Public service broadcasters are looking for future-proof answers to an existential crisis, as traditional media such as news programs, radio, and linear TV continue to lose their influence over public attention. It is an almost impossible question, yet the BBC has hinted at a possible answer. As one of the world’s largest and most distinctive public broadcasters, the BBC is uniquely positioned to be the guinea pig that other broadcasters facing uncertain futures can learn from. Though far from a cure-all, the British broadcaster is exploring a “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer” approach to solving its funding woes. Preliminary talks between the BBC and rival public broadcaster Channel 4—as first reported by Reuters, citing sources close to…