Hang on theres much more to this than closing down 6 music - on first reading it sounds stupid ?
They are closing down a few radio stations , cutting their website back , cutting back on buying foregin shows , cutting back on bidding for sports events and cutting back on their youth productions
I love this quote
Quote:
"He will also pledge to close BBC Switch and Blast!, leaving the lucrative teenage market to ITV and Channel 4."
So while as far as i can tell the Beeb *do* actually produce and fund youth and teen shows and the other channels just buy in american stuff they are going to pull out and expect the other channels to actually start investing in it ?
It really sounds like they have decided the Tories are going to win the next election and rip into the Beeb so they are going to do it first - ha ha - i'll tear it all down before you get the chance to
And their own website says they are silient on the rumors :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8538130.stmQuote:
BBC silent over downsizing claims
The BBC has refused to comment on reports it is to close two radio stations and scale back its web presence to make £600m in savings.
BBC Asian Network and 6 Music will be closed under the proposals, according to a report in The Times.
The Times claims the measures are part of a plan, due to be made public next month, to reduce the BBC's services and focus on quality over quantity.
A spokeswoman for the corporation said she would not comment on "speculation".
The Times claims the report is currently being considered by the BBC Trust, the corporation's governing body.
It allegedly involves a wide-ranging series of cuts that will make £600m available for higher quality programming.
Savings will reportedly be made by limiting spending on rights to sporting events and reducing the money spent on imported TV shows.
The BBC Switch and Blast! websites are also to be closed as part of a larger reduction in the BBC's web presence, the newspaper alleges.
The claims follow a National Audit Office report criticising the corporation over its programme of major new building works.
The "wide-ranging strategic review" at the centre of the Times claims has reportedly been drawn up by John Tate, the BBC's director of policy and strategy.
The Times claims it is an attempt to forestall Conservative plans to scale back BBC operations should they win the general election.
It says the BBC's budget for foreign acquisitions, which currently stands at £100m, will be cut by a quarter.
This could mean the end of such US TV shows as Heroes, Mad Men and The Wire on BBC channels.
The BBC's website budget, which currently stands at £112m, will also be cut by 25 per cent.
The Times says this will be achieved by halving the number of web pages and reducing its staff by a quarter.
BBC Worldwide will be ordered to divest itself of its British magazine publishing arm, the newspaper continues.
If approved, this could see the Radio Times, Top Gear magazine and other publications put out to tender.