The BBC said it will remove 550 positions from its workforce, including roles in both its news and content divisions, as part of a cost-saving programme introduced by new director-general Matt Brittin.
The job reductions form one element of a plan to secure £500 million of savings over the next three years. Management framed the exercise as a response to shifting audience behaviour, noting the challenge of remaining relevant as viewers - particularly younger cohorts - gravitate toward streaming services and other digital platforms.
Mr Brittin, who was named director-general in March, is a former Google executive. At the time of his appointment, BBC Chair Samir Shah said the publicly funded broadcaster required radical reform, and Brittin warned the organisation faced a moment of "real risk".
The announced changes to the broadcaster's news operation include closing some long-running programmes, merging production teams that currently work across multiple shows, and conducting a review of senior on-air roles. The BBC said these measures were intended to reduce costs while reshaping output across its news platforms.
As of March last year the corporation employed about 21,500 people. The BBC said the full package of changes disclosed on Wednesday would deliver roughly £160 million toward the £500 million savings target. It also indicated that further savings would be required and that plans affecting corporate divisions were forthcoming.
Among those future measures, the corporation said it expected to announce reductions affecting around 700 roles in its corporate divisions in the months ahead. Altogether, the broadcaster projected total job losses of about 1,800 to 2,000 over the next three years as the savings programme is implemented.
Brittin will also need to negotiate a fresh funding settlement once the BBC's Royal Charter expires at the end of 2027. The corporation outlined a set of funding options under consideration, including retaining the existing licence fee paid by households that watch television, switching to subscription-based funding, or obtaining support from advertising.
The BBC characterised the package as part of a broader effort to adapt to changing audience patterns and to secure its financial position ahead of the charter renewal process.