Three House of Commons Select Committees – the Culture, Media and Sport, Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees – have called on the Government to increase funding for BBC World Service so that it is less reliant on the licence fee and short-term funding cycles.
The Committees have written to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to jointly make the case to HM Treasury in the forthcoming Spending Review. The Committees call for funding settlements of at least three years, to enable the BBC World Service to plan and prepare.
It follows the announcement this week of a net reduction of around 130 roles in the BBC World Service and BBC Monitoring as part of a £6 million savings drive.
The committees argue that with proper investment, BBC World Service could lead the fight against disinformation and misinformation globally, as well as promoting democratic values and impartial media.
This is the kind of soft power that has been exploited by other international broadcasters that are, or have been, available in the UK.
Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, said: “The BBC World Service plays an indispensable role in the fight against misinformation and the programming it provides is a key reason for the BBC’s reputation as the most trusted global news provider. With both Russian and Chinese state media looking to gain a foothold in countries across the world, it’s now more important than ever that the World Service has the resources it needs.”
The letter states that any cooperation between the Government’s Soft Power Council – a newly-formed board co-chaired by the Foreign Secretary and the Culture Secretary to advise the Government on its soft power strategy – and the BBC World Service should be handled with care, so as not to create confusion about the BBC World Service’s independence from the UK Government.
