Industrial action possible over staff cuts

More job cuts expected at the BBC

More job cuts expected at the BBC

The BBC is expected to announce a further round of job cuts today with around 1,500 jobs expected to go over the next three years.

Director general Mark Thompson is expected to announce that most of the jobs will go in the news, drama, entertainment, children’s and radio sectors.

The news comes after 1,700 job losses were announced at the BBC’s professional services division last week.

The BBC is looking to make £320 million of cost savings

Unions Bectu and the National Union of Journalists may call for a ballot on strike action on Wednesday if compulsory redundancies are announced.

Last week NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear, speaking as the Government published its plans for the BBC charter renewal, said that the cuts would harm standards at the BBC.

He said: “Cutting thousands of jobs, damaging programme-making capacity and privatising important sections of the BBC is no blueprint for a strong, independent BBC.”