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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Isabel Finch

Jobs at Salford-based Radio 5 Live among those affected by BBC cuts

The BBC has announced there will be post closures at Radio 5 Live, which broadcasts from MediaCityUK, Salford.

It comes as the BBC today announced it would 450 jobs amid plans to “modernise” its newsroom in a bid to save £80m by 2020.

The broadcaster said the decision to axe jobs at the radio station was driven by the changing listening habits and demand for digital content.

The BBC also said more of its journalists will be based outside of London in the future.

In a statement today, Fran Unsworth, director of news and current affairs, says: “The BBC has to face up to the changing way audiences are using us.

“We have to adapt and ensure we continue to be the world’s most trusted news organisation, but crucially, one which is also relevant for the people we are not currently reaching.

“We need to reshape BBC News for the next decade in a way which saves substantial amounts of money.

“We are spending too much of our resources on traditional linear broadcasting and not enough on digital.”

Under the reorganisation, Victoria Derbyshire will cease this year, while the number of films produced by Newsnight will reduce.

The World Update on World Service English will also close, alongside other schedule changes, the broadcaster said.

Ms Unsworth continued: “Our duty as a publicly funded broadcaster is to inform, educate, and entertain every citizen, but there are many people in this country that we are not serving well enough.

“I believe that we have a vital role to play locally, nationally and internationally. In fact, we are fundamental to contributing to a healthy democracy in the UK and around the world. If we adapt we can continue to be the most important news organisation in the world.”

The broadcaster said it will follow a “story-led model”, with a focus on news stories to “reduce duplication” and “make an impact” across a “variety of audiences”, meaning a reduction in the number of stories covered.

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