_{The new BBC World News studios at the redeveloped Broadcasting House.}

London – Fresh from announcing important new distribution deals in the U.S. and Burma, the BBC’s international television news channel, BBC World News, is unveiling a new look next week when it re-launches from new studios in central London. The channel will feature a refreshed line-up of programmes and presenters, and will be investing heavily in additional newsgathering capacity around the world.

From 12:00 GMT on January 14, the channel will be broadcast from new state-of-the-art High Definition studios in the BBC’s new London headquarters, the redeveloped Broadcasting House. BBC World News is the first English language channel to go LIVE from the new building.

BBC World News journalists will be at the heart of “the world’s newsroom” where the BBC’s UK and international journalism teams have come together to provide output across digital, radio and television and 27 different languages, reaching an audience of 239 million people around the world each week. Eventually, 6,000 people – more than a quarter of all BBC staff – will be based in Broadcasting House.

The channel will also debut new on air talent including Yalda Hakim, one of Australia’s brightest international journalists, who has joined the channel as a current affairs correspondent and presenter for a new weekly current affairs programme. BBC World News has also announced that long time BBC News presenter and reporter Jon Sopel is joining the channel to present Global with Jon Sopel, a new weekday international news programme.

From January 14, BBC World News’ core weekday programming will include:

·         Newsday (00:00, 01:00, 23:00 GMT)

·         HARDtalk with Stephen Sackur (04:30,  09:30, 14:30, 21:30 GMT)

·         GMT with George Alagiah (12:00 GMT)

·         Impact with Mishal Husain (13:00 GMT)

·         Global with Jon Sopel (15:00 GMT)

·         BBC Focus on Africa (17:30 GMT)

·         World News Today with Zeinab Badawi (19:00 GMT)

·         Business Edition with Tanya Beckett (21:00 GMT)

·         BBC World News America (23:30 GMT)

Richard Porter, Controller of English for BBC Global News said: “BBC World News is kicking off the new year with an entirely new look and feel. From virtual reality capability to full HD production, new presenters and a programming line-up that goes from strength to strength, BBC World News audiences will have access to not only the best, most dynamic journalism in the world, but also the latest technology to enhance storytelling and bring viewers inside the stories that shape our world.”