BBC World’s South Asia staff are going on a strike this week over outsourcing of content to the sub-continent.

Staff members are concerned that the corporation is looking to outsource production of services broadcast in Urdu, Hindi and Nepali to Pakistan, India and Nepal.

The BBC wants to cut costs by 3% through outsourcing, and move to smaller premises at Broadcasting House by 2012.

But staff say the outsourcing of material could pose a threat to editorial independence, especially since broadcasts from South Asia would be subject to domestic laws. They also worry that disruption to the services caused by the relocation could lead to a loss of expertise.

Strike action was decided after talks broke down between BECTU, the NUJ and BBC management, which had been ongoing for more than eight months.

Helen Ryan, a BBC supervisory official, said: “It is a great disappointment that more than eight months of talks have culminated in strike action. However, the issues at stake are fundamental to the character of the World Service and to the conditions which staff work to.”

National official, Patrick Styles, said: “The staff concerned are a credit to the World Service and provide services which contribute a third of the World Service’s entire audience. We hope that this Thursday’s action, whilst regrettable, will prompt a re-examination of the issues to enable us to resolve this dispute by agreement”.

Staff working for BBC World Service’s South Asia section will start strike action at 00.01 hours on Thursday and will end at 23.59 hours that day.