The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) stated that the BBC World Service is in danger of being supplanted by Russian and Chinese propaganda outlets due to funding cuts and poor management. According to the committee, Britain's soft power is being put at risk over poor decision making regarding the service. The World Service's budget fell by 21% in real terms between 2021 and 2026, mainly from licence fee reductions.
The BBC has not been told how much government funding will be provided next year. The BBC could not provide a single, transparent suite of value for money measures across its offerings. Weaknesses in BBC governance have led to poorly evidenced decisions and unclear responsibilities.
The government must be clear-eyed about the realities of a diminishing audience for the BBC World Service. As it cuts back, it risks
The BBC's management of the digital upgrade contributed to an 11% fall in digital audiences since 2021. The BBC failed to document rationale for savings decisions and lacked performance metrics. The BBC announced a new international governance model in February 2025, but only one of six regional directors was permanently in post by January.
The BBC World Service has an average weekly audience of 313 million across 43 languages. Russia and China invest about £6 billion to £8 billion annually in global media operations. Trust scores have increased for Russian and Chinese state broadcasters, while the BBC's ratings have remained stable.
The government must improve conditions for World Service journalists in dangerous environments, the PAC said.