BBC viewers face more repeats due to corporation’s budget changes

Viewers are facing the prospect of yet more TV repeats under cost-cutting changes at the BBC.

A raft of measures to cut the corporation’s massive budget is expected to include more repeat shows on the mainstream BBC1 and BBC2 networks.

Other likely changes include reducing staff numbers by around 4,000 to 15,000 and closing two minor television or radio networks.

Lord Hall, director general of the BBC, who is in charge of major changes at the corporation, which may include the prospect of more repeats on BBC1 

Lord Hall, the BBC director-general, who is in charge of the major changes, may also sell studios and offices and reduce coverage of expensive sporting events even further.

Details of the possible cuts outlined in a Sunday Times report were officially dismissed by the BBC yesterday as ‘speculation’.

However, the BBC must find annual savings of £650 million a year to cover the cost of funding free TV licences for the over-75s, which is to be phased in from 2018.

A BBC spokesman said: ‘While it is clear that the BBC does have a tough funding settlement and will need to live within its means, we haven’t as yet shared our proposals, and people should wait to hear what we have to say, rather than what others think we might have to say, on our future.’

More is certain to be done to make cost savings by axeing managers in what remains a vast and bureaucratic organisation.

Last month the BBC announced it would cut 1,000 jobs to make the corporation ‘leaner and more streamlined’, and these cuts will include ‘further reductions to senior management roles,’ the spokesman said.

Other likely changes include reducing staff numbers by around 4,000 to 15,000 and closing two minor television or radio networks, Pictured is BBC Broadcasting House in Central London

Other likely changes include reducing staff numbers by around 4,000 to 15,000 and closing two minor television or radio networks, Pictured is BBC Broadcasting House in Central London

But in addition to these job cuts a further 3,000 people may go by 2020, according to the report.

Lord Hall wants to achieve a target of cutting the number of senior managers earning over £150,000 a year by 20 per cent and the BBC is said to be committed to this aim.

The BBC said since 2009 it had already cut the number of senior managers and their pay bill by a third, saving £27m.

However, there remain 26 executives with salaries over £200,000 and seven earning above £300,000.

Substantial cuts to the BBC1 and BBC2 budgets – currently worth a combined £1.9billion – seem inevitable and will lead to more repeats being aired.

There has also been a call for the broadcaster to become more ‘inventive’ rather than buying in programme formats.

Lord Hall is due to make a speech on September 7 to set out the corporation’s response to a green paper on the renewal of its royal charter. Some changes could be detailed then. 

 



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