The Latest Breaking News from World Service

BBC staff strike as new director general warns of ‘tough choices’ on his first day

Matt Brittin begins task of finding budget cuts as World Service and Radio 4 journalists protest against plan to increase workloads

The Guardian - UK · May 18

BBC World Service to get extra £11m a year in deal ending funding uncertainty

Corporation welcomes three-year settlement as it continues to push for government to take on all of service’s costs

The Guardian - UK · Mar 18

BBC World Service being supplanted by Russia and China because of funding cuts and poor management, warn MPs

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has issued a scathing report into the state of the World Service is losing out to propaganda outlets

The Independent UK · Mar 13

BBC World Service faces funding cliff edge in seven weeks, says Tim Davie

As trust in Russia and China’s state broadcasters grows, director general warns of the dangers of cutting back the service

The Guardian - UK · Feb 10

UK ‘should be spending double’ on BBC World Service, says Tim Davie

The outgoing BBC director-general was quizzed by the Commons Public Accounts Committee on Thursday.

Evening Standard · Jan 8

Former BBC controller fears for World Service independence amid defence funding push

Liliane Landor says journalism must not be ‘linked or subordinated to defence’, as BBC explores new funding sources

The Guardian - UK · Oct 9, 2025

BBC bosses want defence budget to help pay for the World Service

Exclusive: Executives at corporation say media monitoring and anti-disinformation are vital to national security

The Guardian - UK · Oct 4, 2025

Cuts to BBC World Service funding would ‘make us less safe’, MPs tell ministers

Reducing budget would involve closing parts of institution promoting UK soft power abroad, leaving gap for Russia to push propaganda

The Guardian - UK · Jun 8, 2025

The Guardian view on the BBC World Service: a boon to the UK, as well as audiences elsewhere

Editorial: Britain would benefit from pledging more sustained and committed support in this age of disinformation and global turmoil

The Guardian - UK · May 23, 2025

The world reveres the BBC – and so should we

Letters: Readers respond to the cuts being made to the broadcasting corporation’s budget, including for the World Service

The Guardian - UK · May 19, 2025