The BBC's announcement of stopping radio broadcasts in several languages, most notably Arabic, sparked a wide interaction on social networks, with many expressing their sadness at this news, bidding farewell to the "London" voice that accompanied them for many years.

And yesterday, Thursday, the British Guardian newspaper said that the authority decided to stop broadcasting in 10 languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Chinese and Bengali, in addition to eliminating hundreds of jobs through the global service.

The authority said, in a statement, that it "intends to cut 382 jobs in the Global Service as part of its efforts to provide 28.5 million pounds in annual savings for its international services."

The statement explained that "high inflation and high costs led to difficult choices for the authority."

The British authority added that the global service plans support its strategy to create a "modern system and digital leadership."

Inflation and rising costs have made tough choices for the BBC (Getty Images)

Sadness and shock

On social networking sites, followers and activists interacted with the news, as some of them saw that this matter is not just news, but rather a “tragedy.” The Arabic-speaking radio has accompanied many generations for more than 8 decades, and its presence in the Arab world constituted a media milestone.

Under the hashtag #bbcarabic and #close_BBC_Arabic_Radio, most of the interactions came on Twitter and Facebook, and the radio's Facebook page saw comments rejecting the closure decision.

While Al-Jazeera broadcaster Mahmoud Murad only said, "Bye bye BBC," his colleague in the same channel, Othman Ay Farah, considered that the closure of BBC Arabic Radio after 84 years is "shocking and very sad news personally for me and for millions of listeners around the world." He asked, "Does the decision-maker realize the enormity of what he did?"

With this word, a journalist concluded his blog about the news of the closure of the ancient radio station. He said, “A radio we grew up hearing the world’s news from it in the mornings and evenings, and after lunch hours. And his condolences.. We loved our Arabic language and stuck to it more when we heard the voices of its great giants - whom I had the honor to associate with personally for years, and to learn directly from them the basics of broadcasting and radio reading.”

He considered this decision "sad, unfair, and misplaced", and wished it would be reversed.

news and history

Tunisian journalist Faten Ghanmi said, on her Facebook account, "Generations and generations of journalists and listeners have been brought up on this radio.

She added, "Today, after 84 years, the British Broadcasting Corporation - BBC - decides to close its Arabic-speaking radio section, thus cutting off an important part of the history of journalism and media directed to the Arab public."

On Twitter, writer and journalist Muhammad al-Yahyai said, "Through BBC Radio, 3 of my big dreams were born: to become a writer, to become a journalist, and to travel the world that I used to see through the BBC, I recognize him and see him seeing the eye."

"The BBC is not just a radio station, and the beats of Big Ben will continue to ring in the depths," he added.

Through the BBC, three of my big dreams were born: to be a writer, to be a journalist, and to travel the world that I used to see through the BBC, get to know it and see it in the eye.


The BBC is not just a broadcaster, and the beats of Big Ben will always ring in the depths.

— Mohamed Alyahyai Mohamed Alyahyai (@Malyahyai) September 30, 2022

Kuwaiti writer Muhammad Al-Naghmish wrote on Twitter, "The BBC Arabic radio star has fallen after 84 years of radio broadcasting, a shock in media circles after the decision to close half of non-English language services. The world is witnessing a great change in the media landscape and its challenges. Goodbye BBC. bad".

The star of BBC Arabic radio after 84 years of broadcasting

Shock in the media after the decision to close half of non-English language services

The world is witnessing a major


or significant change in the media landscape and its challenges

Goodbye BBC https://t.co/SznakhgqG1

— Dr. Muhammad Al-Nughaimish 🇰🇼 (@MAlNughaimish) September 30, 2022

great school

As for the Egyptian writer and journalist Mohamed Mowafi, he commented, "This is a great school, if you know, that preserved the Arabic language in its purity and walked on its gracefulness for years, days of high school and university. The BBC was the only confirming source of news... In front of the eye of memory pass the venerable voices, whispering (Ali Asaad)" And (Rashad Ramadan) loudly and singly (Mahmoud Al-Muslimi), may God have mercy on our days and the days of the wonderful.”

This is a great school, if you know , that


preserved the Arabic language in its purity and walked on the rhythm of its grace


for years, days of high school and university, the BBC was the only confirming source of news.. In front of the eye of memory pass the venerable voices, whisper (Ali Asaad) and loudly (Rashad Ramadan) and sing (Mahmoud Al-Muslimi)


May God have mercy on our wonderful days and days pic.twitter.com/7sFVvQw0w1

— Mohamed Mowafi (@mmowafi) September 29, 2022

For her part, the British Commission's correspondent in Egypt, Sally Nabil, said, "BBC Arabic radio still enjoys a large audience in several Arab countries, the most important of which are Sudan, Iraq and a number of Gulf countries. The belief that the radio era is over is incorrect."

Professors we knew their voices before we knew their features, Ali Asaad, Hussam Shiblak, Mahmoud Al-Muslimi and many other big names.

The loss of the BBC's departure.

https://t.co/IqupZnpZqH

— Sultan Al-Otaibi (@SultanALotaibi0) September 30, 2022

Not only did the interacting bid farewell to the British Arabic-speaking radio, but also re-published clips of the chimes of Big Ben with distinctive voices of Arab broadcasters as they announced Greenwich Mean Time before the start of their broadcasts or programs.

It was closed after eight decades..# BBC_Arabic https://t.co/Sard9D1CHH

— ܦܗܕ 🔭 🐪 (@fmabum) September 30, 2022

In one of the clips, a black and white picture of a man sticking the radio in his ear, indicating that this radio has accompanied generations and has been transmitting world news to the Arabs for more than 80 years.


Here, London, BBC

stops after 84 years

/sqFQG1ZbeI

— saudi forever33 Ibn Assaf (@saudiforever33) September 30, 2022

Changes and strategy

The BBC says the changing needs of audiences around the world - with more people accessing news digitally - are in line with the challenging financial climate.

Reports said inflation, high costs and a flat cash license fee settlement had led to tough choices across the BBC.

"Here London" has become a memory after the BBC's decision, Thursday, to close the Arab Radio after 84 years of service # BBC_Arabic pic.twitter.com/qxFHSJGKLi

- Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Rumaihi (@aromaihi) September 30, 2022

Although "no language services will be closed, many of these services will be broadcast over the Internet, in order to increase the impact on the masses," according to the same statement.

BBC World Service Director Lillian Landor commented: "The role of the BBC has never been more important around the world. The BBC is trusted by hundreds of millions of people for reliable news, Especially in countries that are in short supply.

"We help people in times of crisis. We will continue to provide the best journalism to audiences in English and over 40 languages, as well as increase the impact of our journalism by making our stories go as far as possible."