BBC News staff to be hit hardest by major job cuts with 2,000 roles set to be axed
BBC News staff have been told significant redundancies are expected as the department cuts costs by around 15 per cent.
Up to 2,000 jobs are at risk as the publisher undergoes a major downsizing. The changes are part of the biggest round of redundancies at the BBC in almost 15 years.
The cost-cutting plan is being rolled out just weeks before former Google boss Matt Brittin takes on the role of chief executive in late May.
His appointment comes after former chief executive Tim Davie resigned in November. His resignation followed accusations of bias over the editing of a clip of Donald Trump’s speech in the Panorama documentary.
The entire news division can expect to make cost cuts of “about 15 per cent”, director of news and content Richard Burgess said in a video call with around 300 staff at BBC News.
“Frankly, most of our savings come from people,” he told staff. Guard.
“[The cuts will be] 15 percent of our income. “Our entire income is not salary, we have other things as well, but they are mostly.”
“All areas of BBC News are being affected in one way or another,” said Jonathan Munro, interim director general of BBC News and current affairs.
He also noted that more details on achieving savings will be shared in June, and that these initial announcements will likely represent only a fraction of the changes required.
Staff will also have the option to express interest in voluntary redundancy.
The company has also recently outlined plans to shrink the team responsible for covering national events such as royal events and state funerals to a single staff member, largely supported by freelancers.
Meanwhile, employees have been instructed to limit spending on travel, conferences, events and awards, and to limit hiring to strictly essential roles.
“They didn’t outline how and where these jobs would be cut and this caused a huge panic,” a staff member said after the call.
“One in 10 people will lose their job, which is too bad. That’s a touch The Hunger Games We called to be told that you would have to fight for your job or sacrifice someone.”
It was also revealed in January 2025 that the BBC World Service would cut 130 jobs as it plans to make savings of around £6 million for the next financial year.
