BBC News sends out redundancy emails

Helen Boaden, the BBC's director of news, has sent out the first round of emails inviting staffers in the corporation's news service to take voluntary redundancy.

It is understood that the email has been sent out to all but members of top management and workers in news production, who are subject to a separate review process.

In her note, Boaden explained: "We always do our best to manage job reductions by trying to avoid compulsory redundancies. To help us plan, could you let us know whether you would wish to express an interest in taking redundancy either now or in the next couple of years.

"I should emphasise that at this stage, expressing an interest does not commit you to taking redundancy either now or in the future, nor does it commit the BBC to agreeing to your request for redundancy."

The email asks that staff indicate their intentions by November 19.