Media Brief

I'm the BBC's media correspondent and this is my brief selection of what's going on.

The Daily Telegraph says the BBC will today announce "devastating cuts" to the World Service, with at least 600 jobs to be lost and five foreign-language services to close. It says the cuts reflect a 16% cut in the World Service's £272m annual budget over the next three years, imposed by the coalition in last October's comprehensive spending review.

The BBC's Mark Thompson writes in the Telegraph that the cuts will be painful but the World Service can survive.

On Radio 4's Today, the NUJ's Jeremy Dear said the World Service cuts would cause "irreparable damage"

Andy Gray, the Sky Sports presenter at the centre of a sexism storm following derogatory comments about a female official, has been sacked by the broadcaster in response to "new evidence of unacceptable and offensive behaviour". Sky Sports' managing director Barney Francis, who disciplined Gray and presenter Richard Keys for their comments, said he had "no hesitation" in summarily terminating Gray's contract. The Guardian says Keys is under new pressure over another video clip.

The King's Speech leads the nominations for this year's Academy Awards with 12 nods, including best film and best actor for Colin Firth. He is joined on the Oscars list by supporting actor nominees Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush. The BBC reports the Coen brothers' Western remake True Grit has 10 nods while The Social Network and Inception have eight each.

Leading articles in the Independent and the Guardian criticise Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt following his announcement that he is deferring a decision on whether the News Corp bid for BSkyB should be referred to the Competition Commission

The BBC's newspaper review says the papers have plenty of advice for Chancellor George Osborne, as he deals with the unexpected fall in economic growth.

Links in full

• Telegraph | BBC World Service to lose 600 jobs
• Telegraph | The World Service can survive these cuts
• BBC | 'Irreparable damage' to World Service
• Guardian | Andy Gray sacked by Sky for 'unacceptable and offensive behaviour'
• BBC | The King's Speech leads Oscars field
• Guardian | BSkyB: Impossible undertakings
• Independent | A move that is not in the public interest
• BBC | Newspaper review

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