Newsnight ‘could be axed’ as BBC bosses battle to save £500million
The BBC's flagship current affairs programme Newsnight faces potential closure as the corporation tries to save £500million over the next three years, according to sources cited in reports. Staff on the 40-year-old show fear it could be axed by the end of next year as the BBC shifts its focus towards social media output and its iPlayer streaming service, with new director-general Matt Brittin reportedly telling staff that success is now judged "down to clicks".
Newsnight's overall headcount has fallen from 57 to 23 following cuts including the loss of its special investigations unit, and its production was merged with Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg in June as part of wider job losses that saw 550 roles cut across the broadcaster. Since launching in 1980, the programme has been fronted by presenters including Jeremy Paxman, Kirsty Wark and now Victoria Derbyshire, and produced notable moments such as Emily Maitlis's 2019 interview with Prince Andrew about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. A BBC spokesperson defended the programme's recent performance, noting it has grown its audience, won an RTS award and is being moved to a peak-time Friday slot on BBC Two, while confirming BBC News will contribute to the corporation's overall savings target.
- Newsnight could be axed as BBC seeks £500m savings
- Staff fear cuts amid shift to social media and iPlayer focus
- BBC says show is thriving and moving to a peak Friday slot
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Newsnight is the BBC's long-running current affairs programme, first broadcast in 1980, known for in-depth political interviews and investigative journalism. It has been presented over the years by well-known broadcasters including Jeremy Paxman and Kirsty Wark, and is currently fronted by Victoria Derbyshire. It airs on BBC Two and has covered major political moments, including Emily Maitlis's 2019 interview with Prince Andrew.
The programme is now caught up in a much wider cost-cutting drive at the BBC, which is trying to save £500million over the next three years as part of a shift towards online and on-demand content such as iPlayer and social media. This has already led to hundreds of job losses across BBC News, and Newsnight's own staffing has been significantly reduced in recent years, with its production recently merged with another current affairs show.
The BBC has not confirmed that Newsnight will close, and has pointed to recent positive signs for the programme, including audience growth and a planned move to a new weekly time slot. The story matters because it touches on broader questions about the future of traditional television journalism at a public broadcaster funded by the licence fee, and how it balances long-form current affairs coverage against the pressure to reach audiences through digital platforms.
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