The BBC World Service has entered the location-service arena with a new trial on foursquare, posting links to relevant content at locations across the globe.

The broadcaster has currently posted around 20 to 30 items or 'tips' using the location service, most recently including history programmes on Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt and the first man to cross from Britain to France, which can be picked up at Eurostar International. All the programmes  are available to listen to for free when people 'check in' to those places.

"We are only tagging content that is available for at least a month (and preferably content that is available ongoing) so that the audience experience is consistent, but also because of the amount of management needed on regularly taking down content we have posted," Abigail Murphy, social media product manager at BBC World Service English, told Journalism.co.uk.

"What we have found is that people are finding the tips organically although the number of downloads has been low," she added.

"The uptake has been higher in the US and UK where the foursquare market is at its strongest, but we are keen to represent our content in relevant places around the world and have regularly created foursquare places to be able to post content."

She added that a recent update to Gowalla's app, which now allows users to check in to foursquare and other social networks from the same application, has been "excellent news" for the World Service trial.

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