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BBC announces £150m cuts
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The NUJ has criticised the BBC's announcement that it will be making cuts totaling £150 million, with the BBC News budget being slashed by £5m and BBC’s online services facing a £12m reduction.
The announcement said the £12 million cut from BBC Online will “ involve rationalising new features, innovation and development across the BBC’s digital services and focusing on those with greatest impact".
The cuts to News “will include efficiency savings from a review of working practices, terms and conditions, and commercial income or cost reductions in BBC Monitoring (subject to approval from the BBC Trust)".
The biggest cuts will be in sport and the BBC is considering scrapping its red button interactive service which allows viewers to choose between different feeds from events such as Glastonbury and Wimbledon and focusing on web-connected TVs. Drama will be protected.
Sue Harris, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said: “It is essential that any cuts being made to make up the shortfall caused by revenue lost by the iPlayer loophole must have a minimum impact on staff jobs. We are concerned that jobs could be lost at BBC Monitoring; this is a direct consequent of the dire deal agreed during the last licence review. Surely with world events as they are, we should not be cutting down on this vital service. We would also like to see Tony Hall making cuts, as he promised, in the management layers where perks such as car allowances and private health care are still being paid."
Announcing the cuts, BBC director general Tony Hall said: “The BBC has and is doing everything possible to make sure the impact on the public is minimised. Wherever possible we’re targeting savings by creating a simpler, leaner BBC. “But cuts to budgets for programmes and services are unavoidable. No director general wants to announce reduced spending on services that the public love. This is very tough, but the BBC’s financial position means there is no alternative.”
Read more at: http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/nov/18/bbc-entertainment-comedy-tv-the-voice
DATELINE: 18 November, 2015
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