BBC World Service will broadcast to Sámi community in Norway via FM relay

(Source: BBC Media Centre)

BBC World Service to broadcast for the first time from within the Arctic Circle

BBC World Service English has signed a new agreement with Guovdageainnu Lagasradio (GLR) – a local FM radio station in Northern Norway that serves the local Sámi community. The agreement will allow GLR to broadcast content from the BBC World Service, bringing international news and other programmes to their listeners.

GLR will broadcast 93 hours of BBC World Service English programming weekly, enabling them to extend their broadcast to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. GLR already provides the local community with local news, culture and Sámi music. Traditionally known in English as ‘Laplanders’, the Sámi are one of the northernmost indigenous people of Europe.

Stephen Titherington, Senior Commissioning Editor, BBC World Service English, says: “Such international connections are at the core of the BBC World Service – we want to reach different cultures and communities across the globe and reflect their stories in our programmes. We’ve aired major reports on the Sámi people and culture over the last year, and this agreement with GLR will in turn provide people in the region with access to our trusted international news and documentaries through their own community radio and help link them to what’s going on in the rest of the world.”

Nils Martin Kristensen, Editor of Guovdageainnu Lagasradio, says: “As Editor of GLR – Guovdageainnu Lagasradio – I am happy to be partnering with the BBC World Service, and I am confident that the people of Kautokeino and Karasjok will welcome this opportunity to get news from all over the world from the renowned broadcaster BBC World Service. This broadcasting agreement is a very important step for GLR to be able to share international news with our audience.”

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5 thoughts on “BBC World Service will broadcast to Sámi community in Norway via FM relay

  1. Martin Rapchuk

    Meanwhile the Conservative party in alliance with the DUP refuse to recognise the rights of Irish language speakers within the part of the United Kingdom known as Northern Ireland

    Reply
  2. Bjarne

    Possibly the switch that saves GLR from bankruptcy? To Kire above, The FM switchover is complete but local and community stations are allowed to stay on FM a few more years. BBC World Service is also relayed by the NRK all-news DAB channel overnights and parts of the weekend.

    Reply
  3. Kire

    For a second I thought BBC was going to start a new Sami language broadcast to the Sami peoples.
    Hows the Analogue FM shut off going with Norway?

    Reply
  4. P.Crowther

    What did the Sami people do to deserve this ? 🙂

    BBC News is good, but the programme content is rarely anything tangible.

    Yes there are lots of words and sounds, it sounds like talking, it fill a lot of air, but it contains nothing
    of use, or anything that by the end of listening to it you can put your hand on your heart and say you actually heard something useful.

    Go on I dare you 😉

    The back of a packet of crisps contains more interesting materual than bbc ws programme,sorry.

    Paul

    Reply

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