BBC Three to move half its operations to second base in Birmingham
The UK's second largest city is to get a jobs boost from the BBC, with the broadcaster announcing plans to shift half of BBC Three's operations to Birmingham by 2018.
BBC Three, which targets 16 to 34 year-olds and was shifted online in February to save £30m, will retain its London base while providing what the network has said will be a £10m boost for "fresh talent and innovative digital content for young audiences" in the area.
The move means that the commissioning, publishing and some production of BBC Three's short-form and social content, will relocate to Birmingham over the next 24 months.
Under the plans the Mailbox, BBC's Birmingham HQ, will also play host to a new youth team for BBC as well as a pool of local reporters who will share work with local paper.
The corporation's director general Tony Hall, said: "Now we're putting Birmingham at the heart of our innovation with BBC Three and making it home to a new youth team for BBC News.
"The city's incredible diversity also means it's the perfect place to lead our work to ensure we reflect the changing face of Britain.
"This package is good news for Birmingham and good news for the BBC."
The news comes ahead of the government's white paper on the future of the BBC, which is due to be published today (12 May).