TV

BBC slashes 450 jobs with Newsnight and Radio 5 Live hit hardest in bid to save £80million


BBC has slashed around 450 jobs (Picture: Getty)

BBC has slashed around 450 jobs in the news division, with posts cut at Newsnight, Radio 5 Live and the World Update service.

This is so the corporation can reach a savings target of £80million by 2022.

Confirming the cuts, director of BBC News, Fran Unsworth, said: ‘The BBC has to face up to the changing way audiences are using us.

‘We need to reshape BBC News for the next five to 10 years in a way which saves substantial amounts of money.

‘We are spending too much of our resources on traditional linear broadcasting and not enough on digital.’

Bosses confirmed there will be job losses at BBC Two series Newsnight, following a ‘reduction in films produced’.

The Victoria Derbyshire Show was culled last week (Picture: PA)

The BBC News division currently employs around 6,000 people – with Radio 5 Live and the World Update programme on the World Service also been affected by cuts.

This comes after it was revealed last week that the Victoria Derbyshire Show had been axed after five years on our screens.

The Bafta award-winning weekday current affair programme first aired in 2015 and has been praised for providing original stories and audience debates.

At the time of the news breaking, it was reaching an average of 186,000 viewers – a huge shortfall compared to rival This Morning which averages 991,000 people in the same time slot.

Victoria paid tribute to her staff (Picture: BBC)

BBC media editor Amol Rajan reported the show was ending on Twitter, telling followers: ‘The Victoria Derbyshire Show is coming off air. I understand @BBCNews is committed to Victoria + the (award-winning) journalism of the show.

‘Cost of doing it on linear channel when savings are needed deemed too high. BBC declined to comment ahead of an announcement next week.

‘The show won awards at the RTS and from Bafta. Victoria nominated for Best Presenter four years in a row – and won once. Digital impact was huge.

‘Show was designed to reach audiences the BBC struggles to connect with, and it did – online.’

Discussing her axe, Victoria claimed she had no idea the series was being taken off the air.

Taking to Twitter, she said: ‘Absolutely devastated at the plan to end our programme (which I first learned about in yesterday’s Times).

‘I’m unbelievably proud of what our team and our show have achieved in under 5 years…

‘Breaking tonnes of original stories (which we were asked to do); attracting a working class, young, diverse audience that BBC radio & TV news progs just don’t reach (which we were asked to do); & smashing the digital figures (which we were asked to do)…

‘I’m gutted particularly for our brilliant, young, ambitious, talented team – love ‘em.

‘And for all those people we gave a voice to. Love them too.’



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