👀 There have been concerns from within the BBC that Russian and Chinese state media are spending an “eyewatering” £8bn a year, compared with the World Service’s £400m budget. - ThreadSky

drownedinsound.bsky.social • 77 days ago

👀

There have been concerns from within the BBC that Russian and Chinese state media are spending an “eyewatering” £8bn a year, compared with the World Service’s £400m budget.

Comments

thomasnewton2323.bsky.social•77 days ago

IIRC, funding used to come from the Foreign Office budget (in other words, indirectly funded by taxpayers anyway).

drownedinsound.bsky.social•77 days ago

It’s a shame the Tories stopped the BBC being able to run global subscription version of BBC iPlayer - they were all set to pioneer, instead they now license some of the biggest shows on Netflix

Sounds app is now throttled globally too 🤦 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/questions/listening-outside-the-uk/outside-uk-changes#:~:text=If%20you%20live%20outside%20the,on%20the%20bbc.com%20website.

thomasnewton2323.bsky.social•77 days ago

It would have been amazing, a real shot in the arm financially, which might have insulated the UK TV industry from the effects of the US strike, as well as as providing the projection of 'soft power' mentioned in the article. Another cut from the Cameron era.

thomasnewton2323.bsky.social•77 days ago

The decision to throttle Sounds is equally daft. Good news for VPN providers, I guess.

theshortviking68.bsky.social•77 days ago

And even the BBC has a lot to correct with its anti-Palestinian bias probably ordered by Downing street! A free, and publicly owned TV service is necessary. But there has to be real checks and balances for all news services, and media.

possetg.bsky.social•77 days ago

I think that the world will be okay with less championing of western 'values'.

drownedinsound.bsky.social•77 days ago

I think it does a good job in its news coverage of reflecting voices from a range of areas and perspectives

People from the west also learn a lot about the rest of the world from listening - maybe more powerful in the reverse?

possetg.bsky.social•77 days ago

It smacks of colonialism and savourism to me tbh and its mission is no different to its Chinese and Russian counterparts. The bbc doesn't even challenge disinformation in the UK so I'm not sure why it feels a need to do so in other sovereign nations.

drownedinsound.bsky.social•77 days ago

What would the rebalancing project look like?

There are still some decent journalists at the BBC, don’t let the 1% who are awful distract from those doing great work there

Give @shayan86.bsky.social a follow for starters

possetg.bsky.social•77 days ago

Perhaps it could concentrate on the UK only and preach, for example, African values to the British? Or simply shut down as it's an imperial irrelevance.

drownedinsound.bsky.social•77 days ago

As I was saying, I think a lot of Brits learn more about the rest of the world from listening - I certainly have found myself becoming far more aware of global events, complexities of different democracies, etc from listening a few hours a week. Pops the UK & US dominated news cycle.

chrisnbye.bsky.social•77 days ago

Soft power is a redundant term and all the more so for the uk. Our creative and cultural output is utterly vital. It would be the same as saying that the services sector should be given a begrudging nod post-1980s

drownedinsound.bsky.social•77 days ago

Do you think World Service does enough to help export UK music and better import music from around the world? Always surprised me that 6 Music didn’t have a show on there to rival NPR

chrisnbye.bsky.social•77 days ago

No not at all but I don't think they've ever been prodded to do so. You also touch on a wider question as to the remit of stations.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply