News Broadcasting
New Zealand eager for BBC content
MUMBAI: Broadcasters in New Zealand have snapped up more than 130 hours of BBC factual and drama programming. At Mipcom BBC Worldwide concluded several deals by in the region.
TVNZ has licensed more than 95 hours of programming, including the pre-sale of the BBC series, Auschwitz . Combining rare archive material, exclusive interviews, dramatic reconstruction and CGI illustrations of the camp, the story of Auschwitz unfolds as never before seen on television.
Also licensed is Space Odyssey -Voyage to the Planets , which reveals the danger and spectacle of what it would be like for astronauts to explore other planets in the solar system, and Time Machine.
Further factual programming comes with Dangerous Passions, which explores the titanic forces of lust, jealousy and rage which lurk within us all. Also included in the package is Massive Nature a BBC/Animal Planet co-production.
Meanwhile Prime Television will air BBC drama. Mark Strong plays Harry Starks, the only crime boss in Swinging London who really matters, in The Long Firm. This is a retrospective tale of criminality set between the 60’s and the 80’s.
In The Murder Room Martin Shaw returns as detective Adam Dalgliesh in this P D James adaptation. Prime has also licensed factual programming, including The Truth About Killer Dinosaurs. This contains CGI animation by the wizards behind the Harry Potter films, and Nile the BBC/Discovery Channel co-production, which tells the fascinating story behind the longest river in the world.
BBC Worldwide has also sold factual programming to TV3
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.
