BBC to axe another 2,050 jobs

The BBC has confirmed that another 2,050 jobs are to be lost as part of an ongoing cost reduction programme at the corporation.

The latest cuts are being made to the BBC's public service content and output areas, encompassing TV, radio, new media, the nations and regions, drama, entertainment, CBBC, factual and learning, news, and sport.

This number adds onto 1,730 cuts already announced for the professional services division making a total of 3,780 jobs to be lost by 2008.

BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said today that the job cuts would result in savings of £221m a year, with that money earmarked for re-investment in programming.

"This is all money we plan to spend on programmes and content, both to improve the services we deliver to audiences right now and to build strong BBC services in the future," said Thompson. "All divisions are now finding ways of achieving these savings through genuine improvements rather than crude cuts."

The decision to make sweeping cuts at the BBC has been heavily criticised by unions.

"This is the worst day in the BBC's history," said Bectu's Luke Crawley. "I can't see how the BBC will deliver all Thompson's promises about new services after ditching so many staff, and life for those who survive is going to be miserable."