BBC to slash 600 news & radio posts
The BBC is to wield the axe on 600 staff in its news and radio departments as part of an ongoing cost cutting drive by its director of news and current affairs, James Harding.
Reports suggest up to 500 people could be lost from BBC News with a further 80 roles relinquished at BBC Radio, with further cuts also in the pipeline.
It is the latest and largest reduction in headcount to be weathered by BBC News as part of a three year belt tightening plan which began with the loss of 140 posts in 2012/13 and was followed up with a further reduction in headcount of 75 the following year.
Employee relations have taken a knock in recent years after the license fee was frozen as part of the government’s 2010 settlement, prompting former director general Mark Thompson to embark on an £800m Delivering Quality First initiative.
A BBC spokesman said: "We're working at present to deliver savings of £800m a year by 2016/17 and we have said that there are difficult decisions ahead of us. Whilst we need to make savings, it would be wrong to comment on speculation."