100 face axe in BBC restructure

The BBC’s new marketing chief Matthew Bannister is expected to reveal his new structure for marketing and communications at the corporation, which could result in more than 100 redundancies.

It is understood that Bannister favours pooling marketers and researchers within the marketing and communications directorate into attitudinal groups. They would be called upon to look at how proposed new programmes satisfy particular audience attitudes labelled “mainstream”, “traditional”, “young” and “nations”.

There will be no open interviews for posts within the new look directorate which has a head count of about 450 staff. Director of marketing and communications Bannister will be making the key appointments.

Under the proposed new structure, “mainstream” programming will appear on BBC1 and “traditional” content will be placed on BBC2. Programmes targeting the “young” will appear mainly on Choice and content appealing to the “nations” will be part of the regional output.

Directors of particular genres such as drama, entertainment, and children; nations and regions; and news will be expected to put new programme ideas through one of the attitudinal research and marketing groups before they are given the all-clear.

Marketers within the department are understood to be concerned about the proposals.

The BBC was unavailable for comment as Marketing Week went to press.