BBC to cut around 2,000 jobs

PanARMENIAN.Net -

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said Thursday, October 6, it is to cut around 2,000 jobs as the publicly-funded broadcaster makes savings as part of government efforts to reduce a record deficit.

Director GeneralMark Thompsontold staff that the posts would be axed by 2017 as the BBC must make budget cuts of 20 percent following a freeze in thelicense fee, which all Britons with a television must pay.

The cuts were formally announced in BBC's "Delivering Quality First" report, which follows a nine-month consultation with staff on how to save money.

The report said it would involve "the most far-reaching transformation in our history. This involves painful choices for the BBC, including significant job losses at every level of the organization."

It said there would be an "estimated net loss of around 2,000 posts across the BBC" over the next five years, adding that they would try to avoid forced redundancies.

The BBC currently employs 22,899 people, according to its annual report. The BBC receives £3.5 billion ($5.4 billion, 4.05 billion euros) a year from thelicense fee. In a government spending review last year the license fee was frozen at £145.50 per household with a television until 2016-17.