BBC director general Matt Brittin says he was not aware of 'severity' of cuts
BBC Director-General Matt Brittin stated he was unaware of the severity of the cuts needed at the corporation when he took the role, despite savings targets of £160m by 2028-29 and an expected 2,000 job cuts. Brittin, formerly of Google, also criticized the BBC for being "inward looking" and risk-averse, while acknowledging challenges from changing consumer behavior and AI.
Why it matters
This reveals internal challenges and strategic directions for a major public broadcaster, impacting its future content, workforce, and ability to compete in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Annabel Rackham Culture reporter Getty Images BBC director-general Matt Brittin says he wasn't aware of the "severity" of cuts needed at the corporation BBC director-general Matt Brittin has said he was not aware of the severity of the cuts the corporation needed to make when he took on his role.
Savings targets were announced in June, with planned cuts across news, nations and content divisions to deliver £160m of £500m in savings by the 2028-29 financial year.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday, Brittin said: "On the financial side, I knew that cuts had been announced and that savings had been announced, but I hadn't really understood the severity."
There are expected to be around 2,000 jobs cut as part of the process.
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