BBC to close half its website, cut radio stations

BBC director general Mark Thompson will announce a cut in its website pages by half, backed by a 25 percent cut in staff and budget.

LONDON, February 26, 2010 (AFP) - The BBC is to close down half its website, cut spending on imported American programmes and close two radio stations in an admission it has become too large, a newspaper reported Friday.

In a strategic review to be unveiled next month, The Times said the corporation will concede it must give space to its commercial rivals which have been hard hit by an advertising downturn during the recession.

The British Broadcasting Corporation, funded by the licence fee levied on all those in Britain who own a television, regularly comes under fire from rivals and other critics for its alleged unfair dominance.

BBC director general Mark Thompson will announce a cut in its website pages by half, backed by a 25 percent cut in staff and budget, said the paper.

It will further close digital radio stations 6 Music and Asian Network and close outlets that target the teenage market, leaving the area free for rivals.

And it will order its commercial subsidiary BBC Worldwide to focus on activities overseas and get rid of its British magazines arm.

The report, which is being considered by the BBC's governing body, will be seen as an attempt to show a future Conservative government the corporation does not need outside intervention to solve its problems, said The Times.

The Conservative party, tipped to win the next general election and traditionally more hostile towards the BBC than the current Labour administration, is expected to freeze the licence fee.

The BBC review comes as all media are struggling to adapt to rapidly changing technology and markets, and some -- notably Rupert Murdoch's News Corp -- are pledging to end the era of free news online.