More reductions in programmes and staff announced, 18 months after last round of major cuts to BBC News output. The broadcaster’s news division needs to save £24 million a year, as part of a wider range of cuts across the BBC totalling £700 million.
- HARDtalk to close after 27 years on air.
- 185 jobs to be axed, although 55 new posts are being created as BBC News changes focus.
- Backlash from viewers.
Deborah Turness, chief executive of BBC News outlined to staff on Tuesday details of the next round of cuts.
BBC News is being asked to save £24 million a year as part of a wider set of cuts to be delivered across the broadcaster. It has already dramatically reduced its news output following the merger of its UK and international news channels in April 2023.
Cuts announced so far…
As a result, interview programme HARDtalk, currently presented by Stephen Sackur and home of numerous high profile guests and global decision makers, will be axed.
At the same time, 185 more jobs will be axed from BBC News. But 55 new posts will be created as the broadcaster shifts its news provision online and into increased ‘digital storytelling’.
Notably, the BBC hasn’t as yet gone public with an announcement regarding the changes. Instead, Sackur took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to confirm his programme was being axed.
HARDtalk launched in spring 1997 on BBC World, later arriving on BBC News 24 in the UK, where the programme has mostly acted as night-time filler. Internationally, the programme has always been scheduled at various points of the day to reach different primetime audiences around the world. The programme was originally presented by Tim Sebastian, who now presents a similar interview show for Germany’s DW-TV.
An audio-only version of HARDtalk was launched on BBC Sounds and on the BBC World Service, becoming the type of multi-platform show the BBC was once promoting to save costs.
The closure of HARDtalk follows the axing of other long-running BBC News shows including Dateline London (also launched in 1997), current affairs programme Our World and press preview show The Papers.
Unpopular decision with viewers and listeners
Confirmation of the closure of HARDtalk resulted in a backlash from viewers, with thousands of responses to Sackur’s post on X.
Andrew Neil, who previously worked at the BBC and is now with Times Radio, said on X the news was “very depressing indeed”. He said “the BBC seems determined to give up so much of what makes it special and to do more of what everyone else does.”
Instead, the BBC’s rolling television news channel is expected to fill the gaps created by the end of HARDtalk with extended news bulletins. The merged UK and international service already extended weekend news slots following the closure of Our World and Dateline London. For example, Our World‘s former 9:30pm UK time slot at the weekends is now filled by an extended hour of rolling news from 9:00pm. It’s unclear how the BBC World Service will fill the gaps.
Earlier this year, Newsnight was cut back to a 30 minute sofa-based discussion with guests, with no obvious high profile show for major long-form interviews left on the BBC.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: BBC | Updated: 16/10/2024 14:42