BBC Persian Service Launches - at what cost?

Funding the transmission of programmes to other countries is not a new concept nor is without it's supporters or indeed critics.

Indeed throughout the last fifty years, many examples can be identified where Radio and Television programmes have been transmitted to other countries, both near and far. So its not new nor is it without its supporters and detractors.

Earlier this week, (14/01/09) the BBC launched its Persian Service - BBC Persian. This new service is totally funded by the British Taxpayer to the tune of £15 Million ($23.5 Million) and is transmitted from BBC World Service HQ in the centre of London, with the language used being Farsi.

Back in March 2008, BBC Arabic Television started transmission, again funded from the same sources.

This was not the first time that the BBC has attempted to set up an Arabic television service.

This attempt for BBC Arabic Television closed on 21 April 1996, after 2 years on air, when the BBC's partners, Orbit Communications Corporation (owned by King Fahd's cousin, Prince Khaled) pulled the plug after the BBC broadcast an episode of topical current affairs programme, Panorama, which was critical of the Saudi Arabian government.

Many of the staff who worked for the original BBC Arabic Television service went on to work for Al Jazeera television - Al Jazeera being one of BBC Arabic Television's main competitors.

It's not the aim here to highlight the politics or the rights or wrongs of which country or countries should be transmitted 'too' and by 'whom'. I am carefully avoiding the word propaganda as it does attract to other discussions about Government paranoia and propaganda, but is this not all really the case that this is indeed state-funded propaganda, funded by the tax-payer and therefore is it justified?

Do these broadcasts actually bring 'free-speech' to countries where this concept may be deemed to be unknown. In the current difficult economic conditions, to fund in large amounts of cash to pay for these services is difficult to justify.? UK tax-payers may have additional questions about this when they currently have to pay £135 ($211) a year to watch television for regardless of content and source.