The BBC’s coverage of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations from 3-5 June proved a ratings hit for BBC Worldwide’s portfolio of channels with close to five million viewers tuning in across the globe to share in the festivities and markets such as Singapore, the US and South Africa achieving record channel ratings for the broadcasts.
The figures show that international viewers’ fervour for royal celebrations remains as high as that for the Royal Wedding between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last year.
As the latest global television viewing event from BBC Worldwide Channels this year, the live coverage of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: Thames Pageant, Concert, and Service of Thanksgiving and Royal Procession, was taken directly from BBC ONE in the UK and streamed live on the BBC channels across Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, India, America, Europe and the Middle East.
“Global TV viewing events are a key part of our strategy and I am delighted that our live broadcast of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations united so many of our viewers around the world and made them feel part of this historical event,” says Jana Bennett, President Worldwide Networks and Global BBC iPlayer.
In the US, coverage of the Thames Pageant helped to make Sunday 3 June BBC AMERICA’s #1 Sunday of all time in total day delivery with a total day reach of over 3.3 million.
In South Africa, The Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant reached more viewers than any other programme on BBC Entertainment since Jan 2011.
In Australia, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert topped the charts as the #1 STV programme in its timeslot and the Service of Thanksgiving was the #1 non-sport STV programme during its broadcast.
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations kicked off the London Calling season, an ambitious global television event which runs for two months and features a fantastic line up of exclusive dramas, comedies and documentaries that celebrate the wonderful city that is London. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations were also available as part of BBC AMERICA’s Summer of London season and via the BBC Global iPlayer in selected markets.
London Calling is the very latest global viewing event from BBC Worldwide channels which began with the broadcast of the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last April and continues this year with the first broadcast of Sport Relief to a global audience this March and the airing of Planet Earth Live to 140 countries this May.
