BBC Online to Cut 360 Jobs

As part of a restructuring plan, British Broadcasting Corporation, the major public broadcaster in the UK, announced that it will slash about 360 positions at its online operations. The company officials said that they will reorganize BBC Online to achieve a much clearer digital agenda to better service its clients this year. The cuts are also triggered by the company’s plan to cut its budget for its online unit by a quarter, which will be $165 million for 2013-2014, down from $219 million in 2010.

The new BBC online is now being positioned to provide a better quality service in line with BBC’s five editorials priorities such as; a 25% reduction in the service license budget and a 50% fall in the number of top level domains; commitments and clarity on what the BBC will and will not do online; a pledge to engage with the industry twice a year about its plans; and a target of doubling the number of referrals to external websites by 2013/14 to around 22 million each month. The BBC Trust has approved the said changes.

The restructuring plan would divide the new BBC Online into ten major products that includes news, sport, weather, CBeebies, CBBC, knowledge & learning, radio & music, TV & iPlayer, homepage and search. The company also plans to redesign the site to standardize its technical features. The broadcast company said that their clients can now expect high-quality, breaking news with rich multimedia content; more culture and arts coverage in the entertainment and arts section. BBC Online is also set to be kids-friendly because it will now have “safe, creative spaces” for kids.

Mark Thompson, Director-General, explained that the company’s decision to restructure BBC Online is part of its commitment to elevate the broadcasting standards in the UK. “BBC Online lies at the heart of the BBC’s digital future. A refocusing on our editorial priorities, a commitment to the highest quality standards, and a more streamlined and collegiate way of working will help us transform BBC Online for the future. I know that these changes will be painful for affected staff. But I firmly believe that they are right for the BBC at this time.”