BBC to Cut 130 Jobs Despite Boost in Funding
Despite receiving a funding boost in October, the BBC World Service is set to cut 130 jobs in a bid to save around £6 million for the upcoming financial year. The planned cost-saving measures include shutting down posts both in the UK and internationally, as well as reducing roles in BBC Monitoring, a division responsible for reporting and analysing news from global media sources.
The corporation has been facing financial challenges due to increasing inflation and a two-year freeze in the license fee. It has projected a total deficit of £492 million for the 2024/25 financial year. The cuts have been announced following a funding boost given to the BBC World Service in the autumn Budget to safeguard the existing foreign language services.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) settlement for the next financial year includes an increase in funding for the BBC World Service. This increase aims to protect current foreign language service provision and support the UK’s global presence and soft power through globally trusted media.
Although the BBC World Service is mainly funded by the UK license fee and has previously received grants from the FCDO, the corporation stated that savings are necessary due to previous freezes in the license fee, global inflation, and ongoing digital and technological requirements. The competitive global media environment, with significant investments made by international news providers supported by states, has led to heightened competition for resources, platforms, staff, and audiences.
Despite the job cuts, the BBC World Service assured that it will maintain journalistic coverage across its 42 language services, counter disinformation, provide emergency services during crises, and report from around the world. The restructuring plans include reshaping language teams to align with the BBC’s digital-first strategy and making changes to commissioning on World Service English.
Jonathan Munro, the Global Director and Deputy Chief Executive of BBC News, acknowledged that while the increase in grant funding allows the maintenance of existing language services, difficult decisions are still required to ensure global competitiveness and meet savings targets. He emphasised that the changes aim to maximize impact for international audiences within the available resources.
In a related development, the BBC had previously revealed plans to cut costs by ending the long-running in-depth interview show HARDtalk and reducing over 100 news roles. HARDtalk, broadcast from Monday to Thursday, is scheduled to cease airing in March 2025 after being on air for nearly three decades.
The BBC’s decision to cut jobs despite receiving additional funding reflects the ongoing challenges faced by traditional media organisations in balancing financial sustainability with maintaining editorial quality and global competitiveness. It underscores the impact of evolving media landscapes and economic pressures on established broadcasters like the BBC World Service.