The BBC Trust has postponed making a decision on whether advertising should be carried on the corporation’s international website.
The Trust met last night to discuss what effect running ads on BBC.com would have, but agreed that it needed more time and asked BBC management to carry out further research.
In a statement today, it said: “We are not currently satisfied we have all the information we think is necessary to reach a decision.
“Consequently we have asked the BBC management to do further work – particularly around how advertising revenue would be reinvested in BBC Global News and the BBC’s UK public services for the benefit of licence fee payers.”
According to the NUJ, more than 200 reporters, editors and correspondents have signed a petition opposing the plans to carry ads on international-facing BBC web pages.
The union argues that the plan “would permanently damage the BBC’s distinctive reputation abroad, and in the UK, as an independent public service broadcaster”.
Some 45 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion urging the BBC to abandon the plans.
The BBC Trust said it hoped to reach a final decision on the issue later this Spring.
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