BBC facing major cut backs
By James • Mar 2nd, 2010 • Category: Industry News
- Photo: BBC
According to a leaked internal strategy document, the BBC is due to face major cutbacks, with a large percentage of those to impact the broadcaster’s online initiatives. The Times states digital radio channel 6 Music, BBC’s Asian Network, and over 50% of the website are part of the BBC cutback strategy. The website is due to lose 25% of its staff during the cutback. The other major reported cutbacks are BBC’s magazine business, BBC Worldwide and the broadcaster’s commercial arm.
Social network impact
- Photo: Facebook
Once the BBC cutback reports began surfacing and the public learned of the intention to kill 6 Music, a Facebook group called Save BBC 6Music swelled to over 75 000 members, as well as a Twitter topic called #savebbc6music. Even David Bowie is said to be supporting the initiative to save the popular channel.
In the interest of conservatism
- Photo: Twitter
The predominant theory is these revelations are related to the government’s shift to a more conservative approach. Additionally, it is thought this is to reduce the BBC’s presence in areas where the corporation competes with other companies who have suffered during this past recession.
The thoughts
The financial questions manifest themselves in two ways: firstly, should the BBC concern itself with the prospects of other media companies if it can outdo them? Secondly, is cutting their online presence – the place with the most potential for growth – wise? The first question concerns itself primarily with how much room the government – or a government owned entity – should give private corporations to fend for themselves.
The natural response is ‘plenty’, yet the reason private corporations are often favoured above government organisations is that they work better. If the reverse is true here, why should the BBC scale back, anyway? The second question concerns online cutbacks. The BBC website is widely regarded as the best news site on the planet. With that much positive chatter, and many business models moving wholly online, is this move the right thing for the BBC? Since this document is merely a leak, details remain scant on what is officially happening, but expect some backlash to follow the BBC cutback plans.
