BBC News has broadcast live news reports via broadband for the first time

Helen Fawkes, a BBC correspondent in Kiev, used a laptop to transmit live, two-way interviews over broadband internet this week for BBC News 24 and BBC World.

It was the first step in a pilot plan to equip journalists working in BBC bureaux worldwide with the ability to broadcast live two-way interviews direct to BBC News programmes, particularly BBC News 24 and BBC World.

Fran Unsworth, Head of Newsgathering, says: "We have been working hard on developing new technology to enable us to find cost effective ways of bringing pictures and lives in from places around the world and the cost of sending live reports over broadband is a fraction of those incurred with live satellite broadcasts.

"This technology means we can make full use of our range of international correspondents for television as well as radio and bbc.co.uk/news."

With the backdrop of Kiev's golden domed churches behind her, Fawkes' first connected to London with just her home broadband connection from the balcony of her flat in the city, reporting on the Ukrainian elections for BBC World.

She later filed further live reports from her flat and Kiev office for the channel and for BBC News 24.

The kit used - principally a laptop, camera and software - are self-operated by the reporter.

Helen Fawkes says: "It's very easy to use as you don't have to worry about having a sat dish and it means that I can do a live from anywhere there is a broadband.

"This could completely change the way correspondents work in the field as you don't have to rely on having a satellite dish to do lives."

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