BBC News Cuts, C4's Licence Renewal and Observer Intrigue
Broadcast's Chris Curtis and Private Eye's Adam MacQueen join the show
Some more cuts at the BBC this week, as 185 staffers are set to be let go from BBC News. Rather than regular salami-slicing, it’s resulting in the loss of programmes and departments. BBC News Channel shows Click and Hard Talk have been axed along with the Asian Network news team. They’ll be some new additions as the BBC staffs up Australia for a ‘follow the sun’ strategy do they can keep the news content flowing across all timezones.
Of course, as we’ve talked about on the show forever, many of the BBC cuts are the result of no inflationary licence fee increases at a time of huge inflation, the removal of much of the government’s World Service grant, issues over 75+ licence fees, as well as a reduction in people paying the licence fee too. In real terms they’ve lost around a 20% of their income. Tough for anyone to work around.
On the show, Chris Curtis, Broadcast’s Editor tells us about the latest rumours for the BBC licence fee renewal talks with Labour plus some expectations in the soon to be released budget.
Further down the EPG, we also talk about how Channel 4 is fairing and some of the out of London implications of their new government settlement.
Meanwhile Adam MacQueen from Private Eye tells us what Observer folk think about their impending takeover by the team at Tortoise and how the Eye’s readers cope with a change in government.
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Further Reading:
Click, Hardtalk to go as BBC News rationalises and Radio News reductions
Hot off the Recipes app, the Guardian launches The Filter.
See you next week!
Matt.