BBC News on LINE
September 17, 2014
BBC News announced that its content will be available on smartphone instant messaging platform LINE. BBC News is the first international news organisation to have an official account on the app. Line is currently available in Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, and the United States.
By searching for the username ‘@BBCNews’ and adding the account as a friend, LINE users will receive the latest news in English, via text, short video clips, and audio.
The new BBC News account on LINE comes on the back of a series of successful trials in India, Nigeria and South Africa with various instant messaging apps for both feature phones and smartphones. The projects have helped shape some of the BBC’s editorial thinking on what is needed to make relevant content for digital platforms, with audience feedback showing a clear appetite for such services.