Growing use of online services such as iPlayer is reducing the number of British homes with a TV which translates into less licence fee income for the BBC. In 2016/17 the broadcaster is set to receive £150m less than expected, creating a serious black hole in its finances.
A reduction in the number of management posts as a result of the job losses, and the merging of some support services, will lead to a “simpler, leaner” BBC.
Some divisions currently have as many as 10 tiers of staff, in future this will be capped at 7 tiers in all areas of the organisation. Work is also underway to “simplify and standardise procedures” across the organisation to eliminate duplication and waste.
Director-General Tony Hall announced the cuts just days after the broadcaster’s governing Trust approved plans to move BBC Three online, a move which is expected to save £25m a year.
Hall said: “A simpler, leaner, BBC is the right thing to do and it can also help us meet the financial challenges we face.
“We’ve already significantly cut the costs of running the BBC, but in times of very tough choices we need to focus on what really matters – delivering outstanding programmes and content for all our audiences.”