London, Sep 5 (IANS): The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is set to unveil proposals for a significant expansion of its World Service, including a satellite TV service for Russia and a daily radio news programme for North Korea, the media reported on Saturday.

The proposals, which will be announced by director general Tony Hall on Monday, include beefing up the BBC Arabic service to offer more regional content, with increased coverage of north Africa and the Middle East, The Guardian reported.

The BBC said that the expansion is about “democracy and the free press” .

“This is about Britain’s place in the world,” said a BBC source.

The proposals include looking at a satellite TV service for Russian speakers or ramping up digital presence on YouTube or Rutube, the Russian equivalent, and TV bulletins for neighbouring eastern European states.

In addition, the corporation intends to extend its digital and mobile offerings for the Indian and Nigerian markets.