Committees urge “sufficient resources” for BBC World Service
Chairs of three House of Commons committees have highlighted the soft power value of the BBC and its role in supporting high quality journalism, amid calls for action to ensure the World Service income becomes less reliant on the licence fee.
The committees have urged the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to make representations to the Treasury “to rebalance the relative contributions from the licence fee and FCDO, so that the World Service income becomes less reliant on the licence fee.”
Signatories of the letter are Dame Emily Thornberry MP, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee and Sarah Champion MP Chair of the International Development Committee.
The committees raise concern over the World Service’s vulnerability “when revenue from the licence fee is falling and the BBC continues to have to make savings across its services.” They indicate support for the World Service and urge “sufficient resources” so it can continue its valuable work. They also urge a “move away from short term funding cycles, and aim for funding rounds of at least three years, which would enable the World Service to plan confidently the digital services and prepare for challenges such as artificial intelligence.”
The BBC’s important role in countering dis/misinformation is highlighted alongside the trust held by audiences for the BBC’s trusted journalism.
This week, the NUJ expressed its concern at proposed cuts at the World Service to close a £6m shortfall caused by the freezing of the licence fee. The union’s World Service branch has since passed a motion urging a reversal of cuts.
The letter from chairs states:
The Foreign Affairs, International Development, and Culture, Media and Sport Committees support the BBC World Service and urge the Government to back it with sufficient resources so it can continue its valuable work and, in future, grow and expand its activities.
We believe that the World Service benefits the whole of the UK, not just in terms of its journalism and public service programming, but also for its contribution to the UK’s soft power and security, its humanitarian support, fighting misinformation and disinformation, and as a positive reflection of the UK’s values to the world.
We welcome the £32.6m uplift provided to the World Service for 2025-26, but are concerned that, even if this level of increase was repeated in the forthcoming Spending Review, it could nonetheless lead to a decline in the World Service.
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