BBC Sport is set to axe 27 jobs and has offered voluntary redundancy to most of its staff as part of major cost-saving measures.
Staff were informed of the significant shake-up on Wednesday by director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, which has also seen the iconic programme Sportsday axed.
BBC Sport is set to undergo a major shake-up to its programming[/caption]
Sportsday is set to be axed under the plans[/caption]
27 positions will be closed as part of the cost-saving measures[/caption]
The proposal will involve the closure of 27 positions, but those impacted may be able to apply for 27 newly created jobs, reports The Times.
The BBC said the changes would be subject to consultation with trade unions and that the savings were being delivered as part of its Value for All strategy.
Voluntary redundancy will also be offered to the majority of staff on the sports desk.
One insider claimed the move will “effectively kill sports news on television” as the BBC switches to a more modern output.
A BBC Sport spokeswoman said: “The proposed changes would allow us to enhance our storytelling and live event coverage to ensure we remain relevant and deliver more value for audiences across the UK.”
The new jobs at the Beeb are expected to see more resources given to football coverage and the BBC’s digital output on its website.
These are all likely being done to try and improve the reach of the broadcaster.
One of the proposed new roles is for a “Football Correspondent (Tactics)” who will be responsible for “delivering tactical insights to football fans”.
The BBC News Channel will see the majority of its sports bulletins axed, with a greater focus on placing breaking sports stories on the website.
However, sports bulletins on BBC One’s network news at 1pm, 6pm, and 10pm will remain unchanged in terms of the amount of sports news provided.
In the short-term, three presenters and two correspondents are expected to be made redundant, reports MailOnline, and there are also expected to be job cuts to some producers.
A source told the Mail: “It feels like they are killing sports news on television.
“Those involved are distraught. It came as a shock and it’s fair to say that none of them saw it coming. They’re basically decimating the output of sports news on television.”
Sportsday was first broadcast in 2001 and airs 12 times each day from Monday-Thursday, and 11 times on a Friday.
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Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski informed staff of the major shake-up on Wednesday[/caption]
