The programme page contains a summary of each programme's content from the past seven days.

The Outlook programme page

Click on the link with a speaker symbol and the words "Listen to Outlook" to hear the programme through your audio player.

Getting the audio player

BBC World Service programmes are available on both Real Audio and Windows Media formats.

When you click on the audio link described above, a small pop-up window should open and ask which audio format you would like to use.

RealPlayer

You can download the basic RealPlayer for free.

Download the free RealPlayer

Clicking on the link above you will arrive at a form asking for personal details. Fill out this form and click on the button at the bottom of the page.

When prompted, choose "Save to disk" and specify the directory where you want the installation program to be saved.

When the program has finished downloading onto your hard drive, you will be asked if you want to install the program. Click "Yes" and the program will install on your machine.

Once installed, click on any speaker and audio link on the BBC World Service site and you will be able to listen to any of our programmes or audio content.

If you are still encountering difficulty listening to web site audio, please contact us on wsonline@bbc.co.uk, or contact help@real.com to solve any technical problems with the players themselves.

Windows Media Player

Outlook and all other World Service programmes are also available in Windows Media format.

The Windows Media Player is part of the usual portfolio of products in Microsoft Windows.

Using the BBC Radio Player

Click on the link below to find out how to use this special feature to listen to Outlook as well as radio programmes from all the BBC networks.

Listening via the BBC Radio Player

^^ Back to top

Trouble shooting

Here are some answers to frequently ansked questions.

"I can't hear the audio clip"
Has the file definitely loaded or is it still buffering? Is your player displaying the title of the clip. If not the file probably hasn't loaded.

If the title of the clip is displayed and the numbers in the bottom right hand corner of the player appear to be counting upwards then check that your speakers or headphones are plugged in.

Check the volume control on your speakers and your computer to see that they are not turned down or muted.

Still no joy? Email us on wsonline@bbc.co.uk and tell us which piece of audio you are having trouble with. Try to include information about the content and the URL of the page you found it on.

"I can hear other audio but not this clip"
Is the audio you can hear on the BBC World Service site or another site? Check the other site to see what audio format they are providing. It may be that the audio format on their site is different.

If the audio format is the same, are you using RealPlayer or another media player? If you are using a player other than RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to listen to BBC World Service content.

"I can't download BBC World Service audio"
Due to copyright issues, Outlook can only be streamed over the internet and is not available in a downloadable form.

We do how ever make the following World Service programmes available as podcast and mp3 downloads:

The Documentary Archive

News bulletin

The World Today Select

Digital Planet

"The programmes on the internet appear to be different to the radio"
The BBC World Service broadcasts its European schedule of programmes through its website. Yahoo!Broadcast stream the Americas schedule.

The schedules pages provide a full guide to what you can hear on the radio and online.

BBC World Service schedules

^^ Back to top