The BBC achieves its highest ever global audience

The BBC has achieved its highest ever global audience, according to the Global Audience Measure (GAM), which records the total weekly number of adults accessing the BBC around the world. In 2020/21, the BBC achieved record figures with an average audience of 489 million adults every week, an increase of over 20 million from the previous year.

This figure brings the BBC’s global audience close to the 500 million people target for 2022, which the company is on track to exceed in its 100th anniversary year. The BBC’s audience has more than doubled in the last ten years. Moreover, the group's international news services also reached record levels with 456 million adults using them each week (an increase of 18 million). This includes audiences for World Service languages, World Service English, World News TV, BBC.com and BBC Media Action.

“I am delighted that the BBC now informs, educates and entertains more people around the world than ever before. Our global reach continues to grow and we are well on target to hit half a billion people by our centenary next year. The fact that our audience has more than doubled in the last decade shows how trusted and increasingly valued BBC services are right around the world. It also highlights the important role we play for Britain on the global stage in carrying the UK’s voice, democratic values and influence,”  said Tim Davie, BBC Director-General.

Liliane Landor, Senior Controller of BBC News International Services and Director of BBC World Service, added: “Global audiences for BBC News have reached record levels and our reputation for providing trusted, impartial news and information is world class. We have seen how vital our output has been to audiences in moments of jeopardy, from the Covid-19 pandemic to elections and conflicts. The BBC has strengthened its position in markets of need such as Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where access to trusted impartial news is paramount. We will continue to provide strong first-class journalism across our platforms”.