by BBC Hindi, looks at how global events impact India and the wider region.

'BBC Dunia,' produced and presented by BBC Hindi in London, has recently started airing on ETV's 9 pm news slot 'ETV News with BBC'. The 10-minute-long is being broadcast at 9.20 pm across the Network 18-owned ETV network channels - ETV Rajasthan, ETV Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, ETV Bihar and Jharkhand, ETV Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, ETV Haryana and Himachal, and ETV Urdu, from Monday to Friday.

Earlier in 2012, BBC World Service and ETV had partnered to showcase a weekly BBC Hindi TV programme called 'Global India'. On the content of 'BBC Dunia', Juliana Lootty, Asia editor, BBC World Service, says, "It is fast-paced and dynamic - we have been keen to make it of special appeal to younger audiences. The content of the programme draws on BBC's newsgathering presence across the world, including India of course - reports of the global events of the day, from politics to science, technology and culture. The premise is to look at how global events impact India and the wider region."

A 100 per cent BBC production, the 'capsule' is produced by the BBC Hindi team in London with oversight by BBC Hindi's Delhi-based editor Nidheesh Tyagi. It is presented from London by Sumiran Preet Kaur. Lootty adds, "BBC Dunia is supported with information by the BBC's global newsgathering network, which includes the BBC Hindi team in India and the region. As is all our output, the BBC Hindi reporting is underpinned by the BBC's unparalleled global newsgathering operation, with correspondents in 81 news bureaux around the world and through BBC World Service."

On the roadmap for BBC Hindi in the year ahead, Lootty says, "We are committed to our audiences in India where, in addition to BBC Hindi, they can also access BBC Tamil, English, Urdu, Bangla and Nepali language services. We are always on the lookout for the best ways to serve these audiences on the platforms of their choice. The launch of 'BBC Dunia' as a Monday-to-Friday TV news programme is an excellent example of how we keep exploring the best ways to deliver our news content to Hindi-speaking audiences. Our other major focus is expanding the BBC Hindi digital offer. We have pioneered the use of the instant-messaging platform among Hindi-language news providers - the BBC Hindi content is available via chat apps such as Line and WeChat."

BBC Hindi's editor, Tyagi, adds, "Based on our understanding of our audiences - especially younger ones - we have created a format with pace that will help us give them everything they need to know about the world around them. We all hope they will join us for this dynamic and comprehensive roundup of key news stories of the day on ETV."