Seven decades after its first shortwave broadcast on 24 March 1946, BBC Russian
is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
BBC Russian is now a digital
service that brings global stories to a Russian-speaking audience of 5.5 million
around the world every week.
The words "Govorit London" ("London
calling") became familiar to people in the then USSR, bringing international
news and stories which were ignored or silenced by the domestic press.
Now, 70 years later, as a pioneering digital service reaching new
audiences, BBC Russian continues to put Russian and regional stories in a global
context, and report events in Russia and the wider region to the rest of the
world. It plans to launch several major projects further reinforcing its
coverage of the region as part of the biggest expansion in the BBC World Service
since the 1940s.
BBC World Service Regional Editor, Europe, Artyom Liss,
says: "It's an exciting time to be celebrating our landmark 70th anniversary, as
we make plans to expand what the BBC can offer Russian-speaking audiences
following the recent investment into World Service."
From Thursday, 24
March, the 70th anniversary content across the BBC Russian output on the website
bbcrussian.com, TV and social-media platforms includes:
* a look back
at the history of BBC Russian in photos and video;
* as part of the new
weekly vlog, #Londonблог, a behind-the-scenes view of BBC Russian today as well
as the BBC's New Broadcasting House - the high-tech London headquarters BBC
Russian calls home;
* a 30-minute televised debate on freedom of speech
on Thursday 31 March, with a panel of prominent Russian and Western journalists
and academics;
* an event at the BBC's New Broadcasting House on Friday 1
April, which will include a live link with the BBC Russian partner channel, TV
Dozhd, as well as a video live on the BBC Russian Facebook page.
The
website bbcrussian.com offers a rich content of international and national news
and analysis, bespoke video news bulletins and pieces, live and on-demand audio,
interactivity and reports.
BBC Russian connects with its audiences via
Facebook, Vkontakte, Twitter, Instagram and Telegram.
(NewsOnNews.com)
