BBC "to mattock air wave stations and separate website" in vital examination Media The Guardian

BBC executive ubiquitous Mark Thompson. Photograph: Richard Saker

The BBC plans to mattock dual air wave ­stations – 6 Music and Asian Network – cut spending on alien shows and separate the distance of the website, it is claimed today. The Times says the measures are piece of the BBC"s vital examination to be denounced subsequent month. Under the plan, the BBC intends to cringe altogether services and concentration some-more on peculiarity over quantity. There have already been reports suggesting that the BBC will mattock the digital air wave stations 6 Music and Asian Network.

Quoting BBC Trust sources, the journal states that the BBC executive general, Mark Thompson, is additionally being pushed to condense the bill for alien shows such as Mad Men and Heroes by a third.

Thompson reportedly will additionally deliver a top on spending on promote rights for sports events of 8.5% of the looseness fee, or about £300m.

The Times says the BBC"s web pages are to be halved, corroborated by a 25% cut in staff numbers. The web operation"s £112m bill will additionally be cut by 25%. It additionally plans to embody some-more links to journal articles to expostulate trade to the websites of opposition publishers.

In Nov Thompson hinted at a duration of retrenchment for the BBC, that is saved by the £3.6bn annual looseness fee. He pronounced afterwards he was seeking at slicing a little of the BBC"s digital air wave and air wave services after the equivalent term TV vigilance is switched off in 2012.

He additionally lifted the awaiting of "reductions in a little kinds of programmes and content" together with a see at the "current range of the website". He betrothed that, after the switchover, a higher suit of the looseness price would be outlayed on "original British content".

The Times reports that the BBC2 bill will be increased by £25m and the channel will be destined to go upmarket. This will be saved by 25% rebate in the corporation"s bill of £100m for unfamiliar acquisitions.

A mouthpiece for the BBC pronounced last night she would not criticism on "speculation".