BBC ‘to cut stations and halve websites’ report claims

The BBC is to close two radio stations and scale back its web presence to make £600m in savings, according to a report in the Times newspaper.

BBC Asian Network and 6 Music will be closed under the proposals, it says.

The Times claims the measures are part of a plan, due to be made public next month, to reduce the BBC’s services and focus on quality over quantity.

A statement from the BBC called press speculation “premature” but acknowledged the existence of a review.

The National Union of Journalists, however, said it had “received a detailed briefing” from the BBC this morning “confirming media reports as largely correct”.

The Union warned of strikes if cuts went ahead.

Strategic review

The Times claims the proposals are currently being considered by the BBC Trust, the corporation’s governing body.

They allegedly involve a wide-ranging series of cuts that will make £600m available for higher quality programming.

Savings will reportedly be made by limiting spending on rights to sporting events and reducing the money spent on imported TV shows.

The BBC Switch and Blast! websites are also to be closed as part of a larger reduction in the BBC’s web presence, the newspaper alleges.

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INSIDER’S VIEW
Torin Douglas, Media correspondent

The Times report is very detailed so the paper has clearly been shown a BBC document. Whether these will be the final decisions remains to be seen. The report is to be considered by the governing body, the BBC Trust, and The Times quotes “BBC Trust sources” as saying they would like the Director general to impose even greater cuts to budget for imported programmes. There could also be last-minute lobbying on behalf of the two radio stations said to be due for closure. A campaign to save BBC 6 Music has been running on Facebook for some time.
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The Times states the BBC’s budget for foreign acquisitions, which currently stands at £100m, will be cut by a quarter. This could mean the end of such US TV shows as Heroes, Mad Men and The Wire on BBC channels. The BBC’s website budget, which currently stands at £112m, will also be cut by 25 per cent. The Times says this will be achieved by halving the number of web pages and reducing its staff by a quarter. BBC Worldwide will be ordered to divest itself of its British magazine publishing arm, the newspaper continues.

If approved, this could see the Radio Times, Top Gear magazine and other publications put out to tender.

In a statement, the BBC said: “Last summer, the BBC Trust challenged the BBC to develop a new strategy to meet the opportunities and the threats of the rapidly changing media landscape. “Although the details have yet to be agreed… the BBC expects to present its proposals to the BBC Trust in the near future.”

The corporation did not comment on the specific details of the leaked report, but said it was “fully committed to online and to digital television and radio”.

‘Not rampant’

Speaking to 5 Live, Guardian media columnist Steve Hewlett said the plans, if verified, could be politically motivated.

The BBC has drawn criticism of late amid speculation that an incoming Tory government would seek to freeze the licence fee in 2013 and replace the BBC Trust with another body.

“The BBC needs to create the impression that it’s not rampant in terms of its expansion,” said Hewlett.

“It needs politically to look like it’s going back into its shell a bit,” he continued.

The NUJ said the plans “smack of an attempt to appease political and commercial interests”.

“Hard-working staff shouldn’t be used as a political football and we will fight any compulsory redundancies,” said general secretary Jeremy Dear.

THE BBC’S FUTURE
Last year Mark Thompson gave a speech at the Voice of the Listener and Viewer Conference in London in which he said changes would take place after the digital switchover is completed in 2012: “Expect to see reductions in some kinds of programmes and content [and] a look at the current scope of our website.” (see full text of speech)

“Expect to see reductions in some kinds of programmes and content – a look at the current scope of our website – and a close examination of the future of our service portfolios once switchover has been achieved,” he said in November.

Earlier this month a BBC Trust review appeared to allay fears that 6 Music would be closed in a report which praised its “distinctive approach”.

The review added that the digital station “needed to grow its audience base without losing its unique selling point”.

Fans have already set up a campaign protesting changes to the station, rallying support on Facebook and Twitter.

Among them is musician David Bowie, who issued a statement saying: “6 Music keeps the spirit of broadcasters like John Peel alive and for new artists to lose this station.

(Sourc: 16:54 GMT, Friday, 26 February 2010 – BBC News)

What is BBC Asian Network?

BBC Asian Network is a national digital radio station providing speech and music appealing anyone interested in British Asian lifestyles. The station broadcasts the best in Bollywood and Bhangra music as well as R’n’B & Hip Hop and British Asian Underground. Asian Network also broadcasts news, discussion programme, documentaries and reflects British Asian arts and culture as well as its own urban soap, Silver Street.

The BBC Asian Network’s remit covers news, music and events from British Asia and South Asia (including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka). This does not include locations in South East Asia. There is more information about the remit at bbc.co.uk/info/statements2008/radio/asian.shtml
If you wish to comment further on the BBC Asian Network’s remit, you can contact BBC Feedback at http://www.bbc.co.uk/feedback/ or BBC Complaints at http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/

History of Asian Network

2002 – Launched as a national BBC digital network on DAB on 28th October with programming originating from London, Leicester and Birmingham.

2000-2002 – Focus of station shifts from serving the Midland Asian population to the UK as a national service for all Asian communities. Director General of the BBC, Greg Dyke moves Asian Network from Nations and Regions to Radio and Music. The station establishes its own website and is made available on the internet and cable services

1996-2000 – Asian Network expands including gaining access to LR medium wave in the North,  Derbyshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire. Crucially it gains space on the Sky satellite and establishes its own newsroom with reporters in London, Leeds, Manchester and the Midlands.

1996 – Asian Network is established as a 24 hour regional station.

1994-1996 –  Asian Network on WM and Leicester now broadcastis 7 days per week from afternoon till midnight.

1993 –  Leicester and WM frequencies are successfully retained.

1991 – Govt. lifts ban on splitting temporarily to allow expansion of Asian Network programmes carrying World Service bulletins during Gulf War. – Proposal for a national federal Asian Network using key LR medium wave frequencies in all major centre of Asian population (July). This ambition not realised as BBC agrees to yield key London and Manchester medium wave frequency 1458 kHz to Radio Authority – Major regional public campaign in Midlands to retain Leicester and WM frequencies led by Local Radio Advisory Councils. DG Michael Check land refuses to yield the frequencies in a terse note to the Radio Authority. Wrangling last for two years.

1989 – World Service bulletins in Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali broadcast for the first time on Radio Leicester (17th October) and BAPS syndication of World Service programming for all LR stations established. 30th October Asian Network launched on WM and Radio Leicester with a combined output of 70 hours per week Asian Network programmes also taken by BBC CWR on launch of that station. – First threat to Asian Network when Govt. decides that simulcasting must end. LR medium wave frequencies had to be yielded to the Radio Authority for commercial radio expansion. Ban imposed on further splitting of frequencies thwarts Asian Network ambitions to expand programming

1988 – First plans for shared Asian programmes across the Midlands on Radios Leicester and WM named “The Asian Network” 1983/4 – BBC Radio WM follows Leicester lead and strips Asian programmes across the week. Both stations achieve substantial audiences.

1977-1982 – Range of programming extended to include language and literacy skill dramas ‘Kahani Apni Apni’.and ‘Chalo Kaam Kare’ and Asian Song contests plus additional programming at weekends.

1977 – BBC Radio Leicester strips Asian programmes across the week ‘The 6 o’clock show’ revolutionising Asian programming on the BBC which had hitherto been single programmes on LR and on Radio 4. Audience research shows massive take-up of the programme with 67% reach of Leicester Asian community.