BBC Arabic TV audience reports 80% increase in viewership

The Arabic service of UK broadcaster BBC TV has reported an increase in viewership across the Arab world from 13.5 million to 24.4 million since the start of the Arab uprisings, Rapid TV News has reported. The channel's weekly reach in Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco has almost doubled to 18.4% from its pre-Arab spring level of 9.8%. The largest increase was recorded in Egypt, where 9.3million people a week watched BBC Arabic TV, the equivalent of 16.2%, or quadruple the number of people who tuned in prior to the country's revolution.