BBC to axe 100 top jobs in drive to slash costs

The BBC is to cull more than 100 top management posts in a cost-cutting drive aimed at making savings of almost £20m (€22m).

The move will see the current total pay bill for more than 600 bosses, including director general Mark Thompson, reduced by 25% over the next three and-a-half years.

The BBC Trust said today that it has agreed to proposals put forward by the BBC executive, which will affect 634 senior managers and nine members of the executive board.

The restructuring plans involve cutting the total senior management numbers by 18% over the period up to the end of July 2013.

The Trust has also endorsed a new pay strategy for senior managers joining the BBC and agreed to proposals to freeze the pay of executive directors for a further three years, making a four-year freeze in all. The freeze will also apply to Mr Thompson’s salary.