The BBC’s new director general Tim Davie has just announced that 400 jobs at the corporation are to be relocated out of London in the latest bid to show that it is relevant to the entire country. It is thought that half of those jobs will be in the BBC’s news department.
There are also plans to create 600 new jobs outside the capital over the next seven years.
What’s new about this? Didn’t the BBC move to Salford years ago?
Not quite. Media City on Salford Quays, which opened in 2011, is indeed home to a large BBC operation, but the majority of the corporation’s output is still produced in London.
Indeed, the stated aim of the current plans is to eventually generate 60% of UK TV production outside London, with half of BBC radio spend also moving outwith the capital.
Where are BBC employees going then?
Departments and news divisions are going to be relocated to Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Glasgow and Salford.
For example, BBC News’s Climate and Science team will move to Cardiff while Glasgow will get the BBC’s Technology team.
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Will everyone decide to go?
BBC staff have already told one London newspaper that many will opt for redundancy rather than relocate their families elsewhere in the country.
What does this mean for viewers in the short term?
More local drama. We are promised two new soap-style network series, one based in the north of England, the other from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland within the next three years.
And what about radio?
Some daytime Radio 1, Radio 2 and Radio 1Xtra shows are moving out of London, while Radio 3 and 6Music will be largely based in Salford going forward.
Plus, a third of Radio 4’s flagship breakfast news show Today will be co-presented from outside the capital, while Radio 4’S PM show will also move from the capital on a regular basis. As will BBC2’s Newsnight actually.
Anything else?
Yes, the BBC concert orchestra is also moving from London. To where, though, it’s not clear.
What’s the rationale behind this?
“People must feel we are closer to them,” Davie told the BBC’s 22,000 staff yesterday. “This shift will create a much more distributed model that moves not just people, but power and decision-making to the UK’s Nations and Regions.
“Taken together, our proposals mean the BBC will cumulatively spend at least an extra £700m outside London by 2027/28.”
Is the Director General going to move?
Hmm, there’s a question. What is the betting?
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