[xtypo_dropcap]T[/xtypo_dropcap]he BBC World Service announced on Wednesday budget cuts that will affect 30 million listeners around the world.
The measures come in response to a 16 percent reduction in funding from the U.K.’s foreign ministry. The service will need to cut $73 million per year.
Five language stations will be closed as a result of the cuts: Macedonian, Albanian, Serbian, English for the Caribbean, and its Portuguese for Africa service.
Also radio broadcasting in seven languages will stop: Russian, Mandarin, Spanish for Cuba, Turkish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, and Azeri. For these languages the focus will shift to online, mobile, and TV content distribution instead, according to the BBC.
In total, 650 jobs will be lost over the next three years.
Founded in 1932, the BBC World Service currently broadcasts in 32 languages worldwide.
The measures come in response to a 16 percent reduction in funding from the U.K.’s foreign ministry. The service will need to cut $73 million per year.
Five language stations will be closed as a result of the cuts: Macedonian, Albanian, Serbian, English for the Caribbean, and its Portuguese for Africa service.
Also radio broadcasting in seven languages will stop: Russian, Mandarin, Spanish for Cuba, Turkish, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, and Azeri. For these languages the focus will shift to online, mobile, and TV content distribution instead, according to the BBC.
In total, 650 jobs will be lost over the next three years.
Founded in 1932, the BBC World Service currently broadcasts in 32 languages worldwide.
