The BBC will no longer have a dedicated education editor as part of a cost-cutting drive in which 100 jobs are to go across BBC News under a plan that school leaders described as “deeply regrettable”.
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leaders → have → that
BBC staff have been told that the roles of education editor and social affairs editor are to be combined into a single position as part of a round of changes that will save £5.5m.
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that → tell → m.
However, prominent unions and campaigners are saying the reform will dilute scrutiny of two specialisms that are too important to go without a dedicated BBC role.
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that → say → role
In a message to staff seen by the Guardian, Richard Burgess, the director of news content, said he was proposing the change after a review of on-air editor roles.
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he → see → roles
He said the review looked at “audience demand, editorial requirements and how we ensure these roles remain relevant in a changing news environment”.
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roles → say → environment
There will also be no health editor title at the BBC when the current incumbent, Hugh Pym, leaves in the spring.
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incumbent → leave → spring
That job will be incorporated into the role of medical editor, currently held by Fergus Walsh.
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job → incorporate → Walsh
“These are difficult decisions, but I have given the changes careful consideration, taking into account levels of audience interest and editorial demand, as well as how we can work as efficiently as possible across the department,” Burgess said.
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Burgess → give → department
It appears BBC executives have opted to combine the education and social affairs jobs as they attempt to reduce duplication and cut wage costs.
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they → appear → costs
Sources said experienced education and social affairs specialists would remain at the BBC, but others inside the corporation have been left puzzled by a change that will leave the world’s oldest national public service broadcaster without a dedicated education editor.
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that → say → editor
School leaders and teaching unions questioned the move.
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leaders → question → move
“On the face of it, this announcement suggests that the BBC is proposing to dilute leadership of its education coverage,” said James Bowen, the assistant general secretary at the school leaders’ union NAHT.
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Bowen → suggest → union
He urged the BBC to rethink the plan.
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He → urge → plan
He said: “This would be a deeply regrettable move by our national broadcaster, which plays a vital role in shining a light on important issues affecting the education sector and holding the government and Department for Education to account.”
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which → say → account
Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, said the move would “diminish the public’s understanding of education matters in this country”.
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move → say → country
Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, said: “At a time when schools are grappling with rising child poverty, crumbling buildings, teacher shortages and major funding cuts, the public needs to hear from strong public interest reporting in the sector.”
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public → say → sector
Nadra Ahmed, the co-chair of the National Care Association, said she was concerned that the lack of a social affairs editor meant the sector could lose attention at a critical time with the prime minister drawing up social care reforms.
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minister → say → reforms
One BBC insider said combining the education and social affairs editor roles “further erodes our ability to give sufficient coverage to the breadth and depth of two materially distinct topics”.
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combining → say → topics
However, others inside the BBC said the issues of education, social affairs and health all had dedicated teams of journalists that would ensure proper coverage.
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that → say → coverage
A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC remains committed to covering education, and will continue to do so both at editor level, and with its team of expert reporters and producers.”
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BBC → say → reporters
Burgess said that alongside the editor role changes the job requirements of on-air editors would be reviewed to place “greater emphasis” on making an impact on social media and digital platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.
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requirements → say → YouTube
The BBC is making renewed efforts to boost its presence on those platforms as it attempts to reach younger audiences who are increasingly using the sites for news.
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who → make → news
The new head of BBC News, Rachel Jupp, used one of her first memos to staff to tell them that the department’s target of finding £51m in savings could be increased “given the BBC’s financial pressures”.
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target → use → pressures
The Aporia
