Hassan: At a time of conflict, the BBC should reflect the voice of the British government. Yet there has been a set of resignations within the Arabic service as a result of the war. So in moments like this, you will find pressure from the government that happened also during the Iraq war. It happened with the Andrew Gilligan affair. And every single time I think the BBC tries to maneuver its way, not upsetting the government very much by sort of putting some processes for further training and reintroducing trust to its staff. But it's costly because you could see also some big resignations to be of the organization.
On 27 January 2023, broadcaster Mahmoud Al-Mossallami hosted BBC Arabic radio’s final transmission after 85 years on air. It's the latest strategy shift for BBC World Service, which launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service. Over the years its radio content has transformed in order to meet historical challenges, cater to growing audiences and adapt under financial constraints. But with a listenership of millions across multiple nations, is something larger and more important than just a radio service being lost with the shuttering of BBC Arabic radio? To discuss the history and future of Britain's soft power as a broadcasting powerhouse, former BBC producer and Intelligence Squared's Head of Podcasts, Farah Jassat, is joined by Emma Robertson, historian and co-author of BBC World Service: Overseas Broadcasting, 1932–2018, and Hosam El Sokkari, former Head of BBC Arabic. Plus, BBC World Service anchor Mahmoud Al-Mossallami himself reflects on his long career and that final broadcast.
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