THE Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, told the House of Lords that the BBC World Service gave a voice to the voiceless, and was a vital means of exercising soft power globally.
Speaking during a take-note debate on the impact of cuts to its service, on Thursday of last week, he said: “The BBC World Service is one of the most potent ways in which we can act in the world, not least to help those persecuted people who often are voiceless.”
The knowledge that something was being reported gave hope to persecuted people, Dr Smith said. “Accurate and truthful reporting is an increasingly rare phenomenon in our world. Sadly, we saw what happened in America under President Trump, but, more worryingly, under President Putin and from China, we realise the huge amount of energy being put into suppressing truthful and accurate reporting. I think of those words of Jesus: ‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’”
Dr Smith quoted the Government’s own review, Global Britain in a Competitive Age, which, he said, emphasised the importance of soft power, arguing that it enhanced the UK’s ability to effect change in the world.
“It is ironic that a Government who support soft power are now cutting the World Service,” he said. “It is precisely because the World Service broadcasts unbiased reports, offering information often covered up by authoritarian regimes, that it is so powerful. Many people in many different parts of the world look to the World Service for independent and accurate reporting.”
Dr Smith referred to the recent coverage of the protests in Iran. “Surely, at a time when the Iranian people are standing up against horrendous injustice, we should not be cutting one of the few lifelines that these people have,” he said.
Other regions were also affected: the Arab world, Myanmar, and China. “The BBC World Service is uniquely positioned to challenge these regimes simply by reporting the truth,” Dr Smith said. “It is an essential element of the UK’s soft power and a vital lifeline to many people. I . . . urge the Government to come to a new settlement to ensure not only that it is sustained but that its service is enhanced.”
In response, Lord Goldsmith said that he supported the argument about soft power. He agreed that the BBC World Service was “one of the great UK exports” and “top rated for reliability and depth of coverage”.
But, he said, “We have to recognise the challenging fiscal environment in which the world finds itself. The BBC, just like households and businesses across the UK, is having to make tough financial decisions and identify savings across all its priorities.”
This meant that the BBC was focusing on becoming a more “digital first” organisation. The BBC had set up new units in London, Delhi, and Lagos to counter disinformation, he said; a new China global unit would produce content on “the challenges and realities” facing China; and a “dynamic” Africa content hub would commission and deliver more digital content for all 12 African-language services.
“The BBC has . . . provided assurances that the World Service will continue to serve audiences in need, ensuring continued access to vital news,” he said. “The BBC World Service is evolving just as its audience is evolving.”