BBC Tech Teams Hit With Fresh $50M Round Of Cuts, Including 110 Compulsory Layoffs

BBC Media Tech, the division that powers the UK broadcaster’s online services like iPlayer, has today announced a fresh £37 million ($50M) round of savings after delivering £42M of cuts earlier this year.

Around 110 staff in the unit will face compulsory redundancy, while 35 vacancies will be closed. The BBC expects to make a further 180 Media Tech layoffs through voluntary redundancy, which includes the 150 Deadline reported on last week.

This will not be the last of the cuts, either. Kelly Kowal, the BBC chief operations and portfolio officer, told staff in an email that Media Tech will need to find an additional £23M of savings in early 2027.

The BBC Media Tech cuts follow similar savings announcements in BBC Sport and local radio. Deadline also revealed last week that channel closures are imminent, with insiders expecting BBC Three to be moved online for a second time in a decade.

BBC Media Tech will contribute £102M of savings to the corporation’s overall target of £500M, which the BBC must deliver because of the growing number of Brits who are refusing to pay for the licence fee.

The BBC tech division will embrace AI to reduce costs, according to Kowal. The unit is also expected to focus on fewer products and push more resource into boosting iPlayer. Matt Brittin, the BBC director general, has been candid about the need to improve iPlayer recommendations and user experience.

Kowal told employees: “I want to recognise the uncertainty and worry this news will create, particularly those potentially affected by redundancy or worried about their role. There is no easy way to make these choices, but we will be caring, respectful and considered in how we help people work through their options.”