New York – March 21, 2024 – BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, and BBC News today announced the launch of the brand-new BBC mobile app, transforming the way audiences outside the UK read, watch, and find the BBC’s renowned journalism and storytelling, wherever they may be. The all-new BBC app replaces the International BBC News app and mirrors the recently refreshed BBC.com, which rolled out first in North America last December and globally today. Together, the new BBC.com and BBC app allow for a more premium and sustainable commercial offering with ad tech enhancements that unlock new opportunities for advertisers. The BBC app is available for download in the App Store for Apple users and Google Play for Android devices.

Built from the ground up, the new BBC app matches the design and experience of BBC.com, and now features a wider content offer from across the BBC. For the first time, app users can access all the stories and videos across Business, Innovation, Culture, Travel, Earth and more, alongside News, Sport, and live coverage.

Tara Maitra, Chief Commercial Officer, BBC Global Media & Streaming, BBC Studios, said: “We are excited to bring the new website and brand-new BBC app to audiences and partners around the globe, following a successful first introduction to consumers in North America. These new digital products deliver an experience as premium as our news and storytelling and offers us the opportunity for future growth as we remain focused on finding new and innovative ways to make BBC content more easily accessible across the globe.”

Naja Nielsen, Digital Director for BBC News, said: “We know there is huge appetite for impartial BBC News journalism as we report – without an agenda – on the burning issues of our time. Thanks to our independent journalism, the BBC is the world’s most trusted international news media organisation, reaching more than 400 million people each week. As we expand and develop our global digital newsroom, I am thrilled our new global app and website will provide an excellent experience and much better showcase our world-beating journalism.”

The BBC app allows users to engage with the BBC’s content in a more cohesive experience, mirroring the recent updates made to the BBC.com website. Some of the notable changes include:

• New Home Screen: The home screen includes a mix of the biggest global news stories of the moment plus a selection of timely and relevant features, curated by BBC editors.
• New Look, Same Trusted News: Visitors looking to dig deeper into what’s happening around the globe can navigate to News to find articles, videos, and live coverage. Those looking for news from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East can find it in the World section under News.
• New Sections: BBC’s arts and entertainment coverage in Culture, technology, health and science in Innovation, and sustainability and environment in Earth. Sport, Business and Travel continue to offer agenda-setting stories from around the world, as well as the thought-provoking features readers have come to love from the BBC.
• More BBC Videos: New Video section offers an extensive library of BBC videos and multimedia storytelling featuring content ranging from news and sport updates to captivating stories on climate, sustainability, science, health, entertainment, and history.
• More Live Coverage: New Live section makes it easier to find live news updates and live global sport coverage as they unfold.
• Up-to-the-Minute Breaking News Alerts: Audiences can sign up to receive the same breaking news notifications they always have.
• The BBC Direct to your Inbox: Discover our newsletters, including The News Briefing, US Election Unspun, Tech Decoded, Future Earth, The Essential List and the brand-new In History

The BBC app, alongside the new website, create a streamlined digital ecosystem that makes it easier than ever for audiences worldwide to discover a wider array of BBC content. The consistent, unified layout across web and app results not only in an improved user experience, but the unified, single product suite also allows for more opportunities and flexibility for advertising and sponsorship across both web and app.

Advertising partners can now take advantage of more premium high impact ad units that live seamlessly alongside the BBC’s content, making for a more effective consumer journey. Marketers will also benefit from advanced targeting capabilities featuring more sophisticated audience intelligence, segmentation, and attribution that connects campaigns across web and app products, delivering enhanced measurable results for partners.

BBC.com and the BBC app are the latest step in the company’s ongoing digital transformation, and is supported by its investment in North America, which includes an expanded newsroom that facilitates deeper analysis and local expertise of the regional stories affecting the world. Recently, the company also launched the BBC News FAST channel in the U.S. across leading services, more than doubling the channel’s reach in the region. Ranked as the most trusted news broadcaster in the world, the BBC is driven by its public service mission and editorial guidelines and standards for which the organization is known.

The development and operation of BBC.com and the BBC app is driven by BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming division, which leverages the power of the BBC to reach and engage audiences worldwide. GM&S is responsible for the distribution and advertising of BBC News globally outside of the U.K. GM&S is a division of BBC Studios, the BBC Group’s commercial arm that helps to fund innovation, internationally recognized programming, and the organization’s public service mission.

Press Contacts

Yvette Pacheco – yvette.pacheco@bbc.com / Kevin Sornatale – kevin.sornatale@bbc.com

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About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features.