BBC Axes Linear Channels, Cuts 100 Jobs Amid £500M Savings Drive
BBC Three, BBC Scotland, and BBC Radio 4 Extra to cease linear broadcasts by spring 2027; programming shifts to digital platforms.
Carla Rooney
The BBC will close several linear broadcast services and eliminate approximately 100 jobs at BBC News.
BBC Three, launched in 2003, will revert to an online-only format after its 2022 return to linear broadcasting. The BBC Scotland channel will also move solely to BBC iPlayer, effective next spring.
These three linear channel closures are projected to save less than £10 million annually. BBC director-general Matt Brittin stated, "We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices."
Approximately 100 job redundancies are expected at BBC News, with 10 positions specifically lost in Scotland. Rachel Jupp confirmed these cuts, bringing total job losses in the BBC News department to 100.
The BBC claims these cost-cutting measures will result in additional staff cuts directly linked to the broadcast closures, including ten roles in Scotland. This adds to the 60 previously announced by BBC Scotland, bringing total cuts in Scotland to approximately 70 posts.
The proposal to close the BBC Scotland channel is wholly unacceptable and the Scottish Government opposes it in the strongest possible terms. This represents a significant blow to our media landscape and is the latest example of a long-standing pattern of BBC underinvestment in Scotland, raising serious questions about the broadcaster’s commitment to Scottish audiences and the creative sector, and its public service obligations to serve all parts of the UK fairly and equitably.
Mairi McAllan, representing the Scottish Government, declared, "The proposal to close the BBC Scotland channel is wholly unacceptable and the Scottish Government opposes it in the strongest possible terms." She added, "This represents a significant blow to our media landscape and is the latest example of a long-standing pattern of BBC underinvestment in Scotland, raising serious questions about the broadcaster’s commitment to Scottish audiences and the creative sector, and its public service obligations to serve all parts of the UK fairly and equitably."
Q Manivannan described the move as "a backwards step that risks leaving viewers behind, and reflects a wider cultural crisis in Scotland." Manivannan further asserted that "Moving away from a traditional TV channel will only make BBC Scotland less accessible, particularly for older people and those who face barriers to getting online."
Moving away from a traditional TV channel will only make BBC Scotland less accessible, particularly for older people and those who face barriers to getting online.
Harriet Cross noted that "The channel often explored subject matters from rural parts of Scotland that otherwise wouldn’t have been shown on the main channel." Alex Kerr called the decision "appalling," claiming it showed the BBC’s "disdain" for Scotland.
Katherine Sangster stated, "While the move to iPlayer and BBC Two Scotland offers a way to protect Scotland-specific programming, it is vital that the BBC continues to produce content that reflects Scotland’s communities, culture, and priorities." The BBC's expenditure in Scotland reportedly falls well below the licence fee income raised there.
The BBC confirmed its TV series DIY SOS will be 'rested' next year. Plans to build a new studio for The Archers at its Tea Factory in Digbeth have been cancelled. The part of BBC Three that commissions programmes will receive more funding for content aimed at 16-34 year olds.
Brittin affirmed that "Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy them on iPlayer and Sounds." He acknowledged, "While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues."
Several high-profile BBC TV series have been cancelled recently, including RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, Live at the Apollo, Football Focus, and Ski Sunday. This reflects a broader shift in programming strategy.