New controller to oversee mobile and online output of BBC News
The BBC is to undertake a major reorganisation of its current affairs output by creating a new post of controller to oversee all mobile and online output at BBC News as part of efforts to save £80m by 2022.
Masterminded by director James Harding the Future of News project will put these divisions under the jurisdiction of a single individual who will sit on the BBC’s News Group board.
To achieve the requisite savings Harding intends to announce a further set of phased changes over the coming weeks, culminating in a final announcement of where the cuts will bite in July following further discussions on ‘leadership and priorities’.
Harding said: “At the second stage, in July, we are due to go back with more details on options and offer costed recommendations for decision.”
One area which is likely to escape the worst of any cutbacks is mobile, with Harding keen to focus on the sector in a bid to reach ‘younger people, people on lower incomes, women and black, Asian, minority ethnic communities under-served by the BBC.’
Separately the BBC is also pressing ahead with Newstream, a streaming news service headlined by an on-demand bulletin within the BBC News app called ‘ten to Watch’.