BATTLESPACE Editor was delighted to be invited for a comprehensive tour of the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) facility at Chalfont St Peter near Gerrards Cross last month and saw what must be one of the best kept secrets in British broadcasting capability which has capabilities which rival similar organisations at home and abroad.
The Editor was hosted by Nick Beer and Sharon Wilkinson of bfbs and PR supremo Adam Thomas.
On entering the landscaped facilities of a former country estate which was requisitioned by the War Department during WW2, the Editor was greeted with a huge dish farm, providing connectivity to remote British Armed forces locations from Pole to Pole, including one new system giving extended connectivity.
The Evolution of BFBS
“Can you give our readers an outline of the history of BFBS?” The Editor asked Nick Beer – Director of Development and Strategy.
“BFBS has been broadcasting since 1943,80 years since its first broadcast from Algiers in 1943 as the British Forces Broadcasting Service, BFBS continues to serve those who serve, wherever they are, and whenever they need us. Our services have evolved a lot since then, but our core role remains the same: to keep our armed forces, families and veterans in touch with home and with each other, and to forge and maintain a strong connection for those separated by deployment, posting and detachment.” Nick Beer said.
“That’s a very impressive heritage, tell me more about how your services evolved across the world.”
“In 1945, we started broadcasting the BBC’s General Forces Programme, which included the hit show ‘Forces Favourites’ (later re-named ‘Two Way Family Favourites’). It was so popular that it became synonymous with forces broadcasting, and even made radio stars of its presenters, Cliff Michelmore and Jean Metcalfe. Other radio stations soon followed, including Malta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Cyprus. In 1982 came the Falklands Islands conflict, which put BFBS firmly back in the public eye for its support for the British forces deployed away from home. By the time of the first Gulf War in 1990, BFBS was established as a vital link to life in the UK while serving overseas. 1989 saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, but we stayed in the city until western allies left five years later. During the 1990s, reflecting the constant shift in the military focus and needs of the forces, BFBS established a new presence in the Balkans. As British forces helped to stabilise the volatile situation in Bosnia, Croatia and, later, in Kosovo, a programme launched that linked serving men and women in the region with their families back in Germany. ‘Calling the Balkans’ had a hugely positive impact – just as ‘Family Favourites’ had done half a century earlier.”
“How have you evolved to embrace the new broadcasting technology?”
“With digital technology embracing the world’s media, BFBS Radio supplemented analogue AM and FM with DAB digital in 2009. We also set up our first social media channels on Facebook and Twitter in that year. The new decade began with BFBS launching a YouTube channel, complementing the existing social media platforms, and creating more opportunities to reach people through video. This channel now has a very large subscriber base and huge numbers of views of BFBS Forces News videos covering topics about and relevant to the UK armed forces.
2010 also saw BFBS win a Sony Special Gold Award for years of radio service to the armed forces. Later that year, the Royal British Legion honoured BFBS with a Friends of the Forces Award for a ten-hour takeover of the BBC Radio One on May Bank Holiday.”
“You started with radio broadcasting all those years ago you branched out to TV and later the Internet.”
“BFBS Television started in Germany in 1975 and was transformational for the huge number of personnel based there being able to watch UK television programmes. In 1994, satellite arrived, enabling the BFBS TV service to extend to Cyprus, Bosnia and Croatia. In the new millennium, BFBS became the first foreign broadcaster to be granted a licence to go on-air at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Alberta, Canada. BFBS was able to deploy to Kuwait, followed by Iraq, when allied forces began their build-up against Saddam Hussain in early 2003. In 2008, BFBS added three community stations in Holywood, Aldergrove and Ballykinler in Northern Ireland. Also that year, we opened a station in Kuwait, co-located with the logistics support regiments, who provided everything needed for the smooth running of Op Telic operations at Shaibah Logistics Base in Iraq. Our TV, radio and digital services go from strength to strength. BFBS TV offers the best of UK and Nepali TV, delivered to ships and land, with conventional broadcasting spanning 18 time zones.”
“How have you developed your global reach?”
“With studios now in Nepal, Brunei and the UK, BFBS Gurkha Radio opened in 1952 in Singapore and since 2011 has beenoffering its own bespoke Nepali news service from Kathmandu. Also in 2011, we broadcast live from its new studio in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. And 2011 was the year that BFBS started delivering services to the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK). In 2013, BFBS secured a new 10-year contract with the Ministry of Defence, enabling us to continue as the provider of choice for broadcast services to the British forces worldwide and requiring expansion of traditional broadcast services with television added in Brunei and Nepal and TV and radio services in Diego Garcia as well as the addition of six new community radio stations at bases in the UK. We have also subsequently opened a permanent studio at the new naval facility in Bahrain. Two years later, we formally launched our commercial digital and media services, and the Forces Media Academy welcomed its first student intake in 2017. We are now reaching more global locations than ever before with radio services broadcast worldwide, and permanently-manned stations in Brunei, Bahrain, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, Nepal and the Falkland Islands as well as at bases in the UK.”
“You now deliver radio, TV and on the internet, this gives you a vital global reach?”
“Yes, by utilising new broadcasting technology we can deliver content by whatever means is needed to reach the UK armed forces across the globe; satellite, terrestrial and cable for traditional TV transmission, and online for mobiles, tablets and PCs where users have a good internet connection. Crucially, our service is also available on mobiles, tablets and PCs using our in house developed MiPlayer platform for those serving overseas in disconnected or poorly-connected areas. And for those in areas where internet access is not an issue, BFBS TV Player offers access to live and catch-up TV across 30+ channels. Over 80% of those serving overseas and their families continue to listen to BFBS Radio – and forces.net attracts a growing audience to its mix of military-based news and features every week. We also have access to over 7,000 newspapers and magazines using our PressReader service.”
“You also offer services to current and ex-servicemen and women.”
“Very much so, this is a new and growing part of our portfolio, especially for the BFBS Academy where we offer courses in podcasting, photography, graphic design, video production and editing. We provide Social Media courses from Social Media Storytelling to Digital Culture, everything you need is here. We also offer some courses for free to Military charities, veterans and spouses. We also offer Media Training courses from presentations to public speaking, to media interview techniques, we teach it all!”
“You also provide live events.”
“From small mess functions to family days, large scale outdoor concerts to award ceremonies, and everything in-between, BFBS Live Events (formerly CSE) create award-winning entertainment for our armed forces.”
“You also have your own in-house technology development facility?”
“Yes this is vital to provide an in-house capability to enhance existing technology purchased from our suppliers. A good example of this is our BFBS MiPlayer, a media delivery platform – streaming live, catch up and on demand content but without using the internet. Media includes TV, radio, movies, e-publications including magazines and newspapers and training materials.
It allows users to watch/view/listen to the media on their personal devices via wifi (or cable on submarines) or on TV sets via the MiPlayer set top box without the requirement for internet access. It uses existing broadcast DVB satellite services and converts them to HLS for wifi. It is browser based and so no app download is required. “
“MiPlayer thus gives you the flexibility to reach those remote areas?”
“Exactly, there are many locations and situations, especially where Armed Forces personnel are deployed, when there is no or very little internet access available. Even when there is it often is not enough to support streaming of TV or radio, especially for groups of many users. MiPlayer does not require an internet connection. It can be fully securely integrated with any internet wifi present on land – locations with poor/no internet or where there are lots of users, and at sea – on surface ships, fully featured. In submarines, on demand (no live) content and in the air for the delivery of media to personal devices before boarding for in flight consumption .”
“We are constantly horizon scanning to seize opportunities to adopt new technologies and methods to evolve our services and the way in which we deliver them including more integration with other defence partners.”
“Your service also extends outside the military environment.”
“Yes, anyone who finds themselves in any of the situations described above. Clearly armed forces personnel both UK and overseas but also other maritime users, oil rigs, island communities, remote communities, hospitality industry, small airlines. There are many possible applications and the platform is not tied to the BFBS bouquet of TV and radio channels (which are solely for the entitles UK military audience) as regards media streaming. MiPlayer does not have a SIM card so it cannot be located by EW and surveillance equipment, thus allowing complete security to the user.”
MiPlayer has been supplied to the Royal Navy and is installed on the majority of Royal Navy vessels across the world. BFBS is actively looking for other MiPlayer customers across the world and is actively discussing partnerships and JVs with other companies and organisations
The Editor was then taken on a tour of the comprehensive BFBS broadcasting, studio, outside broadcasting vans and technology facilities. There are a variety of studios which enable BFBS to provide a 24/7 service to the British armed forces across the globe. One particular observation the Editor made was the ability of the presenters to deliver a 24/7 news service without the normal hustle and bustle of other Newsrooms. Nick Beer took the Editor into the room where a myriad of cables and connectors connected the news from BFBS HQ across the world by radio, TV, the internet and what ever means possible.
Clearly this capability earns it the sobriquet of, ‘Unfailing support for the armed forces. BFBS is a pioneering military charity with a mission to entertain, inform, connect and champion the UK armed forces, their families and veterans. Our armed forces do a tough yet invaluable job, often working in extreme conditions – so we believe they deserve our unfailing support.’