How Is the BBC Regarded Around the World

The BBC is a world-renowned broadcaster with audiences in the hundreds of millions that regularly tune into its World Service, which broadcasts in audio and video in multiple languages. Its world news service is also one of the most trusted in the world—often being accorded more credibility by local audiences than their own country’s news operations. Despite the emergence of rival global news providers, the BBC’s reputational ascendancy has remained largely intact. Through its international reach, the BBC exercises considerable ‘soft power’ on behalf of the UK, the value of which cannot always be precisely calculated. Even in developed countries, the BBC has emerged in opinion polls as a more highly regarded news source, in terms of its informativeness, journalistic objective and balance, compared to many domestic news services. As such it plays an important role in boosting the national brand of the UK. Any decisions about the future funding of the BBC therefore might wish to take into account their potential impact on the BBC’s global footprint and influence.