Jobs go in BBC restructuring
Almost 3,000 jobs will go at the BBC as part of an overhaul of the corporation, director general Mark Thompson announced today.
He is hoping for annual savings in the region of £320 million within three years – all of which the BBC promises would be directed into programmes.
The vast majority of the job cuts will be in administration departments such as personnel and marketing, with a further 400 in the factual and learning department.
In addition, the entire BBC sport and children’s departments will move to Manchester over the next five years. Moving the sports department is likely to prove particularly contentious – particularly ahead of the London 2012 Olympic bid.
Defending plans to relocate some jobs to Manchester, Mr Thompson said the move will “change our tone of voice as an organisation.” Adding: “It will win back trust in parts of the country which can currently feel quite alienated from the BBC.”
He also promised more drama would be made in the regions with a stronger role for local TV and radio.
Speaking today, Mr Thompson said: “My vision for the future of the BBC has three parts: a bold new programme and content strategy based above all around the idea of excellence; a transformation of the BBC into a state-of-the art digital broadcaster; and an irreversible shift in the culture of the BBC towards simplicity, opportunity and creativity.
“We should do what’s right for a strong, independent BBC and its audiences in the long term, not what’s politically convenient now.”
He stressed there would be more investment in journalism, drama, comedy, music, learning, children’s, sporting and national events and areas where the BBC has a “commanding reputation.”
There will be investment in original British drama, enhanced news and current affairs programmes on BBC One, a boost to Panorama’s profile and a greater BBC presence in the Islamic world. Less peaktime repeats and less “derivative or formulaic programmes” are also promised for BBC One.
On the job losses, Mr Thompson said that there would be comprehensive relocation assistance for those people whose work moved out of London, adding: “We will not be walking away from our responsibilities or the redundancy terms we offer. We will not abandon the annual pay round or walk away from the BBC’s defined benefits pension scheme.”
The unions though are concerned about the scale of possible job losses – and have promised to strike if necessary. Though pleased that Mr Thompson promised that some news and current affairs output will be increased, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Jeremy Dear said: “It looks as if he is giving with one hand and taking away with the other.
“Even where he says there will be expansion there will have to be savings to pay for it, and savings means job cuts. You cannot save 15 per cent of the cost of any department without sacking people. And we are especially worried that he has not said will be no compulsory redundancies.”
He added: “It’s clear that there are going to be massive savings and as far as news and current affairs are concerned there is no more fat to trim. We have already had redundancies this year in the regions and members will not take any more.”
