The BBC say the cuts are part of a modernisation plan to save £80million
But it previously said all senior leadership groups should have at least two staff members from minority ethnic backgrounds and this will break that guideline
Ahmed s role was created by Unsworth in 2018 and she said she was thrilled he was joining her top team
BBC culls news board amid plans to ‘modernise’ February 10, 2021, 3:29 pm
The broadcaster said it was ‘restructuring’ the board as part of ‘plans to modernise BBC News’ (Ian West/PA)
The BBC has culled its news board amid cuts and job losses in the division and an £80 million savings plan.
Five posts, including that held by its editorial director Kamal Ahmed, will be closed.
The broadcaster said it was “restructuring” the board as part of “plans to modernise BBC News”.
The slimmed-down board will remain headed by director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth.
Fran Unsworth announced the changes (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
Five posts, including that held by its editorial director Kamal Ahmed, will be closed.
The broadcaster said it was “restructuring” the board as part of “plans to modernise BBC News”.
The slimmed-down board will remain headed by director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth.
Fran Unsworth announced the changes (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
Ahmed’s role as editorial director included overseeing Question Time and he is paid around £205,000.
Gavin Allen’s £180,000 role as head of news output, overseeing the likes of Radio 4’s Today programme, News at Six and Ten and the now-axed Victoria Derbyshire show, will also be closed.
BBC News Group Board has made role of its most senior BAME news executive redundant
10 February 2021 • 7:27pm
An email signed by dozens of BBC staff was understood to have been sent to Tim Davie protesting at Kamal Ahmed s removal
Credit: Massimiliano Donati/Getty
The BBC is facing a backlash after making the role of its most senior BAME news executive redundant, and appointing an all-white board in contravention of the corporation’s diversity rules.
Kamal Ahmed, once tipped as a future director-general, has lost his job as part of plans to “modernise” BBC News.
The BBC News Group board has been cut from 11 to eight. Those who have survived the restructure include Jonathan Munro, the executive responsible – along with Fran Unsworth, director of news and current affairs – for the BBC’s disastrous coverage of the police raid on Sir Cliff Richard’s home.
January 24, 2021
At some point, the media will have to face its complicity in the silence while our democracy and the rights of our people were being chipped away at
B
Sairbeen, which had been airing on
Aaj TV since 2014 was taken off the air recently. Jamie Angus, the
BBC World Service director, cited “interference in [the] news bulletins since October 2020”, which “represents a serious breach of trust with audiences.” Since
Aaj was unable to “facilitate returning the programme to air” and “despite efforts in good faith on both sides,” the partnership was terminated on January 15, 2021. According to
BBC Urdu management,