It’s no secret that the television industry is hurting something fierce. The major American networks, NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox, are all struggling. Terrestrial television viewing has dropped off substantially, and the cost of programming has caused cancellations to abound. “Cord-cutting” is on the rise, and it’s not just here in the States. England’s premier broadcasting network, the BBC, is also struggling. It’s even harder for them being a government-funded channel. The new boss of the broadcaster, Matt Brittin, knows this and is planning some major cutbacks.
Swinging the Axe
You know it’s not a good sign when Brittin issued a memo stating, “We live in very uncertain times.” A leaked email stated that the agency would need to save about £500 million over the next two years. The extent of the cuts will start with at least 550 jobs being lost. In addition, £80 million in content spending will take place over the next two years. Reports indicate, though, that the BBC job cuts are going to end up around the range of 2,000. The impact on content creation and production is going to be profound. Analysts state that this is going to be the biggest cut in 15 years. That would go back to the years following the Great Recession.
The BBC is a huge deal in British television. It, along with its production company, BBC Studios, has brought us Doctor Who, Sherlock, Killing Eve, The Thick of It, and so many others. Its programming is the reason why we have a BBC America and not a Channel 4 or Dave alternative on this side of the pond. Matt Brittin is a former Google executive, meaning he brings with him all the artistic prowess of a Google executive. That is to say, this is what happens when you let a tech bro run a media enterprise. He was likely brought in for the purpose of cutting costs and not creating more attractive programming.
An Uncertain Future
This is the kind of news that will have ripple effects in the months and years to come. We’ll continue to update you to let you know what happens.
