BBC to officially announce radio & web cuts

The BBC is set to officially announce cuts to its two digital stations – BBC Asian Network and 6 Music, online and imported shows, at a press conference today.

The BBC’s Director-General, Mark Thompson, will admit today that the corporation has become “unsustainably large”. According to The Times, he will lay out the findings of a review of every aspect of the BBC�۪s activities.

He will propose the closure of its two digital stations – BBC Asian Network and 6 Music, shut down half of the BBC website, and slash spending on American imports.

The report was initially expected to be published next Tuesday (9th March) but was brought forward to today after The Times leaked details of the BBC’s biggest changes in its 88-year history.

Thompson will set out the plans to staff, in a presentation at Television Centre at 09:30, followed by a media conference at 11:00.

Since Friday, the BBC has received nearly 2,500 complaints about plans to close the two radio stations. Yesterday it was reported that 6 Music’s “closure” sparked majority of the complaints, with the BBC Asian Network obtaining around 100 only.

Keep it with BizAsia.co.uk for the newsbreak from this morning.