No closures in BBC local radio, Mark Thompson tells staff

Local radio stations and television regions will not be closed as part of the BBC's Delivering Quality First review, director general Mark Thompson has told staff.

In an email sent yesterday Thompson also insisted that there will be no full or part merger of local radio and Radio 5Live, as has been speculated in the press.

Earlier this year the National Union of Journalists claimed the BBC was planning to scrap parts of its local radio service and replace with content from Radio 5 Live, putting up to 700 jobs at risk.

This week Thompson said while other service closures have not been ruled out "the work so far suggests there's a smarter way of making savings".

Thompson also sought to reassure staff that the broadcaster would not be removing BBC Parliament from Freeview and will not be privatising BBC Worldwide.

"Inevitably the financial challenge we face will mean post closures over the period to 2016 and I appreciate it's important to end the uncertainty as soon as we can.

"I expect percentage job losses to be relatively higher in non content areas and among senior managers, and lower in content areas but this picture will vary across the BBC and over time.

"As always, where possible, we will seek to implement this through turnover, redeployment and voluntary redundancy. We expect the total job losses to be lower than some of the wild numbers I've seen in the press."

The final proposals for the BBC's Delivering Quality First review are due to be presented to the BBC Trust in September.

"I am confident that the proposals we are discussing are true to the spirit of Putting Quality First, the strategy for the BBC we agreed with the Trust last year," he added.

"The proposals see the BBC focusing its investment on the five editorial priorities; the best journalism in the world, inspiring knowledge music and culture, ambitious UK drama and comedy; outstanding children's content and events that bring communities and the nation together".

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