BBC Online announces plans for 360 job cuts amidst 'reshaping'
Posted by Emma Heald on January 24, 2011 at 1:56 PM
The BBC is planning to cut 360 staff in the corporation's online operation, it reported today, with reductions to be made over the next two years, as part of a reshaping of BBC Online. The most significant changes come in how the corporation approaches TV and Radio online, said Erik Huggers, BBC Future Media & Techology's out-going director, who headed the reorganization.
Huggers estimated that out of the 360, 120 posts will close in Future Media & Technology, and 70 in journalism. The corporation hopes to redeploy some staff, he said.
The reshaping takes place as the department's budget has to deliver a 25% reduction by 2013. Savings targets have been imposed following the licence fee deal negotiated with the UK government in October, and job losses are expected across the organisation, reported the Guardian.
Huggers estimated that out of the 360, 120 posts will close in Future Media & Technology, and 70 in journalism. The corporation hopes to redeploy some staff, he said.
The reshaping takes place as the department's budget has to deliver a 25% reduction by 2013. Savings targets have been imposed following the licence fee deal negotiated with the UK government in October, and job losses are expected across the organisation, reported the Guardian.
Huggers emphasised the intention to give BBC Online a unified strategy and refocus the unit on doing fewer things, better.
News, Sport and Weather are to remain "broadly the same technically," said Huggers, but "with significant editorial changes." These three products "continue to be the backbone of BBC Online," he added.
Some key areas of change that Huggers said the new BBC Online will focus upon in the editorial area are delivering more culture and arts coverage, more clearly focusing local sites on news, sport, weather and travel, creating dynamic BBC Online 'editions' for each 'Nation.' Radio will focus on live output, and BBC iPlayer will be re-shaped into a unified television offer.
Cuts will include the removal of non-News features content from Local sites, a "substantial reduction" in showbiz news on the News website, fewer News blogs, with more focus on the updates from leading editors and correspondents, and a reduction in the overall amount of Sports news. Sports will focus on "dynamic coverage of the best live events that bring the nation together," Huggers wrote.
Source: BBC Blog, Guardian
News, Sport and Weather are to remain "broadly the same technically," said Huggers, but "with significant editorial changes." These three products "continue to be the backbone of BBC Online," he added.
Some key areas of change that Huggers said the new BBC Online will focus upon in the editorial area are delivering more culture and arts coverage, more clearly focusing local sites on news, sport, weather and travel, creating dynamic BBC Online 'editions' for each 'Nation.' Radio will focus on live output, and BBC iPlayer will be re-shaped into a unified television offer.
Cuts will include the removal of non-News features content from Local sites, a "substantial reduction" in showbiz news on the News website, fewer News blogs, with more focus on the updates from leading editors and correspondents, and a reduction in the overall amount of Sports news. Sports will focus on "dynamic coverage of the best live events that bring the nation together," Huggers wrote.
Source: BBC Blog, Guardian
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