Mumbai: BBC World News and BBC.com have announced a new season of programmes focusing on India to air in March (2017).
Content which puts all aspects of the world’s largest democracy under the spotlight will be available to audiences around the world on the international news operation’s award winning platforms. Called India Direct the season will delve behind the headlines to bring people a different perspective on this extraordinary and fast-growing country at a fascinating time in its history – 2017 is 70 years on from the partition and the foundation of modern India.
Through programmes like Click, The Travel Show, Working Lives, and Witness, Country Direct seasons see the BBC’s unrivalled network of journalists explore the issues faced by a country and its people – from the economic opportunities and challenges to living life at every level of society; from its traditions and history to future plans and innovations.
Recent seasons have focused on Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Panama, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Africa, Ecuador and Vietnam among others.
Launching the season, Mary Wilkinson, Head of Commissioning for BBC World News said: “India is a key market for us and as one of the world’s fastest growing economies offers a wealth of opportunity. Country Direct seasons enable us to put extra resource into a country to bring its stories to our global audience while also drawing on the knowledge and journalistic expertise of our local teams.”
The India Direct season will be primarily broadcast across two weekends March 18th-19th and 25th 26th and there will be a dedicated index for India Direct on BBC.com which will include a raft of original content as well as highlights from across the season. This includes a new digital series, India’s Firsts which examines the key pioneers in modern India who have helped to transform the country and In Pictures – the best images submitted by viewers.
