Pact, Bectu call for clarity on BBC channel closures, future commissioning

The BBC is looking to make savings of £500m by 2028

UK producers’ trade body Pact and broadcasting union Bectu have responded to the BBC’s confirmation that it will close the linear services of BBC Three, BBC Scotland and Radio 4 Extra in spring 2027, calling for clarity on funding and commissioning.

Philippa Childs

The BBC said the changes are part of its drive to make savings of £500m by 2028. BBC Three commissions will move to iPlayer and other platforms, including YouTube, while BBC Scotland will remain a channel on iPlayer and its content will also be available on BBC One and BBC Two in Scotland.

The closure of BBC Scotland will see the loss of about 10 posts, in addition to the axing of 60 roles already announced by BBC Scotland earlier this year. A consultation period has begun with impacted teams and unions. As part of the changes, BBC Two in Scotland will be reconfigured to enable the BBC to deliver Scotland-only programming.

The BBC is looking to cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs – almost 10% of the workforce – in an attempt to save £500m over two years. Around 550 job closures have already been announced in BBC News, while more than 30 job cuts have so far been announced for BBC Sport.

Responding to today’s announcement, Pact said it underlines the need for the government to set out plans for a sustainable funding model for the BBC “to help end the current uncertainty”. It said the changes must be transparent about any redirected funding and how it will support the wider production sector, and that producers need clarity on the commissioning opportunities BBC Three will continue to provide on iPlayer and other platforms. “We need assurance that they represent an equivalent level of investment and opportunity,” it said.

Matt Brittin

On BBC Scotland, Pact said the closure “inevitably raises questions about the future of Scotland-specific commissioning”. It said the BBC must be transparent about the impact on local and network commissioning, and must ensure that Scotland continues to receive meaningful investment and representation.

Pact also raised concerns about the BBC’s digital-first commissioning strategy. It said the shift could “inadvertently lead to more producers losing their rights and becoming work for hire”, and that any transition must not come at the expense of the intellectual property framework underpinning the independent production sector.

Bectu head Philipa Childs said the announcement risks lasting damage to the corporation and its staff. “The announcement today of further cuts to programmes and channels is in danger of causing irreparable damage to the BBC and will do yet more harm to the morale of its employees,” she said.

She called for charter renewal to put the BBC’s funding on a secure, long-term footing. “The sooner the discussions about the future funding model are concluded the better,” she said. Childs is due to step down from her post in January.

In a note to staff earlier today, director-general Matt Brittin said: “We need to make every pound work harder for audiences as we respond to the immediate cost pressures and reinvent the BBC for a changing world. We all know that means tough choices.”

On the channel closures, he said: “Much of the great content they currently carry will still be found where audiences already enjoy it, on iPlayer and Sounds. While this follows media speculation, I recognise the confirmation of this news will be hard for audiences and colleagues.”

The BBC’s cost-cutting drive has also seen several prigrammes axed. Those already cancelled including Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, Football Focus, Ski Sunday and Live At The Apollo, and DIY SOS has been “rested,” the corporation said, in favour of a lower cost version based on existing footage.