BBC World Service is the probably the world’s best known international broadcaster.  It is funded by a grant-in-aid administered by the FCO, with a total budget of approximately £265m for 2008/09. Grant-in-aid ensures the BBC World Service has fully editorial, managerial and operational independence. As set out in the BBC Charter, a Broadcasting Agreement exists between the BBC World Service and FCO which defines the relationship of the two organisations and the BBC World Service’s independence. A separate Financial Agreement, following from the auspices of the Broadcasting Agreement, also exists.

The BBC World Service’s primary function is to spread independent, impartial news and information around the world. The FCO does not tell BBCWS what to broadcast, but we do discuss with BBCWS where it operates (e.g. which geographical regions strategically serve the best interests of BBCWS and the FCO) and how to operate (e.g. are short wave broadcasts more suitable to a particular audience? Is online availability more beneficial?).

How does the BBC World Service operate?

Though primarily and historically a radio broadcaster the BBC World Service has a strong online penetration, both through its website and through online audio. On radio it operates, (depending on the geography) on short wave, medium wave and increasingly to serve the urban audience, on FM. The BBC World Service has now moved into the television market with Arabic TV (see below) launched in March 2008 and Persian TV to launch in January 2009.

Any new developments?

On 11 March 2008, the BBC World Service strengthened its multimedia news services for the Arab World by launching a TV news channel alongside its existing radio and online offer. Initially, it will broadcast for 12 hours a day, however it will move to 24 hour coverage in the summer. It is the BBC's first publicly-funded international television service – the BBC World Service will receive an additional £15 million in grant-in-aid from the FCO over three years for this service Persian TV will be the next BBC World Service venture into television and will be launched early next year. It will broadcast to Iran and the Middle East, on television, radio and online.