BBC World Service sets out savings plan for the year ahead

29 January 2025

BBC World Service sets out savings plan for the year ahead

BBC World Service makes operational changes in order to meet £6m worth of savings requirements with around 130 roles closing

The BBC World Service has announced that it will be making a series of changes in order to meet savings requirements for the year ahead.

Despite the government providing a what the BBC says is a welcome uplift in the grant-in-aid funding for the World Service, previous freezes on the licence fee, global inflation, and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have meant savings are necessary.

The BBC World Service is also operating in a highly competitive global media environment with international news providers investing billions in state-backed media that sees increased competition for staff, platforms and frequencies, and audiences.

In total, the savings needed for the next financial year are around £6m and will largely be met by the closure of posts with a net reduction of around 130 roles.

The BBC World Service’s commitment to providing journalism of the highest quality across its 42 language services is undiminished. It says that it will continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe.

The operational changes will be in line with the BBC’s broader digital first strategy, ensuring our services are fit for the future and reflecting changing audience behaviour.

Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO, BBC News, says:

“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.”

Key changes will include; closing posts across the BBC World Service in the UK and internationally, closing roles in BBC Monitoring whilst also reinvesting in strategically important skills, making changes to the commissioning mix on World Service English, and reshaping some of our World Service Language teams to enhance the focus on digital output

USAGM networks reached record global audience in FY 2024

17 January 2025

USAGM networks reached record global audience in FY 2024

The U.S. Agency for Global Media’s networks reached a record 427 million weekly measured global audience in Fiscal Year 2024, as documented in the Agency Performance Report released today. The agency’s audience nearly doubled in the last decade, according to nationally representative surveys measuring the reach and impact of the five journalistic entities USAGM oversees: Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and Television Martí), Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN).

This year’s findings underscore the success of USAGM’s networks in informing, engaging, and connecting audiences, even in the most challenging environments. Despite a recent military coup in Niger, VOA reaches more than 45% of adults in the country each week, in multiple languages. In a difficult year of conflict in the Middle East, MBN continues to provide a high-quality Arabic-language alternative to polarized local media, registering strong growth in Algeria and Jordan. In Latin America, VOA reaches 100 million people across the region in Spanish, by working in partnership with some of the most important local and regional media outlets.

RFE/RL and VOA together reach more than 34% of Ukrainian adults each week, almost 45% of Armenians, and a quarter of Serbians; countering Russian malign influence across Eastern Europe and Eurasia with truthful reporting.

Research with Russian- and Mandarin-speaking global diasporas, and on Martí audiences outside Cuba, found new international audiences for RFE/RL, RFA, VOA, and OCB outside the networks’ traditional target markets. This strategy for reaching audiences is important as China joins a growing list of restrictive markets, including North Korea and Eritrea, where USAGM is unable to measure audiences.

The new report emphasizes USAGM networks’ value to their audiences. USAGM research shows that well over 80% of each network’s audience reports finding their content trustworthy, and more than 65% say the networks’ reporting informs their opinions on important issues.

USAGM’s broadcast entities operate across a range of media platforms, innovating to reach audiences in the ways they prefer to consume news. The Open Technology Fund (OTF), a USAGM grantee, is a key driver of these efforts, providing circumvention technology to tens of millions of users in countries where the internet is censored, like Iran, Russia, China, Burma and more. Despite the challenges of censorship and the constantly shifting social media landscape, USAGM networks recorded 334 million video views each week for digital content in FY 2024.

“This remarkable audience growth shows just how impactful truthful, independent journalism is to so many people around the world,” said USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett. “Amid mounting global challenges to press freedom, our networks’ growing reach — and audiences’ increased trust in the content they provide — proves an enduring demand for the independent, objective reporting from our entities, and the tireless dedication of our journalists that goes into it.”

The USAGM FY 2024 Agency Performance Report, as well as the USAGM Audience and Impact Overview, which summarizes the agency’s key performance highlights for FY 2024, can be found here on usagm.gov.

[Source: USAGM press release]

Inauguration of Donald Trump – special programming on France 24

16 January 2025

Inauguration of Donald Trump – special programming on France 24

On January 20, on the occasion of Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47^th President of the United States, France 24’s four channels, in French, English, Arabic, and Spanish, will offer global coverage of the event for viewers and internet users worldwide, on air and digital platforms.

With the special envoys and correspondents, France 24 will deliver the ceremony’s highlights and give voice to the public, while reviewing with specialists the major issues that will mark the next four years of Donald Trump’s presidency.

France 24’s special envoys and correspondents, in all its languages, will deliver live reporting at the heart of Washington D.C.: Matthieu Mabin (FR), Elisabeth Allain (FR), Karim Yahiaoui (FR), Fraser Jackson (EN), Doug Herbert (EN), Catherine Norris Trent (EN), Ali Barada (AR), Wassim Alahmar (AR), Amar Al Hameedawi (AR) and Natalia Cabrera (ES).

Special editions on France 24 in English:

From 5pm* to 8pm*, presented by François Picard

From 8pm* to 11:30pm*, presented by Mark Owen

On the digital platforms

> France 24’s digital newsroom will offer exclusive content that highlights the voices of the African and Hispanic communities in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. These reports explore their perspectives on Donald Trump’s return to the White House and can be followed on France 24’s digital platforms.

> France 24 proposes a special episode of Revisited ‘Four years after US Capitol riot, nation remains divided by opposing narratives’, produced by Fanny Allard. The investigation that delves into the violent assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, can be watched on France 24’s website.

> All the reports, interviews, and decryptions with international commentators will also be accessible via france24.com

Paris time*

[Source: France 24 press release]

TRT joins ASBU

16 January 2025

TRT joins ASBU

TRT, Türkiye’s public service media, has strengthened its international presence by becoming an associate member of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU). The decision was made unanimously during ASBU’s 44th General Assembly, held in Tunis on January 15, 2025, with nearly 200 delegates in attendance.

ASBU, a prominent organization comprising 41 members, categorizes its membership into “active members,” “participating members,” and “associate members.” While active membership is exclusive to Arab countries, TRT’s inclusion as an associate member reflects its growing influence in the region. This status allows TRT to actively engage in ASBU’s General Assembly meetings, participate in committees, and contribute to the Union’s initiatives, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among members.

In addition to contributing its expertise, TRT will gain access to ASBU’s renowned news exchange network and opportunities such as participation in the Arab Radio and Television Festival. These platforms will enhance TRT’s ability to connect with audiences across the Arab world.

Turkish dramas, including TRT’s globally celebrated series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, have already achieved significant popularity in Arab countries. With its membership in ASBU, TRT is poised to deepen cultural ties and expand co-production opportunities with broadcasters in the region.

Founded in 1969 in Khartoum, Sudan, ASBU has its headquarters in Tunis, where it hosts its annual General Assembly. The organization aims to strengthen relationships among Arab broadcasting organizations, enhance content production, provide technical and consultancy services, and facilitate news and media exchanges. ASBU is also a key member of the World Broadcasting Unions (WBU), further amplifying its influence on the global stage.

TRT’s inclusion in ASBU adds to its growing portfolio of international partnerships. The broadcaster is also a member of prestigious organizations such as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), the Mediterranean Center for Audiovisual Communication (CMCA), the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM), the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), where it holds the presidency since 2023. These memberships underscore TRT’s commitment to fostering global collaboration and strengthening its position as a leading voice in international broadcasting.

[Source: TRT press release]

Radio Liberty Russian available in Estonia

9 January 2025

Radio Liberty Russian available in Estonia

Estonia’s Duo Media Networks and the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) have signed an agreement making the Russian-language news radio Radio Svoboda available around the clock on the DAB+ digital radio platform in Tallinn, Harju County, Tartu County, and Pärnu County.

Radio Svoboda is an internationally recognized news radio station with a mission to provide accurate and uncensored news, open debates, and analyses, while also combating the spread of disinformation. Funded by the US Congress, the station has been operating since 1953, offering reliable information to audiences who have long been under the influence of communist propaganda.

Radio Svoboda is a key part of the international media organization Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which broadcasts in 27 languages across 23 countries, reaching 47 million listeners weekly. The European headquarters of RFE/RL is located in Prague, an internationally significant hub for independent journalism.

“Bringing Radio Svoboda to the DAB+ platform in Estonia helps expand the reach of high-quality Russian-language news and promote a culture of open dialogue,” said Risto Rosimannus, CEO of Duo Media Networks. “We are proud to support the availability of reliable and independent media in a region where it is critically important.”

NHK WORLD-JAPAN programme focus in January: Noto Quake Update

6 January 2025

NHK WORLD-JAPAN programme focus in January: Noto Quake Update

Noto Quake Update: One Year Later

Kintsugi: Repairing a Post-Quake Community Jan 10 Fri. 14:30/20:30/3:10/10:10 (UTC) Jan 15 Wed. 19:00 (UTC) Kintsugi mends broken pottery with gold. An artist is restoring earthenware damaged by the Noto earthquake, helping residents put the pieces of their lives back together too.
Kawashima Toru: Connection and Tradition in Recovering Noto Jan 31 Fri. 4:30/8:30/16:30 (UTC) Kawashima Toru is a chef of Japanese cuisine based in Noto. Through the power of food and human connection, he’s been working to help the region recover from the New Year’s Day 2024 earthquake.
When My Coffee Reaches Someone Jan 12 Sun. 1:10/7:10/13:10/19:10 (UTC) Strangers find community in a small coffee shop in Kumamoto. People come from all over to share their troubles and seek solace. A cup of coffee and kind words help with the healing.
Dining with the Chef Tuesdays 1:30/6:30/12:30/17:30/22:30 (UTC) Traditional techniques and resourceful recipes! Chefs Saito and Rika, present their unique approaches to cooking delicious Japanese food.