BBC announces 550 job cuts as first part of £500m savings plan

The BBC has announced 550 job cuts in news, nations and TV and radio content as part of its first stage in its plan to save £500m across the corporation over the next two years.

In an email to staff, interim CEO of BBC News, Jonathan Munro, outlined the proposals including ending Radio 4's The World Tonight, and reducing the number of permanent presenters on Today from five to four with a single anchor on Saturdays.

BBC One's Breakfast will no longer be shown on Sunday morning from September and the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge.

Munro said the proposals announced on Wednesday include 200 job losses in the news division resulting in savings of £25m.

Some TV production at weekends will be shared across the News Channel and BBC One bulletins. and there will also be a review of the chief news presenter roles "to balance audience needs with best value for money".

Other plans in the announcement include:

• A review of broadcast TV channels and radio network portfolio as audiences move online
• A reduction of 100-150 hours of originated programmes across all commissioning genres by the end of the 2027-28 financial year
• A reduction of around 350-400 hours in audio across stations and genres
• The News Channel moving to have more of an international focus, building on growth in viewers outside the UK

BBC director-general Matt Brittin said the savings announced on Wednesday are aimed at delivering about £160m of the overall £500m target, which will see an reduction to headcount of around 1,800 to 2,000 jobs.

The former Google executive, who took up the role as director-general in May after the resignation of Tim Davie, said: "The scale of savings requires tough choices, careful work and won't all be ready at once."