Fears over further job cuts at the BBC

On Wednesday it emerged that the BBC is apparently poised to cut another 1,500 jobs in a second swing of the axe.
It is understood that the Corporation’s Governors have approved the further savage cuts tabled by Director General Mark Thompson at a meeting on Wednesday.
Last week the BBC announced that 1,170 jobs would go, quoting 980 redundancies and 750 outsourced posts, in a move that I expected to save up to £350 million.
The further cuts would save the BBC a further £200 million, which will apparently be redirected towards programme making.
Among the posts to go - spread over three years - will be jobs in news, sport, drama, children’s’ programming and new media, areas not previously thought to be directly affected by the cuts already announced last week. However, while the BBC has not confirmed the cuts, sources indicate that a further statement from the BBC is expected on Monday.
General Secretary of the NUJ Jeremy Dear said that, if accurate, this week’s figures represented a “devastating blow” to BBC’s news and programming.
Following the earlier jobs loss announcement, unions warned that members would be balloted on industrial action if there were compulsory redundancies.
Commenting on the tranche of cuts announced last week, Bectu said: “Many BBC employees who escape redundancy in the current round of cuts will have to pick up the work of others who leave.”
Broadcasting unions are due to meet next week to discuss their response when any further statements from the BBC will be considered in detail.
While the levels of jobs cuts in the corporation are likely to be known soon, many staff may have to wait weeks before they discover if their job is to be axed.
(SP)