BBC director general targets 20% cuts over next four years
Director general Mark Thompson has increased the corporation's savings target from 16% to 20% - around $400m
– 1 min read
This article was migrated from an old version of our website in 2025. As a result, it might have some low-quality images or non-functioning links - if there's any issues you'd like to see fixed, get in touch with us at info@journalism.co.uk.
There used to be something here that couldn't be migrated - please contact us at info@journalism.co.uk if you'd like to see this updated!
The BBC will need to make cuts of 20 per cent – equal to around £400 million – over the next four years, director general Mark Thompson announced today.
As part of a wide-ranging consultation with BBC staff over savings, Thompson has "set the corporation a challenge of 20 per cent".
An agreement struck between the coalition and the BBC as part of last year's comprehensive spending review means that the licence fee will be frozen for six years and the broadcaster will take over the cost of the World Service, BBC Monitoring and fund some of the costs of Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.
"All the changes mean a 16 per cent real terms cut in BBC funds over six years," the BBC reported reported at the time.
According to BBC today, the 16 per cent savings will balance income and expenditure and fund new services while a further 4 per cent will "give flexibility to invest back into new content and innovation priorities as set out in Putting Quality First".
The savings need to be made to enable the BBC to "meet its new obligations" the release adds, such as funding the World Service.
The move was today condemned by the National Union of Journalists, which said the 20 per cent reduction goes "way beyond" the cuts set out in the spending review.
"Today Mark Thompson has exposed the real impact of the behind-closed-doors licence fee deal he did with the Government," NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said in a statement.
"BBC staff, viewers and listeners will pay for that with massive job cuts and a serious threat to BBC services.
"The NUJ will actively resist damaging cuts, service closures and compulsory redundancies."
Written by
Comments
