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The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Cuts to BBC World Service funding would ‘make us less safe', MPs tell ministers
Hours before Rachel Reeves stood up to deliver her budget last year, government officials were still in tense negotiations with bosses at the BBC over how much the World Service would be given. The amount they were haggling over was relatively small – just £5.5m out of a total budget of £400m. But BBC chiefs warned the government that if the cuts were imposed on them, they would have to close several language stations in parts of the world where the Russians already hold influence. Doing so would be a gift to Moscow, they added. The argument worked, and the BBC got the extra cash it was asking for. But executives at the corporation worry that their appeal to Britain's soft power might not prove so effective this time, especially in light of the government's recent cuts to the aid budget. 'The government is asking the World Service to model cuts that would definitely mean having to close important parts of the service,' said one person familiar with the negotiations. 'The BBC's lobbying worked last time, but this round is proving harder.' The Guardian recently revealed the government had asked the World Service to model two scenarios: one where their funding remains the same in cash terms; and one where it would be cut by 2% each year in cash terms. Each scenario would see the budget fall behind inflation, and could mean it ends up to £70m short of what its bosses believe it needs. Jonathan Munro, the global director of the BBC, said: 'When it comes to international impact and influence, the BBC World Service is the UK's most powerful asset. 'While we currently deliver news in 42 languages to over 400m people every week, at the greatest value for money compared to other international news providers, we are ambitious about going further to provide independent news where there is a vital need.' The service is just one institution promoting Britain's soft power abroad, but it is arguably the most powerful, reaching 450m people a week, according to the broadcaster's own figures. When pollsters asked people from around the world about various British exports and organisations, the BBC came out well ahead of any other, with nearly 80% having heard of it and nearly 50% saying it made them feel more positively about the UK. In comparison, only about 55% had heard of the monarchy, and only 25% said it made them view the UK more favourably. According to the same research, which the BBC commissioned, the organisation is also the most trusted of any global news outlet, ahead of CNN, Al Jazeera and Sky News. Jonathan McClory, the managing partner at Sanctuary Counsel and an expert on soft power, said: 'It's a gratuitous accident of history that we have the BBC World Service. You couldn't recreate it if you were starting from scratch, but it enables us to shape a global information landscape and promote British values, such as a free press, transparency and broad support for human rights.' Ministers say they understand this. Jenny Chapman, the international development minister, told the Guardian: 'The World Service do tremendous work, work that nobody else can do … They are soft power, an absolute gold standard resource. We respect that.' But supporters of the organisation fear that budgetary pressure has left its influence on the wane. In 2014, the coalition government stopped funding the world service, leaving the BBC to pay for it purely out of the licence fee. Two years later the government restored some direct funding, which was ringfenced for certain language services, but at a much lower level. Most of the service's £400m budget still comes from licence fee money – a situation the director general, Tim Davie, has warned is not sustainable, especially when domestic operations are being cut. Both scenarios that the government has asked BBC bosses to draw up for the World Service would involve closing certain parts of it. While it will not shut down operations in entire countries, BBC insiders say they are likely to have to close certain foreign language services where there are relatively few people who speak that language. Those services in places close to Russia – which corporation bosses warned last year would be closed if more money was not forthcoming – are once more on the chopping block. The problem with closing operations, even those with relatively small audiences, is that it can give Russia and China a perfect opportunity to push their own propaganda. When the BBC ended its long-wave BBC Arabic radio service in Lebanon, for example, Russian-backed media took over that exact frequency and began broadcasting on it instead. And on the day that thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah all simultaneously exploded in Lebanon, BBC monitors said they picked up what Davie later called 'unchallenged [Russian] propaganda' on that station. The BBC's research has found that its trust level was largely unchanged from four years ago at 78%. Trust in both Russia Today and China Global Television Network had jumped however, from 59% to 71% and from 62% to 70%, respectively. Last week Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative chair of the culture, media and sport select committee, wrote to cabinet ministers warning: 'Without sufficient resources, it could lead to more situations where the world service withdraws or reduces its services and Russian state media fills the vacuum, as in Lebanon. 'Ahead of the spending review, I invite you to reassure us that the government is not seeking to make a 2% cut to its funding of the World Service, at a time when it is vital to our strategic priorities, and that the government will not require cuts that will lead to the BBC having to close one or more language services.' Such arguments have worked with Reeves and her officials in the past. But the chancellor is hemmed in like never before, having already promised major funding increases for defence, the health service and local transport. Dinenage said: 'Ministers have told us that the world service bolsters UK security. Cutting its funding now would undoubtably make us all less safe.' A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'Despite a tough fiscal situation, we continue to back the World Service, providing a large uplift of £32.6m this year alone, taking our total funding to £137m. 'The work they do as an independent and trusted broadcaster is highly valued by this government, as our continued financial support shows.'
The Guardian
12-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
World Service must be fully state-funded to counter disinformation, say BBC bosses
Ministers must take on the full costs of the BBC's World Service to counter an 'aggressive' disinformation drive by Russia around the globe, BBC bosses are preparing to argue. Amid concerns about the scale of state-backed content after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, senior BBC figures believe it is 'undeniable' that the government should shoulder the costs of championing 'western values' via the financially strained World Service. There have been concerns from within the BBC that Russian and Chinese state media are spending an 'eyewatering' £8bn a year, compared with the World Service's £400m budget. 'They're doing it for a reason,' said a BBC source. 'The views and opinions of nations around the world strategically matter. It's only the BBC that has the global reach to actually do something about this. We believe in western values and they are under attack.' There is also evidence that Russia has been targeting former World Service audiences where budget cuts have forced the BBC to retreat. When the BBC's Arabic radio service withdrew from Lebanon, its radio frequency was taken over by the state-owned Russian Sputnik Radio. Figures inside the BBC also think it is unfair that licence fee-payers in the UK pay for content delivered to audiences overseas. The push to hand the costs of the World Service back to the government is an early skirmish in what are set to be lengthy negotiations over its remit and funding as part of the corporation's charter renewal process. Those talks are scheduled to run until 2027. Jonathan Munro, the global director of BBC News, said: 'The BBC World Service is a uniquely valuable asset that provides trusted independent and impartial news to audiences around the world. 'As press freedom drastically reduces, disinformation thrives and state-backed media advance aggressively, its role is increasingly important. We need a sustainable, long term funding solution that enables the World Service to meet these global challenges and invest in services for the future.' Before 2014, the government held sole responsibility for funding the World Service, an international news service available on radio, television and online that provides news and analysis around the world in more than 40 languages. However, as part of the cost-cutting measures pursued by the coalition government from 2010, the costs of providing the service were loaded on to the corporation itself. Under the latest funding settlement, about two-thirds of the costs of the World Service come from the licence fee, with the rest made up from government grants. Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, said recently that she believed the World Service's funding model was unsustainable. She said that with the 'challenges in the world being so great', successive governments have had to step in with additional funding to safeguard it. The World Service has already had to make cuts this year as the BBC struggles with the two-year freeze in the licence fee. It was announced in January that 130 jobs would go as part of plans to save about £6m. It included cuts to BBC Monitoring, which analyses news from media around the world. While BBC bosses think they have a strong case, persuading the Treasury to find the extra money is a tall order. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has left herself little room for manoeuvre after ruling out any more large tax increases and her self-imposed fiscal rules significantly restrict her spending options. Meanwhile, she has already had to accommodate Keir Starmer's decision to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 – worth an additional £6bn a year – by slashing international aid. The prime minister announced the move before his meeting with Donald Trump in Washington last month. Government sources said that all issues relating to the BBC's funding would be examined as part of the charter renewal process. They also said the last spending review included 31% increase in the World Service's government funding for 2025-26, to £137m. The figure was £20m less than the BBC had asked for during negotiations. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: 'The government highly values the BBC World Service, which reaches a global audience of 320 million, and remains the world's most trusted international news service.'
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC News launches the 2025 BBC News Komla Dumor award in search for journalistic talent in Africa
The BBC is now accepting applications for the 2025 BBC News Komla Dumor award, which celebrates outstanding journalism in Africa. Now in its tenth year, the award honours the legacy of Komla Dumor, the distinguished Ghanaian broadcaster and former BBC World News presenter, who left a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. He was renowned for championing authentic and dynamic storytelling about Africa. Jonathan Munro, BBC News Global Director and Deputy CEO says: 'We are proud to launch this year's BBC News Komla Dumor award and the search for the next recipient. Marking its 10th anniversary is a testament to Komla Dumor's powerful legacy of reporting on African stories with depth, insight and integrity. Past winners of the award reflect the exceptional talent across the continent so I look forward to welcoming this year's winner and strongly encourage journalists to apply.' The award is open to journalists living and working in Africa who demonstrate exceptional storytelling skills. Application Details The successful applicant will spend three months at the BBC in London with news teams across television, radio, podcast and online. They will receive training, mentorship, and the opportunity to research and report a story from an African country, which will be aired to BBC audiences globally. Deadline: Applications close Thursday 20 March 2025 at 11.59pm GMT. How to apply: Visit the BBC Careers website for information on how to apply, entry criteria and terms and conditions. This year's judges include: Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin, Associate Professor, University of Ghana Stewart Maclean, Senior News Editor, BBC News Rwada Gamal, Assistant Editor, BBC Arabic Previous BBC News Komla Dumor Award winners: Rukia Bulle (2024) Paa Kwesi Asare (2023) Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya (2022) Victoria Rubadiri (2020) Solomon Serwanjja (2019) Waihiga Mwaura (2018) Amina Yuguda (2017) Didi Akinyelure (2016) Nancy Kacungira (2015) EO3
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BBC axing another 130 jobs despite funding boost in October
BBC World Service is set to axe 130 jobs as it seeks to save around £6 million for the next financial year. Planned cost-saving measures include closing posts across the service in the UK and internationally as well as cutting roles in BBC Monitoring, a division which reports and analyses news from media around the world. The corporation has been under financial pressure amid rising inflation and the previous two-year freeze in the licence fee, and has projected its total deficit will increase to £492 million for the 2024/25 financial year. The cuts come after the BBC World Service was given a funding boost as part of the autumn Budget to protect the corporation's existing foreign language services. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced as part of the Budget in October that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) settlement for the next financial year 'provides an increase in funding to the BBC World Service, protecting existing foreign language service provision and its mission to deliver globally trusted media, in support of the UK's global presence and soft power'. The BBC World Service, owned and operated by the corporation, is predominantly funded by the UK licence fee and has received a grant of £104.4 million from the FCDO in previous years. The corporation welcomed the increase in the grant, but said 'previous freezes on the licence fee, global inflation, and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have meant savings are necessary'. READ MORE: This is the best pub in Wales to eat amazing food READ MORE: MSE and Martin Lewis warns Vinted and eBay sellers of upcoming tax rule It added that the service is 'operating in a highly competitive global media environment' which has 'international news providers investing billions in state-backed media that sees increased competition for staff, platforms and frequencies, and audiences'. Despite the cuts, it said it will continue to provide journalistic coverage across its 42 language services. The broadcaster will also 'continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe'. The World Service language teams are set to be reshaped to focus their attention on the BBC's digital-first drive, and there will be changes to the commissioning on World Service English. Global director and deputy chief executive of BBC News Jonathan Munro said: 'While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements. 'These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.' In October, ahead of the Budget, the BBC revealed a raft of cost-saving plans, including the axing of in-depth interview show HARDtalk and reducing more than 100 news roles at the broadcaster. HARDtalk, which is broadcast from Monday to Thursday, is set to shut in March 2025 after nearly three decades on air.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BBC World Service to cut 130 jobs in savings plan
The BBC World Service has announced it will cut 130 jobs as part of a plan to save around £6m in the next financial year. Planned cost-saving measures include closing posts in the UK and internationally as well as roles in BBC Monitoring, a division which reports and analyses news from media around the world. The World Service was given a funding boost by the government as part of the autumn Budget, but financial pressures and the previous two-year freeze in the licence fee means the corporation's projected total deficit will increase to £492 million for the 2024/25 financial year. Despite the cuts, it said it will continue to provide journalistic coverage across its 42 language services. Jonathan Munro, global director and deputy chief executive of BBC News, said: "While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements. "These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally." The BBC added that the service is "operating in a highly competitive global media environment" which has "international news providers investing billions in state-backed media that sees increased competition for staff, platforms and frequencies, and audiences". The broadcaster said it will "continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe". As part of the Budget in October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) settlement for the next financial year "provides an increase in funding to the BBC World Service, protecting existing foreign language service provision and its mission to deliver globally trusted media, in support of the UK's global presence and soft power". The BBC World Service is predominantly funded by the UK licence fee and has received a grant of £104.4 million from the FCDO in previous years. In October, ahead of the Budget, the BBC revealed a raft of cost-saving plans, including the axing of in-depth interview show HARDtalk and reducing more than 100 news roles at the broadcaster. HARDtalk, which is broadcast from Monday to Thursday, is set to shut in March 2025 after nearly three decades on air. Culture secretary rules out funding BBC from taxes How much is the BBC licence fee and what does it pay for? TV licence fee to rise by £5 to £174.50 in 2025
