* To be extended beyond March 2012 only if â€?sustainable commercial funding’ can be found
MUMBAI: The BBC World Service, which, to general dismay had announced on 26th January 2010 it would close its news and current affairs radio output in Hindi by March 31st this year, has decided to retain, for its Indian audiences, a 1-hour news and current affairs broadcast in Hindi which, subject to sustainable commercial funding being available, would be extended beyond March 2012.
A statement issued by the BBC on BBC Hindi says: On January 26th, the BBC announced the closure of its news and current affairs radio output in Hindi, as part of the outcome of its Spending Review 2010 settlement. Since the announcement, there has been much public discussion of the potential for retaining some of this service and the BBC has been approached by a number of commercial parties with alternative funding proposals.
In order to explore these proposals further, the BBC World Service has decided to retain an evening news and current affairs radio broadcast (1 hour) in Hindi for our Indian audiences for an interim period. This broadcast will be available on all platforms – via SW, online and mobile.
If sustainable commercial funding for this service cannot be found during the 2011/12 financial year, we regret that it will then have to close by March 2012….