Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby has criticised the BBC's budget cuts, calling the decision 'bad'. The BBC recently announced 550 job cuts in news, nations and TV and radio content as part of its first stage in its plan to save £500m across the corporation.
Details of the cuts
In an email to staff, interim CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro, outlined the proposals including ending Radio 4's The World Tonight, and reducing the number of permanent presenters on Today from five to four from September, with a single anchor on Saturdays. BBC One's Breakfast will no longer be shown on Sunday morning from September and the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge.
Dimbleby's reaction
Since the changes have been announced, David Dimbleby has spoken out as he revealed he is 'appalled' as the cutbacks could leave up to 2,000 employees facing redundancy. Speaking to Radio Times, the 87 year old said: 'Why on earth have they done that? The best analysis of politics, both national and international... I'm appalled. Very bad, bad, bad, bad, bad call.'
David, who previously hosted Question Time, also hit out at reductions made to BBC Studios Events. The unit responsible for broadcasting national ceremonies such as Remembrance Day and state funerals was told that all but one of its members would be axed in a bid to cut costs. 'And my God, BBC Events being closed!' David said. 'It takes months of connections to make friends with the people at the Palace. With Westminster Abbey, with the police, to know what's going on with Downing Street, so that when the day comes, everybody helps you.'
He added: 'It's a BBC gold standard to cover big national events. It's at the heart of the BBC, and I cannot understand what they're up to. But I have no power in the BBC.'
BBC's response
In a statement, the BBC said: 'The BBC has to make at least £500m of savings and BBC News, like all of the BBC, needs to play its part. We have tried to mitigate the impact on audiences as much as possible, so The World Tonight will be replaced by BBC World Service's Newshour. Another high-quality news analysis programme made by the same production team, preceded by a domestic news bulletin.'
