News Broadcasting
Sarah, Duchess of York shares her thoughts on Talk Asia
Airtimes: Indian Standard Times
Saturday, January 7 at 09:30am, 20:00hrs and 22:30hrs
Sunday, January 8 at 06:00am, 17:00hrs and 20:30hrs,
Monday, January 9 at 09:00am
This week on TALK ASIA, host Lorraine Hahn speaks to Britain’s Sarah, Duchess of York, about her life now and as a member of the royal family. Sarah Ferguson became a household name when she married Prince Andrew, the Duke of York in July 1986. But she made even more headlines with her subsequent separation and divorce, just a decade later.
She looks back on her life as a royal. “It’s very difficult when you go into any organization where you have to keep certain traditions.… I ran around trying to please everybody, maybe I should have remained firm. You know, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz…you go there, and there’s a big voice, and all this is so frightening, and then you go behind the curtain, and it’s not all really that frightening.”
SARAH FERGUSON
Sarah talks about her dedication to the charity SOS Villages, one of the NGOs dedicated to helping child victims of the deadly South Asian Tsunami of 2003. “I am preparing a trip to go there later on (in the) year. I feel that, I’ve always been one of these people, and when I started Children in Crisis, that it’s very important to go where children are forgotten,” she said.
But she adds that while there is much work to be done in a disaster, the real crisis occurs when children are neglected in everyday life, “…when a disaster hits, like the tsunami…I notice everyone focuses on it, and the media’s there, a lot of money’s raised, and I absolutely think it’s dead right, but, what about the other children? What about the pediatric problem of children dying with AIDS in Africa, what about the children of Romania, of Poland, there is still this mass urgency to give a child a life….We must always keep our eye on the focus, on where the demands of children are.”
AIRTIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
