BBC to cut 2,000 jobs by 2017

Thursday 06 Oct 2011
The BBC is planning to cut 2,000 jobs and radically change programming in order to cut 20 percent from its budget over the next five years.

No channels will close. Some money will be reinvested in new programmes.

All new daytime programming will shift to BBC One, with BBC Two broadcasting news and repeats of peak-time shows.

Technicians’ union Bectu accused the corporation’s Director General Mark Thompson of “destroying jobs and destroying the BBC”.

Mr Thompson unveiled details of the cuts – branded Delivering Quality First (DQF) – in an address to staff on Thursday morning.

Mr Thompson said the changes would lead to “a smaller, radically reshaped BBC”.

As well as the loss of 2,000 posts across the BBC over the next five years, another 1,000 staff will relocate from London to Salford. BBC Three will move to Salford in 2016.

The BBC says this will be the most far-reaching transformation in its history, changing how – and where – it operates.

Most of the savings are due to come from finding cheaper ways of working, through new technology, job cuts and new terms and conditions for BBC staff.

There will be a 15 percent reduction in the BBC’s sports rights budget. This includes the decision earlier this year to share the rights for Formula One with BSkyB.

The BBC HD channel will close and be replaced with a single version of BBC Two in high definition.

In local radio, there will be more sharing of content across regions.

For details on the reduction, please refer to the BBC report.