Newsnightis to stream sections of programming on the internet before they air on BBC2. The service will begin today with a report about the growth of mobile phone usage in Africa.
Newsnightis to stream sections of programming on the internet before they air on BBC2. The service will begin today with a report about the growth of mobile phone usage in Africa.

This 18-minute film is a report by Paul Mason covering how mobile phones have become important in terms of development, health and entrepreneurship. The report will be available on www.bbc.co.uk/newsnightfrom 3pm and will air on BBC2 at 10.30pm on Monday night.

Traditionally all Newsnightreports - as with all BBC programmes - appear on TV before they are made available online. Now a selection of its reports will be released as soon as they are produced.

The online report will be plugged on Newsnighttonight as an alternative to people watching the depressing cricket highlights which follow on BBC Two.

Newsnighteditor Peter Barron said: 'We have the technology to do this so if a film is ready, like why not let people see it?

'I think there will be an appetite for it. We have already found the programme is taking on a life of its own before and after it airs. We did a piece on a lost Jimi Hendrix's tape and there was a huge debate on the website about whether it was the real thing or not.'

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