Insiders at the BBC have slammed the organisation for spending up to £10 million on a new ‘curvy’ studio, despite fears that a merger of its news channels could result in the loss of 100 jobs.
The freshly remodeled studio, which has a curved catwalk and a giant vertical screen to display social media messages, was held a closely guarded secret for months before being revealed last week.
According to The Times, the BBC spent money on the makeover before deciding to merge its UK and international news stations.
The merger is expected to result in layoffs, and some insiders are unhappy over the ‘obscene’ cost of the new studio.
The backdrop ‘will be on broadcast for three half-hour bulletins a day,’ according to a source, while the rolling news stations face severe cuts.
The backdrop, dubbed ‘Studio B,’ will be used for BBC News at 6 and 10 p.m., as well as London bulletins. Later this year, it will air live election coverage as well as Laura Kuenssberg’s new Sunday morning politics show.
The exact sum spent for Studio B is unknown, and the BBC has not verified it.
It was formerly estimated to cost £5 million, but The Times just claimed that the cost is now £10 million, while Private Eye estimates it to cost £15 million.
During a video tour, presenter Huw Edwards said it will give stories more impact, while Jonathan Munro, interim head of news, said it was the ‘first big overhaul’ in a decade.
Supporters of the proposal point out that the New Broadcasting House in London hasn’t undergone an upgrade in over a decade and believe that the scheme is long-term value for money.
Swedish news channel Expressen TV is said to have inspired BBC management. It was founded by a newspaper and has won accolades for its video coverage. Its presenters are expected to be live on television within three minutes of a breaking story.
Reporters, on the other hand, are still unsure how the merger of BBC News and BBC World News into a single 24-hour operation would affect them.
There are fears that up to half of the channels’ 200 employees, including presenters, would be laid off.
The planned plans involve modifications to the BBC’s content and services, which the corporation claims will save £500 million in the first phase.
After Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries stated that the licence price would be frozen for the next two years before being phased out by 2027, the corporation will need to save an additional £285 million.
The BBC has announced that it will remove up to 1,000 jobs from the public-funded section of the corporation over the next five years as part of its plans to become a “digital first” broadcaster.
Radio 4 Extra may only be available on the BBC Sounds service, while BBC Four and CBBC are scheduled to go online to the iPlayer.
South Today in Oxford and Look East in Cambridge are among the regional TV news programs being phased down as part of the ‘blueprint to develop a digital-first public service media organization.’