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The BBC announced plans to cut 550 jobs across news, nations and TV and radio content as the first stage of a drive to save £500m over the next two years. In an email to staff, Jonathan Munro, interim CEO of BBC News, outlined proposals that include ending Radio 4’s The World Tonight and reducing the number of permanent presenters on Today from five to four from September, with a single anchor on Saturdays.
BBC One's Breakfast will no longer be shown on Sunday morning from September and the production teams making Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will merge.
Munro said the proposals announced on Wednesday include 200 job losses in the news division resulting in savings of £25m.
Some TV production at weekends will be shared across the News Channel and BBC One bulletins and there will be a review of the chief news presenter roles "to balance audience needs with best value for money".
Several other Radio 4 programmes will also end during the next year - the Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show and Crossing Continents. On the World Service, The Inquiry, The Conversation and The Fifth Floor will end.
The reduction in the number of Today presenters will coincide with the previously announced departure of Amol Rajan who leaves in September.
From April, instead of The World Tonight, weeknight audiences on Radio 4 will hear a domestic bulletin at 22:00 followed by a simulcast of the World Service programme, Newshour, in a new time slot. Meanwhile, 5 Live Weekend Breakfast will become a two-hour programme.
Viewers on Sunday morning will see the News Channel instead of Breakfast.
BBC director-general Matt Brittin said the savings announced on Wednesday are aimed at delivering about £160m of the overall £500m target, which will see an reduction to headcount of around 1,800 to 2,000 jobs.
