BBC Sport staff have been told that 41 jobs have been scrapped as part of a cost-cutting drive across the corporation.
Daily Mail Sport understands that figure includes the job of seven journalists – including four senior roles.
Sports bulletins on the 24-hour BBC News channel will also be lost as part of the drive to save money, staff were told on Wednesday morning.
The impending cuts – as reported by Daily Mail Sport on Sunday – are likely to mean some staff have to reapply for their jobs, with some considering strike action.
Ski Sunday, fronted by Chemmy Alcott, has already fallen victim to BBC Sport cost-cutting
Earlier today, a group of producers from the team responsible for sourcing sports stories were told their numbers were being cut from 15 to 11. Sources have confirmed that employees were told in their afternoon summit at BBC Sport’s HQ at Media City in Salford that 41 roles will be removed. Five new positions will also be created. That leaves a loss of 36 jobs in total.
While that could lead to compulsory exits, Beeb insiders pointed out that a second voluntary redundancy window is now open, and they will be seeking to make up as many of those losses via that avenue. It is said that some staff members were emotional at the summit.
One insider said: ‘This is the systematic dismantling of TV sports news at the BBC as we know it.’
Daily Mail Sport understands the staff were also told that they will not be able to work four-day weeks and will instead all be expected to work across five days.
The prevailing view among staff is that they already work 40 hours across those four days and that the demand is evidence that chiefs do not understand how television operates.
There is also understood to be some upset within the department that decisions are being made now amid a belief that discussions with BBC director general Matt Brittin, who started in the role in May, are due in the next fortnight.
The news of cuts and programme losses come with director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski having already overseen a programme of change, with dozens of redundancies made last year.
Earlier this month, the BBC announced it was to axe Ski Sunday while it came in for criticism for not building a studio in North America for the summer’s World Cup.
A series of events have been dropped, including the Commonwealth Games, the Boat Race and the Rugby League World Cup. Football Focus was also canned at the end of last season.
