The BBC is taking on Kim Jong-un head on

The BBC wants to create new World Service satellite news channels in Russia, North Korea, the Middle East and anywhere else state media are denying audiences an impartial and independent source of news.

Tony Hall, the BBC Director-General, is set to outline plans to enhance the World Service’s role as “the UK’s most important cultural export” in a speech next week in direct response to government proposals that could limit the BBC's size and scope.

The World Service has a global audience of 210million people a week, and has faced blocking, jamming and prohibitive licensing rules in countries including Russia, Iran and China.

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