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BBC reports record-breaking global audience figures of half a billion as "digital transformation" praised
The corporation has attributed the growth to the digital transformation of its global services.
Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
- Molly Moss
Published: Wednesday, 8 July 2026 at 12:50 pm
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The BBC has reported record-breaking global audience figures, with its services now reaching more than half a billion people weekly.
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Across BBC News, the BBC World Service and content distributed by BBC Studios, the corporation’s international audience increased by 11 per cent year on year to 502 million people.
BBC News reached 467 million people each week, an increase of nearly 50 million compared to the previous year (up 12 per cent year on year), while the BBC World Service attracted a weekly audience of 355 million people weekly - marking a 14 per year on year increase and accounting for more than 70 per cent of the BBC’s international audience reach.
The BBC said the growth was largely driven by the corporation’s digital transformation, combined with a run of significant news stories.
The corporation added that the BBC World Service has seen its digital audience increase by over 40 per cent during the same period.
BBC News' Clive Myrie. BBC Photo sales
Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs, said in a statement: "I’d like to thank BBC teams across the world for delivering outstanding journalism just when the world needs it most. We have seen growth from all corners of the globe as people come to our journalism in record-breaking numbers for the breadth and depth of BBC reporting.
"We have consistently delivered distinctive and impartial coverage and, importantly, retained our position as the most trusted news provider in the UK and around the world."
The BBC also reported that BBC News Ukrainian has seen its reach more than triple as the war in Ukraine continues, with the service now reaching more than one in five adults throughout the country on average. The corporation added that this has been driven by growth across the service’s social media platforms.
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Meanwhile, the corporation said that the US-Israel war with Iran and protests in Iran have seen audiences continue to rely on BBC News Persian, with the service reaching nearly 25 million people. It remains the largest Persian-language media outlet outside Iran.
Elsewhere, BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo saw their audiences increase by 58 per cent and 40 per cent respectively – with the broadcaster attributing this growth mainly to TikTok and Instagram.
Fiona Crack, Interim Global Director, BBC News, added: "The digital transformation of our global services means millions more people now benefit from the insightful, impactful journalism that our courageous and innovative teams continue to deliver."
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Authors
Molly MossTrends Writer
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
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