LONDON,
July 16 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The BBC World Service is
to launch new programs in Arabic, Urdu and Pashto, after being granted
a funding increase of 3.4 per cent over the next three years.
Praised
for its role in the aftermath of September 11, the World Service was
rewarded with an extra £38 million of grant-in-aid from the Foreign
Office, taking its annual funding to £239 million by 2005-06. A
further £10 million increase is already in the pipeline from the 2000
spending review, giving the World Service an extra £48 million to
spend on a major expansion, the London Times reported.
The
new spending for the BBC is part of a 2.8 per cent increase in
spending for the Foreign Office, which is aiming more funds towards
security needs. Most will be spent working through international
organizations such as the United Nations, the European Union and the
International Criminal Court, the British daily said.
A
BBC source in London, who asked not to be identified, told IslamOnline
in a telephone conversation that the new grant-in-aid, the terms of
which he admitted were discussed with the Foreign Office, will help
boost the World Service, especially in the Arab world.
“Twenty-two
Arab states are a big chunk of the world that needs enough coverage,
which is a good reason why the BBC plans to launch a new Arabic
program,” the source said.
But
he denied that the new program is designed to “woo” Arab countries
in the aftermath of September 11 and the ensuing war on terror. He
also denied that the new grant will go entirely for the Arabic, Pashto
and Urdu services.
“We
have more than 40 services worldwide, transmitting 24 hours a day, and
the £48 million cannot be allocated for the Arab world alone,” he
said.
The
network transmits in 43 languages, and 150 million people listen each
week.
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| Byford
says post-9-11 coverage is reason behind aid
|
Asked
if the BBC plans to target the Arab and Muslim worlds through these
new services, the source said: “I wouldn’t say that. It is true,
though, that the Muslim world has come to the fore in world news
following September 11, which makes it understandable why we should
focus on it.”
The
BBC said that World Service availability on FM, particularly in
capital cities, will be extended and new flagship programming will be
developed for Africa, China and Europe. World service online efforts
will also be extended and a landmark series on Islam in the 21st
century will be made.
Asked
about the sudden BBC expansion despite budget reductions and layoffs
prior to September 11, the source said: “There were no layoffs. We
had an expansion plan before 9-11. Before that, World Service used to
transmit for 10, 12, 14 or 16 hours in different parts of the world.
Now, we run for 24 hours. September 11 only coincided with and helped
speed up our expansion policy.”
Political
analysts have linked the British role in the U.S.-led war on
Afghanistan - dubbed the ‘war on terror’ - to the British
Government’s generous funding of a BBC Pashto program.
