Staff at BBC News have been told to expect significant redundancies, with the division reportedly set to cut costs by around 15 per cent. As many as 2,000 jobs are at risk in a major downsizing for the broadcaster, representing the largest round of job reductions at the BBC in almost 15 years.
Cost-Saving Measures Announced
The cost-slashing plan is being set in motion just weeks before former Google boss Matt Brittin assumes the role of director-general later in May. His appointment came after former director-general Tim Davie resigned in November, following accusations of bias over the editing of a clip of a Donald Trump speech in a Panorama documentary.
Richard Burgess, the director of news and content, said on a video call with around 300 employees of BBC News that the entire news division can expect to have to make cost cuts of “around 15 per cent”. “Most of our savings are people, frankly,” he told staff, as reported by The Guardian. “[The cuts will be] 15 per cent of our income. Our income is not entirely salary bill as we have other things as well, although it is the majority.”
Impact on News Division
Jonathan Munro, interim chief executive of BBC News and current affairs, said “all areas of BBC News are affected in one way or another”. He also indicated that further details on achieving savings would be shared in June, noting that these initial announcements would likely represent only a portion of the necessary changes. Staff will also have the option to express interest in voluntary redundancy.
The corporation has also recently outlined plans to drastically scale back the team responsible for covering national occasions, such as royal events and state funerals, to a single staff member supported by freelancers.
Staff Reactions and Additional Cuts
In the interim, employees have been instructed to limit spending on travel, conferences, events, and awards, with recruitment restricted to absolutely essential roles. “They have not outlined how or where these jobs will be cut and it’s just caused huge panic,” one staff member said following the call. “One in every 10 will lose their job which is awful. It’s a touch Hunger Games where we have dialled in to be told you’re going to have to fight for your jobs or you’re going to have to put someone up to be sacrificed.”
It was also revealed in January 2025 that the BBC World Service was to axe 130 jobs as it looked to save about £6 million for the next financial year.
