BBC Persian TV

The BBC World Service came to DMA Media for expert assistance in launching a major new Farsi language TV service for Iran, Afghanistan and the Persian diaspora.

DMA Media’s Chief Executive, Rob Beynon, was appointed Editorial Launch Director and became involved from the earliest stages. He contributed to planning and research that helped the BBC position the channel and determine its remit. Rob oversaw every aspect of the channel’s development, from its financial planning, technology specification, studio design, look and feel, to programme content. DMA Media’s Senior Consultant, Patrick Hubbard, joined the BBC Persian team 12 months before launch to help deliver the project.

DMA Media worked closely with BBC management and technical teams to advise on final specifications of the channel set-up, and assist with recruitment and training of staff. The launch of BBC Persian TV presented a particular challenge because although some of its new recruits had excellent journalistic backgrounds, most had no experience of working in television. DMA Media were hands-on for every step of the way. The team assisted with training, helped develop and refine innovative programme formats, assisted with the selection of the on-air launch team and ensured that all areas of the project were delivered on time.

The result was a slick modern channel that proved even more successful than had been hoped. BBC Persian TV launched in January 2009 and quickly became extremely popular with the Iranian audience. The DMA Media team continued to manage the channel for the first six months after launch, and worked with the BBC to identify a future management team and prepare them for taking over day-to-day running of Persian TV.