BBC plans to outsource and offshore hundreds of tech roles
The BBC is reported to be the way it can meet robust cost-cutting targets by outsourcing roles in tech and finance.
In response to a Guardian report, hundreds of UK jobs are in danger because the broadcaster seeks price financial savings, which might see work carried out offshore.
The report states that jobs in Salford, Glasgow, Newcastle and Cardiff could possibly be misplaced via the plans. Affected departments embody the BBC’s finance operate and its digital product group, which develops digital platforms like iPlayer.
The BBC is claimed to be in talks with US tech giants, and jobs could possibly be moved offshore.
The BBC wouldn’t touch upon the reported plans, however a spokesperson mentioned: “Like many organisations, it’s routine to evaluate totally different choices that would ship these modifications, and it might be mistaken to counsel choices have been taken.”
The spokesperson added: “We have now made clear our ambition to innovate and rework to have the ability to put money into the content material and providers audiences love. To do that, we should speed up our transformation and make the most of alternatives in know-how or with companions to strengthen our capabilities.”
Remodel via know-how
In a speech in Might, BBC director common Tim Davie mentioned: “We need to rework the BBC via new know-how.”
He described the usage of synthetic intelligence (AI) throughout the broadcaster’s enterprise for instance: “The vast majority of BBC workers are already utilizing AI of their work and we see huge potential as we develop our personal bespoke giant language mannequin, deploying agentic AI capabilities.”
To this finish, he mentioned the organisation was “ new, main partnerships with the world-leading big-tech firms, the hyperscalers”.
“As a part of this, we’re already engaged on the media provide chain, the method behind the scenes that will get content material from the digital camera to display, from microphone to the headphone. This may open up big inventive prospects, and it’ll permit us to drive efficiencies and reinvest into world-class content material,” he added.
Davie additionally mentioned the organisation needs to extend its use of social media platforms. “We need to assist flip the tide by dramatically growing our information presence on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to make sure we’ve got a stronger place amidst the noise,” he mentioned.
“We’re already making progress. We’re the most important information account globally on Instagram, however we need to deploy new know-how and expertise to create extra content material that works on these platforms whereas incentivising hyperlinks to our providers.”
In terms of the finance division, the BBC has used Tata Consultancy Companies (TCS) since 2023, in a contract with the Indian IT big to remodel the finance and payroll operate.
Public sector offshoring
There’s a rising urge for food for public sector organisations, such because the BBC, to offshore work to places equivalent to India to make the most of big low-cost expertise swimming pools.
Chatting with Pc Weekly about TCS’s UK public sector plans final 12 months, Amit Kapur, its UK nation head, mentioned there was “potential, paucity and motion” with “good engagement”.
It’s not simply Indian giants that see the UK public sector as a possibility. Mumbai-headquartered Hexaware mentioned IT suppliers that at present dominate the general public sector had been in its sights, with a altering urge for food for tech inside UK authorities departments and public sector our bodies.
