Bectu responds to BBC announcement of further cuts

Head of Bectu Philippa Childs responding to Tim Davie’s comments outlining plans to cut about a tenth of its costs over the next three years on the BBC all staff call 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.

“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.”