The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will shut down two of its linear television channels and eliminate more than 100 positions within its news division as the public broadcaster works to reduce spending by £500 million (U.S. $670 million) by 2028.
The latest restructuring will see BBC Three and BBC Scotland cease linear TV broadcasts next spring, with programming from both services continuing through the broadcaster’s streaming platforms.
BBC News will separately eliminate more than 100 positions over the coming months, generating approximately £5.5 million (U.S. $7.4 million) in annual savings.
Rachel Jupp, the BBC’s recently-appointed Director of News, disclosed the planned job reductions in an internal message to employees on Tuesday.
“I know this will be very difficult news for those affected,” Jupp wrote, adding that the broadcaster would consult with employees and labor unions in an effort to minimize compulsory layoffs.
The reductions are part of a broader restructuring that requires BBC News to contribute at least £51 million (U.S. $68.3 million) toward the corporation’s savings target. Including the latest reductions, BBC News has identified approximately £30.5 million (U.S. $40.9 million) in savings, leaving at least another £20 million (U.S. $26.8 million) to be found.
“These proposals are necessary, but they are not sufficient to meet our funding reduction,” Jupp said. “Given the BBC’s financial pressures, the savings requirement for News could increase.”
Jupp said additional restructuring proposals would be announced in early 2027 following a broader examination of newsroom spending, presenter assignments and the production and distribution of long-form journalism.
The planned closure of BBC Three and BBC Scotland’s linear services represents another significant change to the broadcaster’s television operations. BBC Scotland will continue as a streaming channel on BBC iPlayer, while its programming will also be distributed through BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland. BBC Three programming will remain available through iPlayer and other digital platforms, including YouTube.
In a message to employees, BBC Director-General Matt Brittin attributed the closures to continued financial pressures and changing audience behavior.
“We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world,” Brittin said. “We all know that means tough choices.”
The BBC has also announced reductions elsewhere in the organization, including the elimination of approximately 110 positions within BBC Media Tech, which supports digital services such as iPlayer.
The corporation’s latest £500 million savings program follows an earlier initiative targeting £1.5 billion (U.S. $2 billion) in spending reductions.
The BBC continues to face challenges associated with its television license fee funding model. Although approximately 94% of the United Kingdom’s population uses BBC services each month, fewer than 80% pay the annual £180 (U.S. $241) television license fee.
The broadcaster has said the restructuring is necessary to address those financial pressures while shifting more programming and resources toward digital distribution.
