The BBC World Service will see funding increased over the next
three years to
protect its vital provision of accurate news
around the globe, the Foreign Secretary will confirm today
(Thursday 19 March).
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will increase
funding by an additional £11 million per year for
the next three years – a total of £33 million
and an 8% increase on the previous year's
allocation.
The provision of accurate news reporting around the world has
never been more crucial, as countries which don't share our
values increasingly invest in their global media operations.
By increasing funding for the BBC World
Service, the government is acting in Britain's
interests, supporting our security and promoting our culture and
values to the world.
The funding boost for the international broadcaster –
which takes total funding to 42% higher than in 2024/25
- means it can keep delivering impartial, accurate and
trusted journalism to people in countries like Iran,
where - despite the BBC being banned - 1 in 4
people sought out access before the
internet shutdowns in January.
The move comes at a time when media organisations are grappling
with increasing hostility and restrictions - from conflict zones
and volatile political environments to regions where access to
trusted information is deliberately being curtailed through media
blackouts.
FCDO funding has supported emergency pop-up
services, which have been a crucial lifeline for communities
affected by conflict. In February, the BBC launched an
emergency radio service in Iran, in addition to existing BBC
Persian digital and TV
channels, ensuring accurate, timely news reaches
the Iranian people.
The BBC World Service also launched a radio
service just five days after the fall
of the Assad regime – giving Syrians
access to high-quality journalism at a critical time, while
in Gaza, its crisis reporting reaches 700,000 people a
week.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
“In a world of rising disinformation, the BBC World Service
provides hundreds of millions with journalism they can trust and
rely on. It offers clarity, accuracy and an independent
voice where reliable information is increasingly difficult to
access.
"We are seeing in real time how the BBC Persian service is
playing a crucial role in ensuring impartial, accurate news is
reaching the Iranian people.
“This further increase in FCDO support ensures that independent,
impartial reporting continues to reach audiences who depend on
it.”
In addition to support for the BBC World Service, the UK
works with partners to defend strong independent journalism
around the world. The UK currently holds the position of co-chair
of the Media Freedom Coalition alongside Finland.
Each day, journalists around the world risk their lives. Free and
open media operations are vital to global democracy and in an
increasingly dangerous and turbulent world, holding power to
account is more important than ever.
Later today, the government is expected to
publish further figures on how it will spend the aid budget for
the next three years. The UK is adopting a new,
modernised approach to international development to ensure we
focus on greater impact - ensuring every pound delivers for the
UK taxpayer and the people we support.
This means an innovative new approach to development, working as
a partner, investor and reformer, improving lives in the most
fragile and conflict-affected places, and showing international
leadership in the face of increasing threats to women's safety
and women's rights across the world.
Notes to editors:
- The BBC is editorially and operationally independent.
- The BBC World Service remains a critical
source of independent and impartial news and reporting for 313
million people around the world; providing a factual counterpoint
to harmful and false narratives.
- The government will provide an uplift of £33 million for this
Spending Review period - £11 million a
year. This Government has increased its contribution to
BBC World Service funding by 42% since coming to
power.
- Given the global information environment is increasingly
contested and the wider erosion of media freedoms around the
world, the BBC's function as a counterpoint to disinformation is
important. 74% of the World Service audience is in
countries with no or low media freedom.
- The BBC is also the world's most trusted international news
brand: BBC Global Impact and
Influence Research 2025
- The FCDO is funding approximately 38% of the BBC
World Service this financial year with
the remainder funded by the BBC through the Licence Fee.
- The FCDO gave a grant funding uplift of £32.6m this FY 25/26
to £137m - a 31% increase in a tight fiscal situation.
