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On Monday 19 January 2009, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã will enhance its multimedia service in Arabic by extending the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic television broadcasts to 24 hours a day and introducing five new television presenters from across the Arab world – Makki Helal, Dima Izzedin, Malak Jaafar, Tareq Naser and Nouran Sallam.

The launch of round-the-clock TV broadcasting means Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic becomes a truly 24/7 multimedia service bringing Arabic-speaking audiences, from across the world, news and analysis via radio, online, television and mobile.

Head of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic, Hosam El Sokkari, says: "Our TV operation has gone from strength to strength since its launch as a 12 hours a day operation in March 2008, and our 24/7 television service will offer a non-stop news service for Arabic-speakers whenever, and wherever, they want it.

"We have reinforced our presenter team with five new talents, who will, no doubt, enrich our programming with new dynamics and style."

The launch of the 24/7 TV operation builds on the success of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic multimedia news service.

The website, bbcarabic.com, continues to grow. A strong area of growth is delivered via its mobile WAP site. In the last three weeks it has received more than five times as much weekly traffic as during an average week in 2008. This follows new linking agreements with mobile phone operators in the region, including Vodafone Live in Egypt, Orange in Jordan and Zain in Bahrain.

In another recent development, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic is now offering one-minute video news bulletins in Saudi Arabia, via operators STC and Mobily.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic continues to expand its global distribution network beyond the North Africa and Middle East region.

Following an agreement with International Media Distribution (IMD), a division of ART – Arab Radio and Television – Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic television is broadcast for one hour every day, at 21.00 GMT, in the USA on the ART America Channel on the EchoStar platform.

ART America will also join Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic television from 16.00 GMT on 20 January for six hours of special coverage of the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

As the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's publicly-funded international television service, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic television is freely available to everyone with a satellite or cable connection in the region. It is distributed free to air by Arabsat, Eutelsat and Nilesat satellite systems.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic television is also available on Channel 41 of the E Vision cable platform in the UAE and is streamed live via the website bbcarabic.com.

Notes to Editors

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic is the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's integrated news and information service for the Arab world. It is available on air and on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It is designed to reach audiences on radio, television, the internet – on bbcarabic.com – mobile phones and handheld computers in whatever way best suits the audience.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic is both the largest and the oldest of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's non-English language services. Launched on 3 January 1938, it has evolved into the Arab world's leading international broadcaster, covering the political, social and cultural issues that matter to its diverse audiences in the Arab world and across the world.

With its new TV presence, Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic is bringing the world to Arab audiences – reporting the news wherever it leads.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Arabic breaking news alerts are offered via mobile operators as a subscription service in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, UAE, Yemen and the Palestinian territories.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã World Service Publicity