Type
Closure
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Information / Communication
Publishing Of Information; Production And Programming Of Audiovisual
Programming And Broadcasting Activities
60 - Programming and broadcasting activities

236 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
201 jobs
Number of planned job creations
Job creation
Announcement Date
25 October 2005
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date

Description

As a part of the £30 million restructuring of the BBC World Service, part of the funding is being raised by the closure of 10 foreign language services - with the loss of 218 jobs. At the same time the BBC World Service is to launch an Arabic television news channel in 2007, the corporation has confirmed. The NUJ and Bectu unions have condemned news of the closures and job losses as a ‘bitter’ and ‘devastating’ blow. Broadcasting union Bectu said: ‘While we would normally welcome the BBC's expansion into Arabic TV without hesitation, we cannot ignore the potential threat of hundreds of compulsory redundancies’. Overall, 236 positions will be closed as a result of overall restructuring and 201 will be created through new investment.


Sources

  • 25 October 2005: BBC News

Citation

Eurofound (2005), BBC World Service, Closure in United Kingdom, factsheet number 62433, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/62433.