“The evolution of the customs of the public in the world, with a growing number of people accessing information through the digital instrument, is accompanied by a difficult financial climate,” argued the group quoted by the AFP news agency.
The BBC’s international service, which reaches an estimated audience of 365 million people worldwide, will be one of the hardest hit by the cut. Of 1,000 positions that are planned to be eliminated in the group, out of a total of 22,000 employees, the international service will lose 382, with an estimated saving of 28.5 million pounds per year (about 31 million dollars).
The BBC assured that none of its 41 foreign language services will be completely closed, although almost half of them will only be available on the internet and others will leave London, as is the case of the Thai newsroom (to Bangkok) or the televised news African (to Nairobi).
The BBC is under considerable financial pressure, since the Conservative government froze the audiovisual tax with which the service is financed at 159 pounds for two years, which created a hole in its accounts, more so this year with the current level of inflation. The overall goal is to achieve savings of 500 million pounds per year (about 543 million dollars).
International service programs are particularly important in countries where freedom of the press is limited. “Hundreds of millions of people trust the BBC for fair and impartial information, especially in countries where that is not common,” said Liliane Landor, director of the BBC World Service, in the statement.
“There are compelling arguments in favor of expanding our digital services in the World Service, to better serve our public,” he added.
The context of financial difficulty has deteriorated in recent months with the soaring of prices and costs, pushing the BBC to “difficult choices”.
To meet its global savings targets, the group has already announced its intention to merge its UK and international news channels. It will also stop continuously broadcasting some channels, such as those dedicated to children or culture.
Source: Ambito
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
