§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated audience for BBC World Service English language broadcasts in each of the 10 countries with most listeners; and from which 10 countries the most audience letters are annually received with the numbers involved. [23224]
§ Mr. HanleyThe estimated audiences for BBC World Service English language broadcasts are as follows:
The UK domestic audience is estimated at 1.3 million.
Top 10 countries (excluding UK) Country Audience (millions) Nigeria 7.5 India 5.5 USA 3.5 Australia 1.9 Ghana 1.1 Ethiopia 0.9 Kenya 0.9 Bangladesh 0.8 Germany 0.7 Uganda 0.7 Total 23.5 The highest numbers of letters in 1995 were received from the following countries:
The World Service received 13,400 letters from the UK in 1995.
Country Letters India 172,000 Burma 78,700 Nigeria 32,400 Indonesia 29,000 China 25,800 Pakistan 19,000 Sri Lanka 10,800 Algeria 10,400 Egypt 9,800 Somalia1 3,500 1A further 4,000+ letters originated in Somalia but were posted via other countries, assisted by the Red Cross.
§ Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what would be the annual cost and the estimated savings involved in rebroadcasting BBC Home Service programmes on to the10W current schedule of the World Service or the proposed World Service news and current affairs channel; and if he will make a statement. [23225]
§ Mr. HanleyProgramme content is a matter for the BBC World Service. English language programmes are prepared for a global audience. Most listeners have English as a second language. Many have no first-hand knowledge of the UK. BBC Home Service programmes are meant for a UK audience, but the World Service uses them when appropriate.
The BBC has made no estimate of the cost of rebroadcasting domestic material since most of it is unsuitable for its global audience.