BBC's flagship current affairs program, Newsnight, set to face reductions as cost-saving measures are implemented.

BBC Two's Newsnight is set to undergo significant changes in order to save money within the corporation's news department. As part of the overhaul, the long-running show will eliminate its dedicated reporters, shorten its run-time by 10 minutes, and no longer feature investigative films. Instead, Newsnight will focus on studio-based debates. In addition, the BBC News at One TV bulletin will be extended to one hour and will now be broadcast from Salford. The BBC intends to allocate more funds towards digital journalism, acknowledging the shift of audiences from TV to online news. These measures are expected to save £7.5m as the corporation faces the challenge of finding £500m in savings due to a two-year freeze on TV license fees combined with the impact of inflation. Over half of Newsnight's 60 jobs will be closed, however, BBC News and Current Affairs CEO Deborah Turness stated that the decision was made in response to the declining audience and to avoid unnecessary duplication. While the show's dedicated reporting team will no longer exist, the new program will feature top reporting talent and experts from across BBC News who will contribute to the discussions and provide their insights. An additional £5m will be allocated to digital initiatives, including streaming, online journalism, and improving the accessibility of in-depth and analytical journalism online. The overall plan is expected to result in a net creation of 20 jobs within BBC News. Acting BBC Chair Dame Elan Closs Stephens emphasized the need for focus and determination in making these cost-saving measures and stated that the challenge ahead is to ensure that a leaner BBC is also a better BBC.