By BBC World Service
Published April 2, 2010
BBC World Service is partnering mobile network operator Zain, in a collaboration that will provide Zain users with quick and easy access to BBC content via mobile internet.
Zain has now added BBC World Service banners to nine of its mobile portals across the continent. Users in Nigeria, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Chad, Congo, Malawi, Sierra Leone and Uganda will click through to BBC World Service news and sports coverage via their mobile handsets, direct from the Zain portal homepage.
Founded in Kuwait, Zain has a commercial presence in 23 countries across Africa and the Middle East. The mobile network operator now serves more than 70 million active customers.
Simon Kendall, Head of Business Development for Africa and Middle East at BBC World Service, says: “We are always looking for ways to drive traffic to our news and sports sites, and this collaboration provides simple, one-click access from one of Africa’s most popular mobile portals, increasing our reach across the continent.”
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Chris Gabriel, CEO of Zain Africa, adds: “This partnership with BBC World Service provides a valuable service to Zain users. BBC World Service has an important place in the hearts of people across Africa, and an unrivalled heritage in delivering impartial news and in-depth sports coverage to the continent, so we’re delighted to enable our users to gain easy access to it.”
Meanwhile, adds OGOVA ONDEGO, classical music in South Africa has gone online with the launch of a new website dedicated to this genre, classicsa.co.za. The interactive online directory, news centre and platform, is said to be introducing a new era for classical music in South Africa.
