(London) The BBC, engaged in a vast plan of savings and transformation, plans to cut 500 additional posts by the end of March 2026, after having seen its workforce decrease by 10% over the last five years, announced Tuesday the British public broadcaster.
The BBC said in its annual report that its workforce has been cut by almost 2,000 jobs in the last five years.
“By the end of March 2026, we expect to see a reduction of around 500 public service jobs,” the BBC said in a statement.
In addition to a £500 million ($888.5 million) annual savings plan announced two years ago, the BBC is implementing a further £200 million ($355 million Canadian) spending cut plan announced last March.
An essential institution in the British audiovisual landscape, the BBC has been particularly criticised by the Conservatives, who lost power to Labour in the general elections of 4 July.
It is faced with the exodus of young audiences from traditional media to social platforms and networks, as well as a growing questioning of its method of financing.
In March, its director-general Tim Davie said the BBC was looking at options for reforming the licence fee, its main source of funding, after 2028, when the current charter expires.
Last year, the BBC collected £3.6 billion in licence fees (C$6.4 billion), down £80 million, according to the annual report. The licence fee currently stands at £169.50 (C$301.2), an increase since April after a two-year freeze.