As Matt Brittin begins his tenure as the BBC’s 18th director general, he warned staff in an inaugural memo that “tough choices are unavoidable” as the British broadcaster plans for dramatic spending cuts.
Brittin, a former Google executive who started in the role on Monday, told staff that he has spent the last few weeks meeting with several BBC teams to get a sense of the service’s impact. To him, he wrote, it reflected “how far the BBC’s impact goes beyond our own output and shores.”
“Today, the BBC has never been more needed – on the side of the audience as their most trusted news provider, the cornerstone of our creative economy, and a force that brings people together,” Brittin wrote in a memo obtained by TheWrap. “I know we face very real challenges, but at a time of flux and uncertainty, people here and around the world need us to meet the moment with courage and vision.”
The memo came after the BBC said last month it would seek to cut up to 2,000 jobs, or roughly 10% of its total headcount, to save about $679 million (£500 million) from its $6.79 billion (£5 billion) in operating costs. The cuts would be the largest slashing at the broadcaster in years after confirming last year it would cut $130 million in costs, including through layoffs.
Brittin wrote that he wants the service to move with “velocity and clarity” as it navigates the challenges. He said three priorities will be pillars of his tenure: making the case for the BBC as it seeks to secure a new Royal Charter contract, maintaining its “editorial excellence” and increasing its velocity.
“Excellence at the BBC has always been founded on great, creative storytelling and brilliant, independent journalism,” he wrote. “Today it also means making sure we get the right stories in the right formats on the right platforms.”
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