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Peter Horrocks beams with justifiable pride out of the pages of The Telegraph today; they're privileged to reveal that BBC World Service audiences have increased this year, from 180m a week up to 192m a week.

The Director of Global News puts it down to great figures for the Arabic and Persian TV services, and increased ratings in post-Mubarak Egypt.

This wasn't what was forecast:  In January 2011, Peter had to tell the world that five language services were closing altogether; radio services to China, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey were to be cut; and shortwave broadcasting in Hindi would stop. Since then, there's also been some closure of medium wave transmitters (though pressure partially re-instated services heard in Israel). All in all, 650 jobs closed, and Peter forecast a drop of 30m listeners, from 180m.

So the remaining staff have plugged away - and grown the audience, in between the farewell parties. It's excellent news - now all we need is the clarity of a new operating licence, from the BBC Trust. Should the licence fee payer cough up for a service to North Korea, and if so, why ?