toddsmithlandFeb 22
SellaTheChemist
The British government is on the verge of ensuring that the UK drifts into complete insignificance. BBC World Service has more than 300 million listeners each week and a glorious reputation. Get a grip people. Value is not the same as price. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/10/bbc-world-service-funding-tim-davie?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
BBC World Service faces funding cliff edge in seven weeks, says Tim Davie

As trust in Russia and China’s state broadcasters grows, director general warns of the dangers of cutting back the service

The Guardian
Feb 14 at 9:31pmWeb
Show threadDаn̈ıel Раršlow 🥧Feb 15

@sellathechemist

Beyond the things being lost entirely, there's also the rampant enshittification of what remains. Living outside the UK, I can still get my favorite Radio 4 programmes as podcasts, but with many long, loud, crude adverts, not just at the beginning and end, but inserted into the middle as well. It's simply not worth it anymore.

Show threadBashStKidFeb 15
@pieist @sellathechemist Having lived outside the UK for a good long time until recently, that would be incredibly irritating. Why are they deliberately trying to piss off a global, engaged, audience?
Show threadDаn̈ıel Раršlow 🥧Feb 15

@BashStKid @sellathechemist

It costs very little to let the rest of the world enjoy content you were going to create anyway. It costs an enormous amount to let those who prosper most by your country simply cross a border and stop paying taxes.

And yet look at which of those two things actually gets addressed.

Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 15
@BashStKid @pieist We can thank George Osborne who came up with the cunning wheeze for forcing BBCWS funding into the BBC's budget, thereby freeing the Foreign Office of its obligations. BBCWS lost its home - Bush House - and is now part-subsumed into the core of the BBC. It was only a matter of time before this happened. The FO has already taken over strategic funding for some language services. But now it will be accused of "propaganda".
Show threaddrdr6262Feb 15
@sellathechemist Yes, the clue is in the name; it's a 'service', a public service; something essential but its value is willfully misunderstood by those on the right.
Show threadTim WatermanFeb 20
@sellathechemist the World Service is actually greatly superior to the domestic BBC.
Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 20
@timwaterman Agreed. And the production teams are tiny compared to Radio 4 and paid less.
Show threadDr Susi ArnottFeb 20
@sellathechemist @timwaterman
Any concerted action mbers of UK public can join?
Show threadSellaTheChemistFeb 20
@SusiArnott @timwaterman No idea. Writing to MPs might be a start.