BBC NEWS CHANNEL LAUNCHES ON U-NEXT IN JAPAN

Starting today audiences across Japan can watch the BBC News channel on U-NEXT, the first and only international news brand offered to U-NEXT customers. The channel will be available 24hrs a day in both English and Japanese (via simultaneous translation).

BBC News provides accurate, impartial and independent journalism to 414m people globally each week and is the world’s most trusted international news broadcaster. 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 #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.

Phil Hardman, SVP & General Manager at BBC Studios Asia, says: “We’re delighted to expand our partnership with U-NEXT and bring the BBC News channel, including its groundbreaking documentaries, to our audiences in both English and Japanese. The BBC continues to report impartially and without fear or favour on global events and we know our journalism is greatly trusted in Japan.  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, says:

“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’. We will also be delivering global, high-quality documentary programmes that only the BBC can offer to our Japanese audience. Please enjoy.”

Currently 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.

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About BBC Studios

The main commercial arm of BBC Commercial Ltd, BBC Studios generated revenues in the last year of £1.8 billion and a third consecutive year of profits of over £200 million. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Media & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services including bbc.com and BritBox International and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. The business made more than 2,800 hours of award-winning British programmes last year for a wide selection of public service and commercial broadcasters and platforms, both in the UK and across the globe.  Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, and includes world-famous brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who.

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About U-NEXT

U-NEXT is Japan’s leading video streaming platform, currently providing the largest volume of SVOD content in Japan (Source: May 2024, GEM Partners). In addition to the over 370,000 movies, live-action, and animated series available for on-demand streaming, U-NEXT also provides a variety of real-time live streaming of music concerts, stage productions, and top-level sports events ranging from soccer, baseball, golf, to martial arts. With a selection of over 1,050,000 manga, e-books and e-magazines. U-NEXT provides a unique entertainment experience amongst Japan’s digital platforms, giving subscribers the opportunity to seamlessly enjoy electronic publications, video content, sports, concerts, and more within a single application. Through the service integration of Paravi in July 2023, a vast selection of the latest, best, and most-watched local variety and scripted dramas from Japan’s leading terrestrial channels TBS and TV Tokyo as well as an extensive library of terrestrial TV programming was added to U-NEXT’s lineup, further solidifying the service’s position in the market for strong local content.

Categorised in: Industry News, Member News

This post was written by BBC Studios