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The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has announced today changes at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic designed to further reinforce the network's position in the evolving media market.

Given the growing importance of future media for ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service – of which ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic is part – Head of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic, Hosam El Sokkari, is to spearhead work for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic on the editorial development of user-generated content and social media initiatives.

This will be a full-time project and means his current managerial and editorial responsibilities will be managed by the newly appointed Head of Middle East Region, Liliane Landor.

In his role as Head of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic, Hosam will continue to represent and support ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic international relations activities.

As Head of Middle East Region, ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service, Liliane Landor is now editorially and managerially responsible for broadcasts and future media in Arabic.

As part of his new remit, Hosam El Sokkari will develop and present a new TV programme incorporating social media techniques. He will be working on the creative direction of the project to ensure best practice with social media tools is developed and shared across ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service.

Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service, Peter Horrocks, says: "User-generated content and social media present a rapidly evolving area. Hosam, who has been at the forefront of the development of multimedia content for international audiences in the ´óÏó´«Ã½, is ideally suited to this important aspect of our future.

"Liliane will be responsible for ensuring ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic continues to be a multimedia leader in one of the most geopolitically important parts of the world. Working closely with ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service English, she will ensure that the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s news and programmes in English meet regional needs."

Notes to Editors

´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service is an international multimedia broadcaster delivering 32 language and regional services. It uses multiple platforms to reach its weekly audience of 188 million globally, including shortwave, AM, FM, digital satellite and cable channels. It has around 2,000 partner radio stations which take ´óÏó´«Ã½ content, and numerous partnerships supplying content to mobile phones and other wireless handheld devices. Its news sites include audio and video content and offer opportunities to join the global debate. For more information, visit bbcworldservice.com. For a weekly alert about ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service programmes, sign up for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Agenda e-guide at bbcworldservice.com/eguide.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic is the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s integrated news and information service for the Arab world. It is available on air and on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is designed to reach audiences on radio, television, the internet – on bbcarabic.com – mobile phones, PDAs and other wireless handheld devices; in whatever way best suits the audience. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic is both the largest and the oldest of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s non-English language services. Launched in 1938, it has evolved into the Arab world's leading international broadcaster, covering the political, social and cultural issues that matter to its diverse audiences in the Arab world and across the world. With its 24/7 TV presence, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic is bringing the world to Arab audiences – reporting the news wherever it leads. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Arabic breaking news alerts are offered via mobile operators as a subscription service in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen and the Palestinian Territories.

World Service Publicity