BBC World News
BBC World News is an international English-language pay television network that is operated by the BBC Global News Ltd division of the BBC, which is a public corporation under the control of the United Kingdom's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. BBC World News broadcasts in over 100 countries and is available in over 100 languages. According to the company's corporate public relations, the combined 7 channels of its Global News operations have the largest audience market share among all of its competitors, with an estimated 99 million viewers weekly in 2016/2017, as part of an estimated 121 million viewers weekly across all of its operations. Originally known as BBC World Service Television outside Europe when it began broadcasting on 11 March 1991, the channel's name was changed to BBC World on 16 January 1995 and then to BBC World News on 21 April 2008. In addition to broadcasting news bulletins and documentaries, it also transmits lifestyle programmes and interview shows. Instead of being financed by the United Kingdom television licence, BBC Global News is owned and managed by BBC Global News Ltd, which is part of the BBC's commercial group of businesses. Unlike the BBC's domestic channels, BBC Global News is funded by subscription and advertising income. It is not aired in the United Kingdom, but BBC World News stories and programmes are utilised by the BBC News channel in the country. Its activities are separate from those of the BBC Studios. The linear service, which is comparable to Al Jazeera, CNN International, France 24 (the English-language channel), and NHK World, is targeted at the international market.