BBC announces cost-cutting drive; unions threaten strikes
LONDON The British Broadcasting Corporation has announced a major cost-cutting move, eliminating about 29-hundred jobs or more than a-tenth of its work force. The announcement touched off a strike threat by unions representing B-B-C workers.
The B-B-C announcement says 25-hundred jobs will be cut in human resources, finance, marketing, training, legal services and other departments that do not make programs. Another 400 posts will be cut in the corporation's factual and learning departments.
Company officials also announced that some 18-hundred workers, including staff of the B-B-C's 24-hour radio news channel, will be moved to a new regional center in Manchester within five years.
The corporation says its goal is to double profits for B-B-C Worldwide, the company's commercial arm, and cutting costs by 15 percent in broadcast, new media and news divisions.
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