BBC World News has reached a nationwide programming distribution deal with WETA, PBS’ flagship station in Washington DC, from June 1st.
In addition to distributing BBC World News and BBC World News America, the WETA-based PBS National Sales team will also manage corporate and foundation underwriting duties for the programs in the United States.
“WETA is renowned for excellence in journalism, bringing trusted news and public affairs programming to the American people via public media,” says Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and CEO of WETA. “We are pleased to collaborate with the BBC in presenting their stellar international news coverage to the nation. Together, we will offer content of importance and integrity with meaningful synergies in program marketing.”
“BBC Global News is the world’s most trusted truly global news broadcaster,” says Jim Egan, CEO of BBC Global News. “We’re excited to work with WETA to reach US public media audiences hungry for impartial coverage of events inside and beyond America.”
BBC World News broadcasts are available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, providing bulletins with news, business, sport and weather information, and broadcasts the best of the BBC’s current affairs, documentary and lifestyle programming. BBC World News America provides in-depth reports on the major international and U.S. news of the day.
WETA, the flagship broadcaster in the nation’s capital, is one of the top-producing stations of new national content for public television in the United States and the leading provider of news and public affairs content in the public television system. WETA productions and co-productions include PBS NewsHour and Washington Week; major history series and documentaries from Ken Burns, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and a variety of other partners; and performance and art specials from the nation’s leading cultural venues.
BBC World News and BBC World News America are owned and operated by BBC Global News, and distributed to PBS stations in the United States by WETA Washington DC. US broadcast presentations are made possible by funding from the Freeman Foundation, and Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation.