Many international viewers are reliant on BBC Hardtalk for their understanding of world affairs. The program, steered by the inquisitive and intrepid Stephen Sackur, has been instrumental in our acquisition of unfiltered, frank information in the age of misinformation and non-accountability. To our disappointment, Stephen Sackur announced on October 14, 2024 that the BBC has decided to discontinue this critical program, a decision that has left us alarmed and worried about the role of the BBC in delivering high quality, fact-finding news to a global audience. 

Hardtalk is more than just a current affairs programme. It serves as a crucial platform, where Stephen Sackur holds those in power--former guests include late Robert Mugabe, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, among many global figures-- to account. These are individuals who otherwise would escape scrutiny from their people. Taking the show off air would create a void during a time when long-form journalism is making a comeback and viewers around the world are accusing global decision makers of acting with no accountability to their people. 

Statistics reveal that BBC Hardtalk is the most popular news interview program in the world, attracting up to 70 million viewers globally. This demonstrates its importance and the weight it carries in shaping global public opinion on critical issues (Source: BBC Audience Research Report, 2019). The BBC is an extension of Britain's soft power and Hardtalk is a critical part of it. Therefore the decision to cancel the program could deprive millions of this essential source of trustworthy information and international journalism and further erode the UK's standing on the global stage.

It is our earnest request to the BBC Director General Tim Davie and BBC News Chief Executive Deborah Turness to reconsider this decision. Quality investigative journalism like that provided by Stephen and the entire Hardtalk team is not just important, it is vital in the age of disinformation and anything-goes on social media. For thirty years, the show has touched many lives, ensuring global audiences remain well-informed and empowered. Stephen's voice is the voice of the people. We plead for its preservation. 

We understand that the BBC has come under financial pressure at a time when many UK households are turning to new forms of entertainment such as Netflix and YouTube and canceling their payment of the license fee. This undermines the BBC's efforts to reduce costs and a growing deficit. However, this should not come at the expense of what makes the BBC so beloved by millions of people around the world. 

If we can dare make a suggestion, the BBC is sitting on a treasure trove of content. However, this content, accessible through the  BBC iPlayer, is only available in the United Kingdom. We urge the BBC to rethink its revenue model and open up the iPlayer to a global audience that would willingly pay a subscription fee to access this content. This would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue that would ease the financial pressure on the BBC and save programs like Hardtalk.

In conclusion, we appeal to the discernment of the decision-makers at BBC. Do not axe Hardtalk or Newsnight! Recognize its value in this current age of information clutter and dissimulation. Please reconsider this decision for the sake of millions of global viewers that need high quality information to make informed decisions. Sign this petition to add your voice to ours - let us save BBC HARDtalk together.