This is the text of an email from Nigel Chapman, Director BBC World Service, and Behrouz Afagh, Head of Asia Pacific Region to all BBC Global News staff on 15 January 2009.
Watching the launch of BBC Persian television yesterday was a wonderful moment for everyone who has been working so hard to get to this point. We are very proud of what the new team have achieved, considering where we all started some two years ago.
Yesterday was a moment of transformation for our Persian-speaking audiences in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and the region. They can now see a channel which will bring them the best of the BBC’s journalism, with news at its heart and a diverse mix of programmes which will inform and engage them. It will extend their viewing options significantly. A huge thank you to everyone in the BBC Persian television team, and to colleagues in Persian radio and online who are making the service into a truly multimedia one. At the launch party last night there was an opportunity to thank everyone involved in the launch, too many to mention here by name. As well as working with a dedicated and professional project team, we couldn't have done this without the collaboration of the many colleagues from across the BBC and particularly those in BBC News who came to work with us to share their years of experience in live television news. This has been a real example of the BBC value of working together. So a big thank you to everyone who is working with us and to all those who wish us well. We recognise this is just the beginning of a journey. The hard work has just begun. Today, let’s enjoy that fact that the team have got off to a great start. Thank you.
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