BBC Two daytime axe plan 'gaining ground'

A proposal to axe some of BBC Two's daytime programming in order to save money is reportedly "gaining ground" among senior BBC managers.

A range of ideas are currently being considered by the BBC as part of its Delivering Quality First initiative, which aims to help the corporation cut 20% from across its budget.

In March, BBC director general Mark Thompson suggested dropping shows such as Flog It! and To Buy or Not to Buy from the BBC Two daytime schedule in favour of simulcasting the BBC News Channel, reports The Guardian.

No final decisions have been made as yet in the DQF process, but the BBC Two proposal was not dismissed during two recent senior management sessions in Caversham, Berkshire. A BBC insider told the newspaper that the idea appears to be "gaining ground".

The BBC is targeting a range of cost-saving measures as it comes to terms with its tough new licence fee settlement, including a six-year licence fee freeze, along with new funding obligations such as BBC World Service and Welsh-language broadcaster S4C.

Critics of the BBC Two daytime proposal have said that it would represent merely "political posturing" designed to draw attention to the BBC's financial predicament.

They also note that all UK households will get access to the BBC News Channel next year anyway after the digital switchover reaches completion.

Other question marks remain over children's programmes on BBC One at teatime, particularly as all homes will receive digital channels Cbeebies and CBBC after switchover.

However, BBC One controller Danny Cohen said recently that the prospect of axing children's shows from the channel was a complicated issue.

Another proposal put forward involves creating a "slimmed down" version of the BBC News channel to secure savings on the rolling news network's £46m-a-year budget.

All proposals eventually agreed in the DQF process will need to be put forward to Lord Patten's BBC Trust for approval. The BBC declined to comment on the speculation.

The Trust last month launched a service review of the BBC News Channel and sister network BBC Parliament, scrutinising their "quality, distinctiveness and value for money".