Anger was growing last night as politicians, unions and the BBC criticised the Government’s savage cuts to the BBC World Service, which will be forced to lose a quarter of its staff. Following a 16 per cent cut in its funding from the Foreign Office, the broadcaster confirmed yesterday that there would be 650 jobs going and cash savings of 20 per cent over the next three years.

This will make the corporation drop five of its language services, end radio programmes in seven languages affecting major countries such as China and Russia, and reduce broadcasts of most short wave and medium wave radio services.

In recent years, filmmakers and business executives from the United States, South Asia, and Europe have shown a growing interest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, not only as a potential market but also as a wellspring of talent and inspiration.

Last week, China unveiled an ad campaign on the jumbotron screens in New York City’s Times Square to promote its national image. The two 30-second spots, titled “Experience China,” feature the country’s celebrities and luminaries from different walks of life.

Last week, China unveiled an ad campaign on the jumbotron screens in New York City’s Times Square to promote its national image. The two 30-second spots, titled “Experience China,” feature the country’s celebrities and luminaries from different walks of life. So, like many other countries, China is now taking a page out of the Madison-Avenue playbook to try to get its message out.

The BBC said it expected the World Service’s audience would fall by more than 30m from its current weekly audience of 180m as a result of the changes. Peter Horrocks, BBC global news director, said it was a “painful day” for the World Service.

This week a national and international love object will feel the chill of the government's need to cut the deficit. The BBC's World Service, broadcasting to 180 million people in 32 languages, and until 2014 still funded by the Foreign Office rather than the licence fee, will take its share of the pain.

During the street demonstrations in Tunis, amidst the signs demanding “Ben Ali Out” were placards saying “Thank you, Al Jazeera.” The Qatar-based pan-Arab television network has never been allowed to open a bureau in Tunisia – a prescient if ultimately unsuccessful tactic by Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali’s government...