BBC FACTUAL & LEARNING TO AXE 129 JOBS

THE BBC have announced that 129 jobs will go in their Factual & Learning division.
The move will balance current programme and channel needs with long-standing staffing levels, and drive savings into programmes, delivering licence fee payers.
In May the BBC announced the streamlining of television production in Factual & Learning into two groups – Specialist Factual and General Factual – and a review of staffing levels and skills mix. Glenwyn Benson, Joint Director of Factual & Learning told staff that 129 posts across management, administration and programme making would be axed.
These post closures affect three television output areas: Documentaries (London; arts (London) and Religion & Ethics (Manchester). They do affect the BBC’s overall spend on and commitment to factual programmes, which remains constant. Spend on Arts is increasing and Religion & Ethics is guaranteed at its current level.
The reduction in staff is due to a number of factors: The BBC are shifting to the Nations, with more factual programmes being made in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The BBC have said that this will reflect better the diversity of the UK and nurture the talent base across the whole country; The BBC’s Television Strategy, announced by Mark Thompson, Director of Television, early last year signalled a change in emphasis away from high-volume, lower-cost factual output in favour of fewer, bigger factual pieces with more impact; When Factual & Learning was set up, it inherited an over capacity and a mis-match of skills to deliver current and anticipated commissions. Since the approval of its new digital services the BBC have completed more detailed analysis of requirements across all services.
Benson said: “We have a duty to licence fee payers to ensure that as much money as possible goes on programmes. That is why, having identified over capacity in our staffing across the division, we have has to make this decision.” (CD)