BBC Launches Live News Streaming Service on Yahoo Japan

The deal, a first for the U.K. public broadcaster, will see hours of live content delivered via Japan's most popular web site.


The BBC has launched a live news streaming service on Yahoo Japan, the first time the U.K. public broadcaster has created an online news platform for a third party.


The streaming service will run weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Yahoo News, which is Japan's most popular web site, attracting around 15 billion page views a month.


Content will be subtitled or translated into Japanese and include live news programs, documentaries and programs, such as HARDTalk from BBC World News.


"I'm delighted that we are partnering with Yahoo! Japan on this fantastic deal, which will enable us to bring BBC World News' trusted international reporting to a substantially increased audience via Japan's biggest online portal," said Jim Egan, CEO of BBC Global News. "It has been an exciting year for our digital business development and the launch of this deal – the first of its kind – is a further demonstration of how we are leading the way in digital innovation and finding new ways to connect audiences with our content in their local language."


BBC News Japan expanded its own local language content in April, offering more articles and videos.


Yahoo Japan is 43 percent-owned by internet, telecom and investment giant SoftBank and remains the most popular web portal in Japan, though it now uses Google's search technology. SoftBank announced last week that it is raising its stake in Yahoo Japan with a $2 billion purchase of stock from Altaba, the U.S. holding company formerly known as Yahoo Inc.