Re: [Swprograms] Extra funding announced for World Service

[Mike Barraclough <softbulletin1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Full text of William Hague's statement:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/press-statement/2011/June/fs-wms-bbc-world-service220611


BBC Trust statement:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/news/press_releases/june/world_service.shtml

Mike



----- Original Message ----
From: Mike Barraclough <softbulletin1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, 22 June, 2011 12:42:14
Subject: Extra funding announced for World Service

BBC News:


BBC World Service is to receive an extra £2.2m per year over the next three 
years from the government.
The funding boost will be used to maintain BBC Arabic  Service's "valuable work 
in the region", Foreign Secretary William Hague  said.

The BBC will also reallocate an additional £9m to safeguard the Hindi language 
short wave service.
It comes after the government cut 16% of the World Service's £270m budget as 
part of last year's spending review.

In a written statement to MPs, Mr Hague said: "It is right  that we should look 
at ways in which we can assist the BBC Arabic  Service to continue their 
valuable work in the region.
"I have agreed that we will provide additional funding of  £2.2m per annum to 
enable the World Service to maintain the current  level of investment."

Mr Hague said although the original 16% cut was "fair and  proportionate", he 
had reconsidered the decision in response to recent  events in the Middle East 
and North Africa.
"We recognise that the world has changed since the settlement was announced in 
October last year," he said.

Mr Hague added the Foreign Office was in discussion with the  Arab Partnership 
Initiative to fund specific BBC Arabic Service or World  Service projects which 
could create an additional investment of £1.65m  over the next two years.

Earlier this month, BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten told the  Sunday Telegraph he 

would lobby the government over its funding of the  World Sevice, which will end 

in 2014 and be taken over by the BBC.
He said the Arabic, Hindi and Somali services are "core" to the broadcasting 
operation.

However, the corporation announced in January it would close  five of its 32 
World Service language services as part of its plan to  cut spending by 20% 
after last year's licence fee settlement.
Radio programming in seven other languages including Mandarin  Chinese, Russian 
and Turkish were also hit, while other services would  be scaled back.

The BBC Trust welcomed the government's announcement, adding  the reallocation 
of £9m of BBC money over three years would "mitigate  the impact of recent 
funding cuts".

"Together, this additional funding will help provide support to some priority 
frontline services. 

"It will also allow a small amount of investment in new  activities, in 
particular on new platforms and in emerging markets," it  added.

The Foreign Office website initially headlined the  announcement "Massive U-turn 

on BBC World Service funding," but it was  subsequently changed to "BBC World 
Service Funding Review."
A spokeswoman said the headline did not reflect government views and 
disciplinary action was being taken.

A screenshot of the original headline is in the Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8591524/Foreign-Office-gaffe-as-massive-u-turn-on-BBC-funding-is-announced.html



Their report quotes the Trust as saying that the extra £9 million over  three 
years they have found has come from "lower-than-expected    restructuring costs 
and pension contributions,"

Mike


_______________________________________________
Swprograms mailing list
Swprograms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms

To unsubscribe:  Send an E-mail to  swprograms-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe, or visit the URL shown above.