BBC Cuts 1,800 Jobs, Updates for Digital Age

Funding shortfall, shifting audience leads to restructuring
By Jim O'Neill,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 18, 2007 5:41 PM CDT
BBC Cuts 1,800 Jobs, Updates for Digital Age
The BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation sign on their offices at White City in London, Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007. British Broadcasting Corp. employees threatened Wednesday to strike as the media giant's chief prepares to unveil his blueprint for how to streamline for the digital age with less moneya...   (Associated Press)

The BBC will cut 1,800 of its 18,000 jobs and integrate its TV, radio and Internet news operations to adapt to the digital age, the public broadcaster announced today.
As many as 2,500 positions may be lost, but others will be added, the BBC said, to reflect shifting audience habits. The Beeb will also pare by 10% its original television programming, improve online offerings and establish bbc.com to carry advertising to non-British users.

"Media is transforming, audiences are transforming. I care too much to see the BBC drift steadily into irrelevance," BBC Director General Mark Thompson told his staff, which is threatening a strike, Reuters reports.  Almost 4,000 jobs were cut in 2005, prompting a 24-hour walkout.
(More BBC stories.)

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