Morale at the BBC has been severely dented by a gradual “bloodletting” that has seen plans to shed as many as 2,000 staff slowly announced over several weeks, members of the corporation’s staff have warned.
More internal meetings have been called for this week to discuss further details of the cutswhich aim to save £500m. Some staff already fear that further waves of cuts will follow soon after in the new year.
It is expected that BBC Scotland and BBC Three will both be made online-only channels as part of a bid to save money, the Guardian understands.
The BBC is having to make the cuts as a result of its serious financial challenges, which have seen its cash revenues fall at an alarming rate over the last year. Matt Brittin, the BBC’s director general, has said he was not fully aware of the pressures when he took the job.
The drawn-out process of announcing the cuts comes as a result of the BBC’s decision to tell the teams affected as soon as possible, department by department.
However, many acknowledge the result has been a “drip, drip” of announcements that has added to the low morale at New Broadcasting House. “We have our problems, but we seem to be creating new ones,” said one insider.
Referring to yet another internal announcement on further job losses, another BBC figure said: “The bloodletting continues.”
Closing the linear channels for BBC Three and BBC Scotland will be one of the most difficult moments in the latest savings programme. Insiders said the viewing numbers could not justify keeping them on the air.
Brittin has made a series of comments suggesting the corporation has too many linear channels, when viewing habits have switched to catchup viewing on the BBC’s iPlayer platform.
Sweeping redundancy plans have been announced across the BBC, from the news division to local radio and its relatively new media tech division, where 110 compulsory redundancies will be made, with 280 roles closing in the division in total.
Redundancy pay terms are also being reviewed. The BBC has already announced a reduction in local news correspondents, as well as making existing correspondents carry out general reporting duties. Local radio will also be made more regional.
While children’s television has been protected, with the BBC touting its children’s programming as a high-quality antidote to online slop, even staff in that division have been asked to come forward should they wish to take voluntary redundancy.
Gallows humour has already gripped some BBC staff. Managers had to chastise staff after one online call about cuts last week, after it was flooded with disapproving emojis.
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Meanwhile, some presenters have begun to refer to the cuts on air. BBC Look North’s Peter Levy joked last week that the “BBC cuts are starting” after a weather presenter could be heard but not seen by viewers during an update.
Some staff are now asking when the cuts will end, given some have been told cost savings have been divided into “waves” and more could be coming next year. One staffer feared a “doom spiral” of weaker output and an increase in the number of people unwilling to pay the licence fee.
“The challenge is real but the reality playing out over weeks and weeks … is likely to make that challenge worse and not better anytime soon,” they said.
Any future plans will be shaped by weekly talks taking place between the BBC and the government over its future funding model, which could see the licence fee widened to include anyone who watches a streaming service.
Currently, only those who watch live television on any platform, or watch the iPlayer, have to pay the fee.
Source: www.theguardian.com
