Davis: All BBC radio could be put online to save money
DRAGONS’ Den presenter Evan Davis said the BBC could tackle its financial pressures with a few ‘ very big changes’ such as putting its radio stations online.
Davis believes radical ideas should be pursued rather than cutting staff and making small, gradual cuts.
He also suggested BBC2 or BBC4 could stop being traditional ‘linear’ channels.
The former Newsnight and current Radio 4 PM presenter, said: ‘I might be more in favour of a few very big changes, than trying to make everything pared back and a bit cheaper.
‘But I suppose I would say let’s have some discussions about really big stuff and let’s do whatever we’re doing really well, and what works in the world of Netflix are brands, are audience connections, programmes with personality.
‘What I wouldn’t want is Newsnight at 10.30pm on BBC2 to become like another hour of the news channel.’ Asked if moving the radio stations online was a ‘ big idea’, he replied: ‘ That’s one. Or you could take one of the channels. BBC4, BBC2.’
The corporation is balancing its books as it faces the potential decriminalisation of non-payment of the licence fee – and ministers are discussing whether the current funding model should be ditched.
When asked why the BBC was being ‘timid’ against current Government pressure, he told The Media Society: ‘One of the reasons why I think the BBC is trapped in this debate is that if it escalates the argument about the future and if the BBC becomes the new, God forbid, culture war front, now that Brexit is done, I can tell you it will not end well for the BBC.’
The corporation last month said it would cut 450 jobs in its news division.