The call, hosted by Radio 4 Today presenter Anna Foster, was dominated by questions about the fairness of the BBC’s plan to cut up to 2,000 jobs. One staff member described the BBC as “an incredibly top-heavy organisation” and said “All the ‘doers’ are getting cut.” Another referenced a recent Guardian article on low morale and asked how executives intended to tackle it during the financial crisis.
Criticism also focused on the decision to reverse job promises made to a cohort of BBC apprentices who now face redundancy. “I don’t want to hear about savings when bosses get huge salaries,” one employee said.
Brittin disputed the narrative of low morale, saying: “I don’t dismiss the impact of uncertainty on everybody, but we also have a really powerful, motivated staff and I don’t think that narrative applies to everyone.” He added that the BBC needed to be “a bit more Elvis – a little less conversation, a little more action”.
Deputy director general Rhodri Talfan Davies told the meeting that senior roles would also be affected. “We are expecting changes at all levels of the organisation. So there isn’t a cohort of senior leaders that are excluded from this process,” he said, predicting that the steepest reductions would be seen at senior levels.
Brittin also used the meeting to outline plans to overhaul the iPlayer platform, including an AI feature called “Iggy” that can deliver recommended content. He said he wanted the public to think “iPlayer and chill”.
The Guardian understands that the linear TV channels BBC Three and BBC Scotland will be closed as part of the cost-saving measures. Cuts have already been announced across news, local content, and the media tech division, with further announcements expected in coming days.