BBC World Service broadcasts in Creole for first time to increase lifeline services to Haiti

BBC World Service will launch a special lifeline programme in the Haitian Creole language from Saturday 23 January 2010.

This will be the first time the BBC has broadcast in the Haitian national language.

This follows other special BBC programming for listeners affected by the Haitian disaster in the French, Spanish and English languages.

The new 20-minute daily programme in Creole will contain the latest information about aid and rescue operations, plus messages from people trying to locate family members and other useful, practical information for the survivors of the earthquake.

The new programme will be broadcast between 9.10 and 9.30 Haiti time (14.10 to 14.30 GMT).

It will also be available on the Canal Satellite Antilles Caribbean-wide radio and TV satellite network and on bbccaribbean.com.

The daily programme will be rebroadcast on six FM relays on the island: Port-au-Prince 89.3 FM; Cap-Haïtien 105.5 FM; Gonaïves 90.5 FM; Las Cayes 106.9 FM; Jacmel 96.9 FM; and Jérémie 92.7 FM.

It will also be available on shortwave.

BBC World Service Director, Peter Horrocks, says: "We believe our new service in the Creole language will be a vital source of trusted information to Haitians at this time of crisis, as well as to the rescue and aid teams who are working so hard on the ground.

“We have had lots of positive feedback that our broadcasts in English, French and Spanish have been appreciated on the ground.”

BBC World Service continues to offer special programmes about the crisis in Spanish and English, between 12.00 and 13.00 GMT on shortwave on 11860 kHz (25 MB) and 9410 kHz (31 MB).

The BBC is expecting all the programmes will also be available on the local FM network via the BBC’s partner station, Radio Lumiere, when it returns to air.

BBC Caribbean – the English-language service for the region – is also supporting audiences in Haiti and the wider region with crucial information.

The service’s Twitter updates (@bbccaribbean), dedicated to Haiti, as well as coverage of the wider Caribbean and Haitian diaspora reaction to the tragedy, run on the website, bbccaribbean.com.

Updates also continue in the regular programme, Caribbean Report.

BBC World Service International Publicity