The BBC World Service is to cut 130 jobs as part of a plan to save around £6m in the next financial year.
Cost-saving measures will include closing posts in the UK and internationally as well as roles in BBC Monitoring, the division which reports and analyses news from media around the world. The BBC will also make ‘commissioning mix’ changes on World Service English, and reshape some World Service Language teams to enhance the focus on digital output.
The World Service was given a funding boost by the government as part of the autumn budget. But it said that “previous freezes on the licence fee, global inflation, and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have meant savings are necessary.”
The World Service said it was operating in a competitive global media environment with international news providers investing billions in state-backed media, leading to increased competition for staff, platforms, frequencies, and audiences.
Despite the cuts, it said it will continue to provide journalistic coverage across its 42 language services.
Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO, BBC News, said: “While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements. These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resources we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.”
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