The latest EMS Middle East survey has confirmed that BBC World News reaches more daily viewers than any other international English language news broadcaster across key Gulf markets—UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait. The channel also leads CNN in daily viewers in both Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In addition, the survey shows BBC World News has been particularly successful in attracting business decision-makers, the well-educated and high income earners in the Gulf region.
This news follows recent comScore figures showing BBC.com has the highest reach of any international news site for the Middle East and Africa, being named the number one original news site with 4.5m unique visitors each month, 45% more than CNN.
During an unprecedented period of fast-moving political change and uncertainty, users are also spending an increasing amount of time and engaging more with the site. According to Omniture, BBC.com users spend an average of 8.10mins on the site and also view more pages per visit than they did in 2011.
Jim Egan, Director of Strategy and Distribution for BBC Global News said: “Audiences across the Middle East are seeking accurate, reliable reporting of events now more than ever, which is why we’re so pleased that they are turning to the BBC as their source for English language news on-air and online. This a time of tremendous change across the Middle East and the BBC is committed, as it always has been, to delivering audiences high quality, independent and in-depth journalism.”
Source: EMS Middle East 2012, Ipsos-Synovate.
Source: comScore, April 2012, Africa and Middle East data, News Ranker.
Source: Omniture Discover, Q1 2012 vs Q4 2011 monthly average.
