The BBC may be considering scrapping one of its most popular current affairs programmes, Newsnight, as part of the broadcaster's cost-cutting measures. Staff working on the show are reportedly anxious about their futures, suspecting it could face the axe by the end of next year.
The fears come even though the programme is being moved to a prime-time Friday evening position. A BBC representative told Express.co.uk: "We're very proud of Newsnight's success; since its reformat, it has significantly increased its audiences, won an RTS award, and is now being moved to a peak-time slot on Friday evenings."
"As we have said, the BBC needs to save £500m over the next three years, and BBC News will play its part in contributing to those savings," the representative added.
New Director General's cost-cutting drive
New BBC Director General Matt Brittin has announced cuts throughout the company. Newsnight first aired on 28 January 1980, meaning it has been broadcasting continuously for 46 years. Before that, a 15-minute news bulletin using the same title aired on BBC2 for 13 months from 1975 to 1976.
Recently, the crew behind the programme has been slashed from 57 to 23 after the scrapping of its specialist investigations unit. Workers are now concerned that the pivot towards brief, shareable social media content and iPlayer will spell doom for the award-winning news show.
Programme changes and presenter history
The Sun has reported that insiders claim chiefs are adamant to safeguard the News at Six and News at Ten amidst the cutbacks, meaning Newsnight could be in jeopardy. The programme, which has been presented by the likes of Jeremy Paxman, Peter Snow, and currently Victoria Derbyshire, has also had its episode run time reduced from 45 minutes to 30.
