BBC World, the BBC's 24-hour international news and information TV channel, has negotiated its largest ever distribution deal with hotels. The new arrangement is with OTRUM, one of the world's leading partners to the hospitality industry in the field of in-room communications and content. With over 375,000 rooms in more than 2,000 hotels in Europe, the Middle East and Africa depending on OTRUM in-room television technology, this single deal represents a massive increase in BBC World's hotel distribution worldwide.
Commenting on the new agreement, William Mould, Head of Travel Distribution, BBC World, said: "I am delighted that this new development for BBC World has happened despite a particularly difficult slow-down period for the travel industry. By providing BBC World to hotel guests using OTRUM's system, we are both increasing our distribution coverage and providing a significant new revenue stream for the channel."
"OTRUM's strong and long term links with the hospitality industry combined with BBC World's strengths as a reliable global news source make this a very attractive partnership,' said Morten Stovre, Vice President Content, OTRUM. "We recognised the strength of the BBC World brand following the events in the US last year and wanted to meet the demand for 24-hour news from our customers." he added.
Through OTRUM's advanced in-room interactive television system, hotel guests are able to access BBC World television 24 hours a day. BBC World draws on the resources of BBC News which possesses the world's largest newsgathering operation comprising 58 international news bureaux and 250 correspondents worldwide. Beyond that, BBC World helps hotel guests unwind with the very best of the BBC documentaries such as Panorama and Correspondent, the hard-hitting interview programme HARDtalk with Tim Sebastian, science programmes like Horizon and, on the lighter side, hugely popular programmes like Holiday and Talking Movies. |
