‘Auntie’ lays waste to middle management as 1,000 jobs are axed
MORE than 1,000 jobs are to be cut at the BBC as the current 10 layers of management are whittled down to seven.
The BBC aims to save £50 million in the latest efficiency drive.
In an announcement to staff, Lord Hall, the director-general, yesterday confirmed rumours of significant job losses, as the corporation aims to take a visible stand against waste in the leadup to its charter renewal.
In a speech to staff, he admitted that the management structure, which had built up over time, had got to the stage where it “slows down decision-making and it’s too complicated”.
The reduction in the levels of management, he said, would require “fewer decision-makers in all parts of the BBC”.
He said there would still be more to do after the restructuring to ensure the BBC was as efficient as possible. Sources have suggested the BBC News channel could be at risk, with staff fearing it may become online only.
Lord Hall told staff the cuts were “the right thing to do”, as the corporation focuses on building a BBC that is “internet-first”. “I recognise this is a very tough message,” he said. “I’m under no illusion that what I’ve said today will cause great anxiety across many parts of the organisation. And I want to make it clear that – even though we will be closing posts – it’s not a reflection of the commitment or hard work of the people doing those jobs.”
It is one of the most comprehensive clear-outs of management in BBC history. The corporation claims it is the result of a £150 million shortfall in funding from levels forecast in 2011.
The last annual report found there were 16,672 full-time BBC staff, 245 of whom were paid more than £100,000. The report said 32 per cent of staff worked in journalism, 27 per cent in “content making”, 11 per cent in technology, 10 per cent in “content management” and 20 per cent in backroom roles including communications, marketing, legal, and governance.
Since then, the number of people choosing to pay the licence fee has fallen quicker than expected thanks to the use of iPlayer and catch-up services.
However other areas of huge waste have been identified within the corporation, including £100m lost on a failed digital project several years ago.
A spokesman for the BBC pointed out it is on track to make £1.5bn of savings a year by 2017 through “cutting administration and property costs, pay and headcount restraint, plus tough decisions like more daytime repeats and shared sports rights”.