BBC World Service says jobs will be lost, in the UK and internationally, and roles closed at BBC Monitoring as part of a series of cost-cutting measures at the international broadcaster.
The majority of the required £6 million savings will come through the closure of posts with a net reduction of around 130 roles.
Despite an increase uplift in the grant-in-aid funding for the World Service, previous freezes on the licence fee, global inflation, and the need for ongoing digital and technological upkeep have led to the need for further savings.
“While the result of the latest grant-in-aid funding settlement means we are able to maintain all of our existing language services, we were clear it would not stave off difficult decisions in order to remain globally competitive and meet our savings requirements,” said Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO, BBC News. “These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.”
There will also be changes to the commissioning mix on World Service English, and a reshaping some World Service Language teams to enhance the focus on digital output
World Service says its commitment to providing journalism of the highest quality across our 42 language services is undiminished. We will continue to counter disinformation, provide emergency services in times of crisis and report from all corners of the globe.
