Funding cuts to the BBC World Service have allowed Russian and Chinese media outlets to spread “unchallenged propaganda” across the Global South, the director-general of the British state media giant has complained.
The BBC World Service broadcasts in around 40 languages to an audience of 320 million people per week. Two years ago, the network cut more than 380 jobs and stopped radio broadcasts in ten languages, including Arabic and Persian.
In a speech in London on Monday afternoon, Davie is expected to argue that “when the World Service retreats, state-funded media operators move in to take advantage,”according to remarks shared with British media outlets in advance.