BBC To Cut Jobs And Merge IT Roles

The BBC has announced that a £150m budget gap in its licence fee incomes will lead to 1000 jobs cuts.

The Broadcaster claims that an unexpected increase in the number of households saying they do not watch live TV has led to the shortfall.

As well as job cuts, the BBC will also be merging divisions, cutting out management layers, reducing management roles and simplifying procedures in professional areas including legal, marketing and finance.

According to BBC director general Lord Tony Hall, senior figures have been asked to bring together teams in Technology, Engineering and Digital, across both the public service and BBC Worldwide as well.

He added that the focus within the IT department would be on locating where duplication occurs to identify how divisions can be merged effectively.

Lord Hall claims that the proposed methods could save up to £50m, but the choices he has had to make are “hard.”

“Despite the progress already made and the realities of the licence fee being frozen for seven years, a new financial challenge means additional savings must now be found,” the director general said.

Bectu Urges Caution

The news that the BBC is looking to reduce management levels from up to 10 in places to seven and bring down the number of senior positions has been welcomed by broadcast unions.

“We welcome the aims and the commitment to cutting the layers of management between the DG and programme makers,” claimed Bectu general secretary Gerry Morrissey.

“That said it is essential, as in any programme of cuts, that staff and unions are fully involved in the consultation and that where jobs are closed that redeployment opportunities are maximised,” Morrissey added.

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