BBC Arabic Radio has gone off air since Friday after 85 years of broadcasting as part of a plan to cut costs and focus on digital programming.

Iran PressEurope: The corporation said it is cutting hundreds of jobs in its World Service and has been forced to make the cuts because of the United Kingdom government’s imposition of a freeze on the license fee money it receives.

At least 382 jobs worldwide will be cut as the corporation focuses on digital content production amid a $35m funding gap.

The BBC announced in September that the Arabic language radio service was among 10 different foreign language services that would cease radio broadcasts, including the Chinese, Hindi, and Persian services.

Alastair Campbell, who used to be a strategist and adviser to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said the UK government has had to make “very difficult choices” since the weakening of the economy due to Brexit and other factors.

The Arabic language station launched on January 3, 1938, from Egypt.

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