GECs
BBC Arabic launches on FM in Lebanon
MUMBAI: The international radio news service BBC Arabic has increased its presence in the Middle East with a new partnership.
Listeners in Beirut and throughout Lebanon can now hear the BBC Arabic Service for two hours every day on the Voice of Lebanon 93.3 FM. Listeners can enjoy BBC Arabic’s flagship news programme Al alam hatha al sabah – The World This Morning – which sets the day’s agenda every morning at 6 am.
Hadeeth Al-Sa’a is the daily programme analysing and discussing key stories in the news at 3 pm. Nuqtat Hewar – Talking Point – enables listeners to share their political, social and sporting views at 6 pm. Visitors to bbcarabic.com can also listen to and participate in Nuqtat Hewar online.
BBC Arabic head Hosam El Sokkari said, “Our partnership with Voice of Lebanon is an important addition to the BBC’s presence in the Arab world. I hope that the availability of BBC programmes, in Arabic, in crystal clear quality, will further expand our listener base in this region.”
Voice of Lebanon CEOc said, “Broadcasting BBC programming in Arabic and English represents an important phase in the growth and development of the Voice of Lebanon. The BBC will complement our already rich source of programming by bringing a wider international news perspective which is valuable in a fast-changing world.”
BBC Arabic programming on the Voice of Lebanon 93.3 FM is the latest development in the BBC’s strategy to increase partnerships in the Arab world.
The BBC Arabic service claims to have 12.5 million listeners in the Middle East and North Africa and can currently be heard on FM in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Palestinian Territories / West Bank and Sudan.
Voice of Lebanon was founded in 1975 and is the first commercial radio station to broadcast in Lebanon.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
