More repeats and more staff move north as BBC sheds jobs and slims down

The proposals include “a small reduction” in new programmes on BBC One, which will be replaced by repeats, fewer chat shows and panel shows on BBC Two and digital channels BBC Three and Four will become feeder channels for BBC One and Two respectively.

Around 2,000 jobs are expected to go by 2016 and around 1,000 more staff will move to the new BBC base at Media City in Salford.

There will be “a phased but full exit for the BBC’s public services from their current home in West London” including its White City offices.

The plan is expected to lead to savings of £670 million a year by 2016/17.

Director General Mark Thompson said: “It’s a plan for a smaller BBC, but a BBC which uses its resources more effectively.”

The BBC HD channel will be closed and replaced with an HD version of BBC Two and all new daytime shows will be moved to BBC One with more repeats on Two.

There will also be less original programming on radio, with cuts to comedy on Radio 2 and Radio 5 Live and fewer lunchtime concerts on Radio 3.

Some radio stations will also share news bulletins.

The corporation is holding a series of meetings with its staff across the UK to reveal details of its “Delivering Quality First” initiative.

The BBC committed itself to saving billions of pounds from its budget after the annual licence fee was frozen at £145.50 for six years.

Today’s report states that BBC bosses considered “the possibility of shutting one or more services entirely” but rejected the idea on value-for-money grounds.

It states: “The decision to share Formula One motor-racing rights with BSkyB, for example, will save the BBC more cash between now and the end of the Charter than we would have saved by shutting one of the smaller TV channels.”

The sports rights budget will see a 15% cut, which includes the decision to share Formula One rights.

The Asian Network radio station, which was previously threatened with closure, will lose a third of its “service licence budget reduction”.

Under the proposals factual programming will leave Birmingham and go to Cardiff and Bristol although some shows like Doctors and The Archers will stay in the Midlands.

The Natural History Unit will stay in Bristol.

Speaking to reporters after the initial announcement, Mr Thompson refused to be drawn on exact details of where the job losses will be and which shows might be axed.

He said: “This is a long-range plan. It is absolutely for controllers and commissioners to work out what it means title by title and the plan is set so many years into the future, so I’m not going to give you a list of programmes that will be cancelled because we’re not at that point in the discussion.”

He added that there had been “a great deal of interest” from potential buyers for the BBC’s west London sites.

Recent reports have linked Premier League clubs Chelsea and Queen’s Park Rangers with potential moves to the area.

Mr Thompson added: “We are nowhere near a shortlist, let alone a preferred buyer.”

Other proposals in the report include less money being spent buying in films and television shows from outside the BBC.

The corporation also wants to reduce the number of “senior leaders” from around 3% of its staff to 1%.

There will be a reduction in “overall talent costs on Radio 1 and Radio 2” which might see the corporation lose some well-known presenters.

More money has been earmarked for the BBC’s coverage of the Proms with a plan being considered to show every performance on television as well as being broadcast on radio.

The report states there is “a strong case” to phase out children’s television completely from BBC1 and BBC2 once digital switchover is complete with those shows all going to CBBC and CBeebies.

This would lead to BBC2’s daytime shows being shown on BBC1, and BBC2’s schedule being filled with factual programmes.

Mr Thompson said he “regretted” the recent cuts to the World Service which he said were “much deeper” than the ones announced today.

He added: “I think though the realities of what this country looks like and what households up and down the country are going through and what other public institutions are going through, I think it would be a bit odd if the national broadcaster wasn’t feeling some of the same pressures.”