The BBC is examining a significant outsourcing drive that could put thousands of jobs at risk as it desperately searches for savings, the Guardian understands.The plans being considered include the offshoring of jobs currently carried out in the UK, with the BBC understood to be talking to US tech giants as potential partners. It is said to include the outsourcing of recommendation algorithms, which direct users to content.There are already significant concerns inside the BBC over the impact the plan could have on UK jobs and its much-lauded scheme to spread roles throughout Britain, as well as the effect it could have on the BBC’s control of its own platforms.The outsourcing programme could lead to job losses at the broadcaster’s hubs in Salford, Glasgow, Newcastle and Cardiff. Departments being looked at for the overhaul include functions within its digital product group, responsible for developing platforms such as News Online, Sport, iPlayer and Sounds, and the finance department.The proposal has been drawn up after advice from external consultants, as Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, searches for ways to cut the corporation’s costs. It comes at a time when the broadcaster is under serious financial pressure, with the licence fee losing a third of its value since 2010. Half a million people also cancelled their licence fee in 2023, as younger audiences move towards YouTube and streamers.There are internal concerns that the plans could lead to a rolling back of the BBC’s much-heralded “across the UK” scheme to move jobs across the country. There has been significant political pressure from the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, to do more to set up various corporation operations outside London.One of the big US technology companies could be involved as potential partners for the outsourced services.Some believe the plans will cut costs for the BBC in the short term, but will leave it without the expertise to make longer-term savings and build its own improvements to platforms like the iPlayer.Insiders are concerned it will leave the BBC tied into contracts that will not be able to adapt amid a rapidly changing media landscape. Others believe recent cuts elsewhere will leave the broadcaster without the procurement, legal or management capacity to properly monitor the contracts.Davie hinted at the plans in a recent keynote speech in the spring, in which he said he was examining “new, major partnerships with the world leading big-tech companies, the hyper scalers”.He said: “We are already working on the media supply chain, the processes behind the scenes that gets content from the camera to screen, from microphone to headphone. This will open up huge creative possibilities. And it will allow us to drive efficiencies and reinvest into world-class content.”The BBC did not deny the plans, but said no firm decisions had been taken. A spokesperson said: “While we wouldn’t comment on any speculation, we have made clear our ambition to innovate and transform, to be able to invest in the content and services audiences love.“To do this, we must accelerate our transformation and take advantage of opportunities in technology or with partners to strengthen our capabilities. Like many organisations, it’s routine to assess different options that could deliver these changes and it would be wrong to suggest decisions have been taken.”There is already growing anger over the proposals. Philippa Childs said the plans ran “totally counter to the growth agenda”. The head of Bectu, the broadcasting union, said: “The suggestion that large functions of the BBC should be outsourced and potentially offshored runs counter to the public interest and is hugely damaging to the unique role the BBC plays in UK PLC.“We are extremely angry that the BBC has been developing these proposals without any discussion with the trade unions and that Bectu has only become aware of the project due to a leak.“It is essential that the BBC makes clear that it is committed to supporting UK jobs. Bectu has consistently argued for fair funding for the BBC, and will continue to do so, but this news plays into the hands of those who want to undermine the BBC and see it shorn of its public service responsibilities.”
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