News Broadcasting
CNBC Asia Pacific upgrades news production facility with Avid Unity
MUMBAI: CNBC Asia Pacific is gearing up for a complete upgradation of its newsrooms and bureaus in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo to a server-based nonlinear production environment. Following an extensive review of various competitive offerings, CNBC has commissioned the Avid Unity for news shared storage media network system by Avid Technology, Inc. as the foundation for its complete end-to-end broadcast environment.
With these cutting edge technological solutions, CNBC will gain access to a range of new capabilities, including direct media ingest and play-to-air with the Avid AirSpeed system, simultaneous real-time editing with Avid NewsCutter Adrenaline, and the Avid Unity for news system for shared storage.
The new workflow will also offer fast access to media material with features such as high-resolution clip browsing in the newsroom as well as segment editing using the soon to be released award-winning Avid iNews Instinct system designed for journalists as a high resolution story composition tool. The all-digital Avid environment will significantly increase news workflow and production capacity and enable the producers and editors at CNBC to handle breaking business, political and world news stories with greater accuracy and ease.
CNBC Asia Pacific president and CEO Alexander P Brown said, “CNBC’s strong reputation has been built on providing the critical tools and information that empower the efforts of successful business leaders. We are confident that the architecture provided by the Avid Unity for News system is solid and reliable and will play a crucial role as CNBC continues to achieve even higher levels of programming excellence.”
CNBC Asia Pacific senior vice president and director of operations Peter Juno said, “This major systems overhaul is a significant investment for us and will dramatically change the way our high-quality business programming is produced. We have been working with Avid for years and are already familiar with the various components and the support we get from them. We look forward to creating a truly digital newsroom environment with the soon-to-be-implemented system.”
“CNBC was looking for a partner that could help them design and implement a system that could increase efficiencies in their fast-paced business news environment. We worked closely with CNBC to design an end-to-end Avid workflow that is tailored to their specific needs. With Avid iNews Instinct, CNBC’s journalists will have a whole new world of creativity and flexibility, right at their desktop,” said Avid Technology (South East Asia) Pte. Ltd vice president Chris Albano.
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
