BBC director-general: Cuts ‘may well mean’ some services will be shut down

BBC Director-General Matt Brittin is signaling that the broadcaster could close television and radio networks as part of a wider effort to cut costs and shift more of its programming toward digital platforms.

Brittin said the BBC’s plan to save £500 million, about $662 million, “may well mean” shutting some services, according to comments made for an upcoming edition of “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.”

News of his comments was reported by Deadline based off clips that BBC released ahead of the airdate.

“We wouldn’t guarantee any program or any channel will exist forever,” Brittin said. “The tight financial situation means that we’re having to look at some of those decisions a bit sooner than we might like.”

His comments come amid reports that the BBC could announce closures of television and radio networks as early as next week. BBC Three has been cited in speculation surrounding the cuts, although no decisions about the network have been confirmed.

Brittin, a former Google executive, framed the potential changes as part of the BBC’s effort to adjust to changing viewing habits.

“We might have some channels and services where maybe 100,000 people are watching the broadcast service, but 500,000 are getting those programs on iPlayer,” Brittin said. “When’s the right time to migrate that service fully to being on demand?”

He said the broadcaster has a responsibility to ensure the license fee provides value while reaching audiences on the platforms they increasingly use.

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The £500 million savings target comes on top of a previous £1.5 billion cost-cutting effort by the broadcaster.

The financial pressure comes as the BBC faces a widening gap between the number of people who use its services and those who pay the annual license fee. The BBC says about 94% of the United Kingdom population uses its services each month, while fewer than 80% pay the £180 annual fee.