People across the Middle East region have increasingly turned to the BBC Arabic service during the ‘Arab Uprising’ with a record rise in audiences, according to independent research published today.

Overall audiences to the BBC’s Arabic services have risen by more than 50 per cent to a record high of 33.4 million adults weekly - up from 21.6 million before the ‘Arab Spring’.

The weekly audience estimates are based on an independent study that was carried out by the Broadcasting Board of Governors’ International Audience Research Program (IARP).

BBC Arabic TV’s audience has risen to 24.4 million from 13.5 million – up by more than 80 per cent, said the IARP survey whch covered Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabic, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco.

The weekly reach across Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabic, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco has nearly doubled to a weekly reach of 18.4 per cent from 9.8 per cent.

The biggest increases were seen in Egypt, where the BBC Arabic TV audience quadrupled to a weekly reach of 16.2 per cent, reaching 9.3 million people.

Liliane Landor, controller of  Languages, BBC Global News, said: “In turbulent times, the BBC’s aim to provide trusted news and impartial information is more valued than ever across the Middle East and North Africa.

“These impressive figures show that international audiences are increasingly turning to the BBC for independent news that they can trust,' Landor remarked.

“In an increasingly competitive TV market, it demonstrates that there will always be space for high-quality journalism that seeks to inform all, even-handedly,” she added.-TradeArabia News Service