BBC to cut more than 1,000 jobs as viewers trade TVs for Internet

LONDON: The BBC said it will cut more than 1,000 jobs because it expects to receive £150 million pounds less than forecast from the licence fee next financial year as viewers turn off televisions and watch programmes on the Internet.

Every UK household with a television has to pay £145.50 a year to the BBC, a public service broadcaster which was founded in 1922.

“The licence fee income in 2016/17 is now forecast to be 150 million pounds less than it was expected to be in 2011,” the BBC said in a statement.

“This is because as more people use iPlayer, mobiles and online catch-up, the number of households owning televisions is falling. It also provides further evidence of the need for the licence fee to be modernised to cover digital services.”

Only 69% of viewing by British adults is now through live TV and among 16 to 24-yearolds, only 50% of viewing is done through live TV, the country’s telecoms regulator said.

Three layers of management are expected to be cut, while some of BBC’s divisions will be reduced as part of the drive.

Most of the jobs will go from BBC’s professional and support services, as part of efforts to cut back on duplication of roles.

Lord Tony Hall, director general of the BBC, said he recognised “this is a tough message” but the BBC was facing “difficult choices” because of the tough financial climate.

The announcement comes on the back of measures aimed at making £1.5 billion pounds of savings a year by 2017 by reducing the amount of money spent on administration, property costs and sports rights.