Audiences in Japan can now watch the BBC News channel on U-NEXT.
BBC News is the first and only international news brand offered on the streaming service.
The channel will be available 24 hours a day in both English and Japanese (via simultaneous translation).
In Japan, the BBC News channel was recently listed in the top 15 news providers with the highest weekly usage and was the only international news brand within the list. BBC News is also the Number 1 international online news brand in Japan viewed daily.
U-NEXT is Japan’s leading video streaming platform, currently providing the largest volume of SVOD content in Japan.
“The BBC continues to report impartially and without fear or favour on global events and we know our journalism is greatly trusted in Japan,” said Phil Hardman, SVP & General Manager at BBC Studios Asia. “BBC Studios has ambitious plans in Japan, working closely with our valued partners, and this marks a significant step forward for our BBC News brand by adding it to our existing partnership with U-NEXT.”
Tenshin Tsutsumi, President and Representative Director of U-NEXT, added. “We are very pleased to announce the launch of the international news broadcaster BBC News on the video distribution service U-NEXT, delivering global news 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in two languages. U-NEXT has been expanding entertainment content such as movies, dramas and animations, while also enhancing high-quality documentary and news content as a service to offer ‘what’s happening now’.”
BBC Studios and U-NEXT have a longstanding partnership to offer a wide range of content across multiple genres to Japanese audiences including premium factual documentaries, popular returning drama series and world class children’s programming from the BBC catalogue, available in Japanese language. Earlier this year BBC Studios and U-NEXT renewed their partnership to include beloved children’s programmes like Sarah and Duck and Go Jetters as well as English language learning series Yakka Dee.
