The BBC World Service could face drastic budget cuts that may force it to withdraw from Myanmar, a move that critics fear would be a “gift to the military junta”, a report said today. The Foreign Office, the British government department which funds the World Service through an annual grant, has told executives to be ready for a possible cut to its budget of 25 percent from April 2011, said the Guardian newspaper.
The BBC’s broadcasts to Myanmar are among several services that could be affected by the cutbacks, according to a diplomatic source cited by the British daily. “The Burma office is up for grabs. It is a question of costs. It is very expensive and has relatively few listeners,” said the source, referring to Myanmar by its old name.
The BBC confirmed it was in talks with the Foreign Office about its budget as part of moves to cut public sector spending but insisted no final decisions had yet been taken. A Foreign Office spokesman said discussions were under way but refused to give details of any proposed cuts.
Britain’s Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, which took power in May, is drawing up plans to be made public in October for dramatic cuts to public spending aimed at reducing a record deficit.
The BBC started broadcasts to Myanmar 70 years ago and since its establishment the service has covered independence, uprisings and years of military rule. Around 23 percent of the country’s adult population listen to the service, which is broadcast from Bangkok and London, according to the BBC.
David Miliband, foreign affairs spokesman for the main opposition Labour party, said that ending BBC broadcasts to Myanmar would play into the hands of the country’s military rulers. “The World Service is a steady, credible voice in parts of the world where the only other messages blend threats and propaganda,” he told the paper. “Scrapping the World Service in Burma would be a gift to the military junta, and an insult to political prisoners locked in Burma’s jail for no crime.”
A BBC spokesman said in a statement: “Like all publicly funded bodies, we have been asked to consider the likely impact of significant funding cuts and applying them to a wide range of scenarios. “It is important to note that no decisions have been made.”
(Source: AFP)
Andy Sennitt comments: There are some factual errors and inconsistencies in this report. A reach of 23 percent of the population can hardly be described as “relatively few listeners.” Burma is not “the old name” of the country, but the one most citizens still prefer. The name Myanmar was given to the country when the current military dictatorship took power.
David Miliband is incorrect when he says that “the only other messages blend threats and propaganda”. The Norway-based Democratic Voice of Burma has been broadcasting to the country for many years, including transmissions via the RNW Madagascar relay station. Radio Australia launched its own Burmese service last year, and inter alia there are Burmese services from the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, both financed by the US government.
on Sep 8th, 2010 at 22:09
I suspect it’ll be a lot more than the Burma service that goes if the cuts really do amount to 25%.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 00:06
This is just barmy really. Michael Lyons has made the very valid point that the BBCWS is one of the very leanest parts of the BBC already. Under the Conservative ethos, they deserve a bit more money because they’re doing so well, but of course they won’t get it.
The Burmese service is very, very important in Burma. As soon as something develops there, the BBC Burmese service is the place people go to for information within the country.
The Russian section is also under threat as part of these plans. Again, while it’s not like Burma, there’s a very clear need for the service in that region. Internal broadcasters don’t yet have the media freedoms that one would expect before the BBCWS stops broadcasting there. The last cuts had quite enough of an effect on the Russian service!