BBC responds to Asian Network news plans: “No decision has been made”

After BizAsiaLive.com reported on the changes being considered for the BBC Asian Network’s news output, the BBC has told us that “No decision has yet been made”.

It was revealed yesterday in the BBC Annual Plan 2019/2020 that it plans to replace Asian Network’s news bulletins with a service from Radio 1’s ‘Newsbeat’. Since then, BizAsiaLive.com understands that there has been outcry from news staff at the national station.

Matthew Moore, Media Correspondent, The Times tweeted, “Asian Network News staff were apparently stunned to read in BBC’s annual plan that they were being replaced. No-one had told them…Perhaps not an overly reassuring message for Asian Network staff worried about their jobs…”

A BBC spokesperson told BizAsiaLive.com, “The Annual Plan sets out areas where changes are being considered – this is an early proposal but no decision has been made and it will be subject to discussion. It’s a priority for the BBC to reach new and younger audiences, so it’s natural we’d want to look at how stations focused on young audiences can learn from each other.”