The BBC is to cut 65 jobs in its radio division, the director of BBC Radio Helen Boaden told staff yesterday. BBC Radio needs to save £38m by 2016/17 as part of the £800m cost-cutting measures required by the BBC savings programme Delivering Quality First (DQF). It's hoped the changes, which focus on re-organising staff, will have minimal impact on audiences. However, the BBC admits that the savings target is so big, on air changes are inevitable. Steve Hewlett discusses the details with radio critic Gillian Reynolds, former controller of Radio 4 Mark Damazer, and CEO of the Radio Academy and former head of BBC Radio Strategy, Paul Robinson.
Free copies of the Sun will be sent out to millions of home tomorrow to coincide with the start of the World Cup. The promotional issues will be distributed throughout England, with the exception of Liverpool, where the paper remains controversial over its coverage of the Hillsborough tragedy. However, postal workers in some surrounding areas are now also refusing to deliver the publication. In addition, some residents say they don't want it delivered to them. Steve Hewlett talks to Labour MP for West Lancashire Rosie Cooper about the feelings of locals towards the paper, and Stig Abell, Managing Editor of the Sun, about whether they've failed to read the public mood in deciding to distribute in the North West.
And the recently departed editor of The Oldie, Richard Ingrams, talks to Steve Hewlett about what happens to the publication now he's left, his views on the newly appointed editor, and his reasons behind an ever declining magazine industry.
Producer: Katy Takatsuki.
