The BBC has announced plans to shed 155 jobs from across its news operation as part of its wider cost-cutting strategy.
The move will save around £24m from the budget, or four per cent, according to an internal memo sent to staff this afternoon.
The BBC set out a £500m annual savings and reinvestment plan in May 2022, with a further £200mn of additional cuts announced subsequently.
Across the BBC there will be a reduction of more than 500 roles, comprising 1,200 post closures and the addition of 700 new positions.
As part of the latest cuts, the news operation will slash 185 roles and open 55 new ones — a net reduction of 130 posts. Its media operations division is also proposing to close the equivalent of 25 posts.
The BBC said it would do “everything we can do avoid compulsory redundancies” including through the use of the voluntary redundancy scheme.
The cuts include closing the Asian Network News service, axing its long-running HARDtalk interview programme and synchronising the production of news bulletins used on Radio 5 Live and Radio 2. Domestic radio stations would also take World Service news summaries overnight rather than producing their own.
The proposals do not include cuts to the World Service, which is subject to a separate discussion with the UK government.
The BBC has stated it is under significant financial pressure with cuts designed to pivot it to a more agile position within the landscape it operates. It is aiming to save £300m per year by 2027/28, in addition to £400m in savings already realised.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “These latest cuts represent a damaging assault on journalism and news at a time when the UK needs greater plurality and diversity of news and trust in journalism is under attack at home and abroad.
“Some of these decisions represent comparatively modest savings yet will disproportionately undermine the breadth and range of news content the BBC currently provides.”
Prolific North has contacted the BBC for comment.
