In a last effort to secure funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Tim Davie has warned of the risks of cutting international reporting and the rapid spread of disinformation “at an unbelievable speed” across digital platforms, The Guardian reports.
Davie has made securing a new funding agreement for the BBC World Service one of his top priorities ahead of his departure in April.
“The current agreement with the Foreign Office expires at the end of March, in seven weeks’ time. We are awaiting the outcome of the negotiations,” Davie said, adding that while a decision is pending, other Western media outlets are reducing their international newsrooms, while “state-controlled media are using artificial intelligence for propaganda.”
He and other BBC leaders have warned of the risks of cutting the service, and data suggest that trust in state broadcasters from Russia and China is increasing globally.
BBC research has found that overall trust levels in the BBC remain largely unchanged from four years ago at 78 percent. At the same time, according to the BBC, trust in media funded by Russia and China has risen.
The majority of the BBC World Service’s €460 million budget comes from licence fee revenue, while the FCDO contributed €157 million last year.
“I urge the government to support the BBC World Service, to act decisively and swiftly, so that audiences can continue to rely on our journalism — the very best that the United Kingdom has to offer,” Davie said.
FCDO Minister Chris Elmore stated that a decision on BBC World Service funding for the next three years will be made before the start of the 2026/27 financial year, through the department’s budget allocation process.
“The work carried out by the BBC World Service as an independent and trusted broadcaster, representing the United Kingdom, our culture and our values around the world, is highly valued by this government. Grant funding for the next three years will be determined through the FCDO allocation process. Final overall FCDO settlements will be made in due course before the start of the 2026/27 financial year,” Elmore said.
The BBC World Service is the world’s largest international news broadcaster, producing radio, television, and online content in more than 40 languages.
