[DTV]

I do find the approach they’re taking unusual — as it feels like it prioritises World over U.K. output.

Of course, we’re seeing CNN go the other way, championing U.S. output over International.

If tough decisions are to be made, should the BBC be doing things the other way around? Not sold one way or another — genuinely asking.

Because BBC World News turns a profit (one of the few news channels anywhere to do so) and uses this profit to subsidise BBC News' UK operations. Turning this profit is dependent on it being an international news channel and if it ceases to turn a profit then it has to be axed as the licence fee cannot subsidise the BBC's commercial operations, particularly not at the minute.

If BBC World News goes then so does the enormous amount of output that it produces for the BBC News channel. While BBC News do (or certainly did) pay a fair use fee to use this output, the amount of money required for the BBC News channel to fill those hours would require a significant increase in budget - try justifying that in the current climate.

In short, an international news channel with UK opt outs is the only thing keeping the BBC from having a news channel for both the domestic and international markets. While BBC World News would probably surivive without the BBC News channel, the same is not true in reverse.