The development means further extension of the availability of the multilingual content from BBC World Service on AudioNow’s radio distribution platform, adding to the radio programming from the BBC’s Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Somali, Swahili and Urdu services already hosted.

US-based French- and Hausa-speakers can now access BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa broadcasts on any mobile device by dialling a dedicated national number. While the service is free to callers in the US, listeners should check their mobile phone contracts for any additional charges.

BBC Head of Business Development for Sub-Saharan Africa, Joachim Harris, comments: “We are delighted that BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa radio programmes are now available to audiences in the US as a result of our agreement with AudioNow. The BBC has large audiences in Africa to its Hausa and French services. Now, thanks to this very welcome extension of our long-standing relationship with AudioNow, audiences in the US get a new flexible and convenient way to enjoy and benefit from the BBC Hausa and BBC Afrique audio news content.”

The addition of the BBC’s two more African language services to the AudioNow distribution platform builds on the success of the BBC Somali audio programming which draws over one million calls per month in the United States.

BBC Africa Editor, Solomon Mugera, adds: “This is a significant development in our commitment to serving our audiences wherever they are in the world. It’s a clear demonstration that with the right content in terms of relevance and quality, the audience will find you.”

Alexandra Moe, Director of AudioNow Strategic Partnerships, says: “We’re proud to extend the reach of BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa to diaspora audiences here in the US. High-quality news from across Francophone Africa, Nigeria, and beyond, is now available to anyone at any time through a simple telephone call.”

For BBC Afrique, listeners can call 712 432 9959 to tune in to the news programmes such as BBC Matin, BBC Midi, and BBC Soir. For BBC Hausa listeners, 712 432 9967 is the number for accessing the daily news bulletin, Takaitattun Labarai.

For more information please contact:

BBC World Service Group Communications – Lala Najafova – lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk

AudioNow – Alexandra Moe – alexandra.moe@audionow.com

Notes to Editors

BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 192 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. BBC World Service offers its multilingual radio content to partner FM stations around the world and has numerous partnerships supplying content to news websites, mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices as well as TV channels. For more information, visit bbc.com/worldservice. The BBC attracts a weekly global audience of 256 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.

AudioNow, based in Washington, DC, is the leading call-to-listen platform in the world. With broadcast partners on every continent, AudioNow extends the reach of radio by connecting mobile listeners to their favourite radio stations through a simple telephone call. The AudioNow platform uses proprietary “HD” voice design and patent-pending technology that serves all mobile platforms. AudioNow has more than 1,800 broadcast partners, including global leaders such as the United Nations, BBC, RFI, Voice of America, Entravision, C-SPAN and IMG College. In 2013 AudioNow delivered 2 billion listening minutes to its broadcast partners and connected users 84 million times to its platform.

The development means further extension of the availability of the multilingual content from BBC World Service on AudioNow’s radio distribution platform, adding to the radio programming from the BBC’s Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Somali, Swahili and Urdu services already hosted.

US-based French- and Hausa-speakers can now access BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa broadcasts on any mobile device by dialling a dedicated national number. While the service is free to callers in the US, listeners should check their mobile phone contracts for any additional charges.

BBC Head of Business Development for Sub-Saharan Africa, Joachim Harris, comments: “We are delighted that BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa radio programmes are now available to audiences in the US as a result of our agreement with AudioNow. The BBC has large audiences in Africa to its Hausa and French services. Now, thanks to this very welcome extension of our long-standing relationship with AudioNow, audiences in the US get a new flexible and convenient way to enjoy and benefit from the BBC Hausa and BBC Afrique audio news content.”

The addition of the BBC’s two more African language services to the AudioNow distribution platform builds on the success of the BBC Somali audio programming which draws over one million calls per month in the United States.

BBC Africa Editor, Solomon Mugera, adds: “This is a significant development in our commitment to serving our audiences wherever they are in the world. It’s a clear demonstration that with the right content in terms of relevance and quality, the audience will find you.”

Alexandra Moe, Director of AudioNow Strategic Partnerships, says: “We’re proud to extend the reach of BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa to diaspora audiences here in the US. High-quality news from across Francophone Africa, Nigeria, and beyond, is now available to anyone at any time through a simple telephone call.”

For BBC Afrique, listeners can call 712 432 9959 to tune in to the news programmes such as BBC Matin, BBC Midi, and BBC Soir. For BBC Hausa listeners, 712 432 9967 is the number for accessing the daily news bulletin, Takaitattun Labarai.

For more information please contact:

BBC World Service Group Communications – Lala Najafova – lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk

AudioNow – Alexandra Moe – alexandra.moe@audionow.com

Notes to Editors

BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 192 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. BBC World Service offers its multilingual radio content to partner FM stations around the world and has numerous partnerships supplying content to news websites, mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices as well as TV channels. For more information, visit bbc.com/worldservice. The BBC attracts a weekly global audience of 256 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.

AudioNow, based in Washington, DC, is the leading call-to-listen platform in the world. With broadcast partners on every continent, AudioNow extends the reach of radio by connecting mobile listeners to their favourite radio stations through a simple telephone call. The AudioNow platform uses proprietary “HD” voice design and patent-pending technology that serves all mobile platforms. AudioNow has more than 1,800 broadcast partners, including global leaders such as the United Nations, BBC, RFI, Voice of America, Entravision, C-SPAN and IMG College. In 2013 AudioNow delivered 2 billion listening minutes to its broadcast partners and connected users 84 million times to its platform.

The development means further extension of the availability of the multilingual content from BBC World Service on AudioNow’s radio distribution platform, adding to the radio programming from the BBC’s Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Somali, Swahili and Urdu services already hosted.

US-based French- and Hausa-speakers can now access BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa broadcasts on any mobile device by dialling a dedicated national number. While the service is free to callers in the US, listeners should check their mobile phone contracts for any additional charges.

BBC Head of Business Development for Sub-Saharan Africa, Joachim Harris, comments: “We are delighted that BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa radio programmes are now available to audiences in the US as a result of our agreement with AudioNow. The BBC has large audiences in Africa to its Hausa and French services. Now, thanks to this very welcome extension of our long-standing relationship with AudioNow, audiences in the US get a new flexible and convenient way to enjoy and benefit from the BBC Hausa and BBC Afrique audio news content.”

The addition of the BBC’s two more African language services to the AudioNow distribution platform builds on the success of the BBC Somali audio programming which draws over one million calls per month in the United States.

BBC Africa Editor, Solomon Mugera, adds: “This is a significant development in our commitment to serving our audiences wherever they are in the world. It’s a clear demonstration that with the right content in terms of relevance and quality, the audience will find you.”

Alexandra Moe, Director of AudioNow Strategic Partnerships, says: “We’re proud to extend the reach of BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa to diaspora audiences here in the US. High-quality news from across Francophone Africa, Nigeria, and beyond, is now available to anyone at any time through a simple telephone call.”

For BBC Afrique, listeners can call 712 432 9959 to tune in to the news programmes such as BBC Matin, BBC Midi, and BBC Soir. For BBC Hausa listeners, 712 432 9967 is the number for accessing the daily news bulletin, Takaitattun Labarai.

For more information please contact:

BBC World Service Group Communications – Lala Najafova – lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk

AudioNow – Alexandra Moe – alexandra.moe@audionow.com

Notes to Editors

BBC World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster, delivering a wide range of language and regional services on radio, TV, online and via wireless handheld devices. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 192 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. BBC World Service offers its multilingual radio content to partner FM stations around the world and has numerous partnerships supplying content to news websites, mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices as well as TV channels. For more information, visit bbc.com/worldservice. The BBC attracts a weekly global audience of 256 million people to its international news services including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel and bbc.com/news.

AudioNow, based in Washington, DC, is the leading call-to-listen platform in the world. With broadcast partners on every continent, AudioNow extends the reach of radio by connecting mobile listeners to their favourite radio stations through a simple telephone call. The AudioNow platform uses proprietary “HD” voice design and patent-pending technology that serves all mobile platforms. AudioNow has more than 1,800 broadcast partners, including global leaders such as the United Nations, BBC, RFI, Voice of America, Entravision, C-SPAN and IMG College. In 2013 AudioNow delivered 2 billion listening minutes to its broadcast partners and connected users 84 million times to its platform.