Parliament’s International Development Committee is to investigate the future funding of the BBC World Service.
Up until 2014 the international radio service has been funded through grant-in-aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In the subsequent licence fee settlement the BBC agreed to fund the World Service through the UK Licence Fee, with additional grant funding of £104.4 million from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Under the arrangement, the BBC World Service agreed not to close any language services – but this condition is set to be lifted in 2025.
Last month, BBC Director General, Tim Davie, made it that “we cannot keep asking UK Licence Fee payers to invest in (the World Service) when we face cuts to UK services. We will need to discuss a long-term funding solution for the World Service that comes from central government budgets.”
The International Development Committee says its short inquiry will establish the case for increased Government support and make recommendations beyond the current support package finishing in 2025.
The inquiry will focus on the BBC’s offering to countries receiving official development assistance.
It will investigate the contribution made by the BBC World Service to the UK’s development goals around the world and the soft power advantages provided for the UK in the projection of its values.
