INTERNATIONAL. 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.”

BBC World News, the BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World News Ltd, a member of the BBC’s commercial group of companies.  BBC World News is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and over 330 million households and 1.8 million hotel rooms. The channel's content is also available on 151 cruise ships, 40 airlines, 23 mobile phone networks and a number of major online platforms including bbc.com/news.  For further information on how to receive BBC World News, download schedules or find out more about the channel, visit bbc.com/tvschedule.

bbc.com/news: The BBC is one of the most respected brands on the internet and offers up-to-the minute international news, business, sports, weather, lifestyle and technology content and in depth analysis. bbc.com is the online expression of the BBC outside of the UK and is run by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC.

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