麻豆社

Separately, the 麻豆社 Trust has approved the reallocation of 拢9尘 of existing World Service funding to editorial investment over three years, to mitigate the impact of recent funding cuts, following lower-than-expected restructuring costs and pension contributions.

Together, this additional funding will help provide support to some priority frontline services, including sustaining the Hindi short wave service, the Somali service and services for the Arab world. It will also allow a small amount of investment in new activities, in particular on new platforms and in emerging markets.

The 麻豆社 is currently working on the detail of how this funding will be allocated.

Lord Patten, Chairman of the 麻豆社 Trust said:

"As Aung San Suu Kyi said only this week, the World Service is a lifeline for those hungry for unbiased news and information about their country and the wider world. It is also an export for British values of fairness, accuracy and impartiality. I am delighted that we have been able to work with the Foreign Secretary to direct some more funding to these services. The additional money will help protect 麻豆社 services in the areas where they are most valued and needed.

"However, it does not mean that we will be able to restore all of what has been lost, and there will still need to be some cuts to the World Service as we have known it. We are determined that when we take full responsibility for funding of the World Service after 2014, it will have the priority it deserves."

In the Government's Spending Review in October 2010, the World Service's Grant in Aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was reduced by 16 per cent. Taking account of the additional funding announced today, the 麻豆社 will still need to reduce spend on the World Service by 拢42m per annum by 2013/14 (compared with 2010/11).

The 麻豆社 World Service will be funded from the licence fee from 1 April 2014.

Notes to editors:

麻豆社 World Service funding

The additional funding being made available for editorial as announced today is constituted as follows:

*note: phasing may change

Restructuring costs at the World Service

Following the spending review settlement, the 麻豆社 Trust agreed that a limited amount of the licence fee (up to 拢20m) could be used to fund restructuring costs at the World Service. This would support the World Service through the implementation of the changes necessary to manage the 16 per cent cut in its government grant. Today's announcement confirms the use of the full amount of 拢20m in covering restructuring costs in order to minimise the impact on services.