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BBC makes biggest investment in Northern Ireland in 20 years

Corporation to invest more than £11 million additional funding

The BBC will be investing more than £11 million additional funding into services in BBC Northern Ireland over the next three years to benefit local audiences.

This investment is designed to enable BBC Northern Ireland to transform its digital output across news, sport and other areas, produce more ambitious drama, factual and comedy content on BBC One Northern Ireland, and boost its service to younger audiences.

The corporation said that it wants to “do even more to reflect Northern Ireland on screen and to recognise the need to spend more of the licence fee raised in Northern Ireland on content and services made in and for the region.”

Over the next three years, this additional £11 million investment will facilitate:

– An enhanced digital service from BBC News NI, with improved news coverage throughout the day and weekends.
– Greater coverage of local sport online, including live streaming of events across a range of sports.
– A 50 per cent increase in commissioning spend on local television content – meaning more drama, comedy and factual programmes and events on BBC One Northern Ireland.
– New digital content and services for younger audiences and new digital investment in radio.
– New content to mark major historical anniversaries in Northern Ireland

Tony Hall, BBC director-general, said: “This is great news for BBC Northern Ireland, but more importantly, great news for audiences. It is the biggest single investment the BBC has made in Northern Ireland in 20 years.

“It will transform our digital output – for news and sport and more. It means more drama, factual and comedy content. All things we know the public love and want from the BBC.”