The BBC World Service have said they are to axe 130 jobs to save £6 million in the next financial year.
Posts will be closed across the service in the UK and overseas and roles will be lost in the BBC Monitoring division who analyse news from around the globe.
The BBC is under financial pressure due to increased inflation along with the two year licence and the corporation has forecast their total deficit will rise to £492 million the in 2024 to 2025 financial year.
The Chancellor announced during her Budget the Foreign Office will for the next financial year provide “an increase in funding to the BBC World Service, protecting existing foreign language service provision and its mission to deliver globally trusted media, in support of the UK’s global presence and soft power.”
Over the previous years the BBC World Service has received a grant of £104.4 million.
The BBC welcomes the increase in the grants however, “previous freezes on the licence fee, global inflation, and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have meant savings are necessary.”
They added the service is operating in a “highly competitive global media environment” this has “international news providers investing billions in state-backed media that sees increased competition for staff, platforms and frequencies, and audiences.”
They will also “continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe.”
Global director and deputy chief executive of BBC News Jonathan Munro said, “While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements.
“These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.”
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