Bectu has responded to news of BBC cuts.
According to reports, the corporation is planning to make significant cuts of up to £600 million over the next three years in the face of what it called “substantial financial pressures”. Outgoing director general Tim Davie reportedly told staff spending cuts of 10 per cent would be necessary. Last year, the BBC’s total public service spend was over £4 billion.
Responding, UK creative industries union, Bectu, suggested the size of the cuts would hit the broadcaster hard.
Commenting on the reports, Philippa Childs, head of Bectu, said, “The BBC has already faced significant funding pressures in recent years, and additional cuts of this scale will inevitably damage its ability to perform its vital national function.
“BBC staff will be deeply worried by this news, and Bectu will be engaging urgently with the BBC to understand the implications for our members and represent their interests in this process. This will also inevitably impact the wider creative industries ecosystem, given the BBC’s crucial anchor role,” she added.
“At a time of fake news and homogenised programming, we need a confident and sustainably-funded BBC more than ever. This only increases the importance of the upcoming Charter Renewal, which must put the BBC’s funding on a more secure, long-term pathway and prevent our national broadcaster from being run into the ground.”
