Union warns of 'worrying trend' after latest BBC job cuts

LONDON: A UK union representing media workers warned on Wednesday that the latest job cuts at the BBC were part of a “worrying trend” that risks harming its news output.

The BBC revealed plans on Tuesday to axe at least 100 news roles as part of a raft of proposed changes which include scrapping long-running in-depth interview show HARDtalk.

It is the latest round of job losses at the British public service broadcaster affecting its news division, which has already halved staff numbers on its prestigious Newsnight programme and cut its weeknight running time to 30 minutes.

The BBC has been under growing financial pressure due to high inflation and increased costs, and a below-inflation licence fee settlement.

The annual fee — which rose by 6.6 percent in April to £169.50, after a two-year freeze — is mandatory for every UK household watching live channels on a colour television.

“The BBC’s need to make savings is clear, but this latest round of cuts follows a worrying trend towards reducing services that provide critical, in-depth analysis,” Philippa Childs, head of the broadcasting union Bectu, said in a statement Wednesday.

It represents more than 40,000 staff, contract and freelance workers in the media and entertainment industries in the UK.

“Bectu is concerned that in a world of fake news, disinformation and political turmoil, these cuts will hit not just jobs, but also reduce the breadth and range of news content that the BBC can provide and is known for,” Childs added.

Bectu is the latest union to voice concerns at Tuesday’s announcement.

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary Michelle Stanistreet called it a “damaging assault on journalism and news”.

She noted it came “at a time when the UK needs greater plurality and diversity of news, and trust in journalism is under attack at home and abroad”.

A BBC spokeswoman said in a statement that the broadcaster “can no longer afford to run so many bespoke programme teams”.