Bad news: The British Foreign Office has just cut BBC's World Service
budget by 20%, resulting in "severe reductions" in shortwave service:
cancellation of shortwave service in five languages and several
countries, and the loss of up to 650 related jobs. They're apparently
giving up on shortwave in China, Cuba, the Balkans, virtually all of
Europe, and other regions.
BBC says its can offer its World Service via the internet and mobile
phones. An very interesting heated debate about this decision between
former BBC chief John Choosa(sp?) and Conservative MP Louise Bagshaw
can be heard here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00d43f9/Newshour_26_01_2011_%281400_GMT%29
Interestingly, one official explanation is that jamming of BBC
shortwave service in China, Cuba, etc is responsible. (the relevant
audio starts at 6:56 and continues at 14:02 into the program)
A less detailed printed story is published here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/26/bbc-world-service-cuts-reaction
BBC World Service 'will be eclipsed by Voice of America'
NUJ says cuts will lead to sharp drop in news provider's reach
by John Plunkett
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 26 January 2011 11.07 GMT
The BBC World Service will be eclipsed by the Voice of America as the
world's leading news provider as a result of sweeping cuts to its
staff and budget, a senior union official warned today.
World Service staff are being briefed today about cuts that will lead
to the loss of up to 650 jobs ? more than a quarter of the operation's
employees ? and the closure of a number of its shortwave services.
Audio: John Plunkett talks to the NUJ's Jeremy Dear Link to this audio
Jeremy Dear, the general secretary of the National Union of
Journalists, said the loss of the shortwave broadcasts would lead to a
sharp drop in the World Service's global reach.
"For the very first time the BBC World Service will no longer be the
leading international news provider by audience size. It will be
overtaken by the Voice of America," Dear told BBC Radio 4's Today.
"We are certainly surprised by the scale of it. The BBC World Service
has had its funding cut by government by around 16% and yet we are
looking at around 25% job losses. We think it will do irreparable
damage to large parts of the World Service."
Dear said the cuts would have a "significant impact on the World
Service's global presence and reputation".
He added: "We are concerned about the jobs but we are also concerned
about the services that people provide.
"We have asked MPs to review the nature of the cuts. For example one
of the services that is going to be cut is the Albanian service on the
grounds that it is no longer needed, just days after 300,000 people
took to the streets of Albania and three people are shot dead.
"We think these services are absolutely vital and we need the World
Service to be protected ... [foreign secretary] William Hague and the
government need to come up with more money to protect these services."
Former BBC Radio 4 controller Mark Damazer today called on the BBC to
reverse cuts to the World Service when it takes over its funding in
2014.
"The deficit had to be dealt with. I have no quarrel with the idea
that the BBC as a whole could not be spared," wrote Damazer in today's
Guardian.
"But I hope that when the BBC takes over the funding of the World
Service it will realise that it may need more funding than it is about
to get."
? To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email
[email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other
inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000.
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