Fifty jobs could go as part of ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Wales cuts
- Published
Up to 50 jobs could go in Wales as the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ implements budget cuts, starting in 2025.
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Wales said cuts will come from 746 staff members, with 25 to 30 editorial and production roles, and 20 jobs in the operations department set to go.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) called for urgent reconsideration of the cuts saying it would "further hollow out local news provision".
βΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Wales, like the rest of the corporation is having to make savings to achieve the overall target set out by the director general in March," ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Cymru Wales director Rhuanedd Richards said in a statement.
- Published26 March
- Published26 March
- Published18 January 2022
"These savings are necessary to ensure the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ operates within its means and address the changing nature of production methods and commissioning in an ever evolving industry.
βWhile acknowledging the challenges, our creative ambition continues, to ensure value from the licence fee and that we adapt to the changing needs of audiences in Wales.
"This means investing in more content from Wales for our online services; ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ iPlayer, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Sounds, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ News online and ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ sport online."
The job cuts are part of Β£200m in saving measures, originally announced for next year by the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ's director general Tim Davie in March.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: βComing on the back of a painful cull across ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Local, these latest cuts across its regions and nations will further hollow out local news provision at a time when resources are stretched to breaking point."
Laura Davison, senior organiser, added: "Licence fee freezes, making the corporation fund free licences for the over-75s, and subsequent small increases have left the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ in a perilous state."
A voluntary redundancy exercise will begin shortly, a ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Wales spokesperson said.
Heledd Fychan, Plaid Cymru member of the Senedd for South Wales Central, said the cuts were "extremely worrying".
"The ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ is an important employer here in Wales, and produces quality content," she said.
"Many will be concerned that the cuts will add to the democratic deficit that already exists in Wales."