BBC Axes The World Tonight After 50 Years — News Today
Radio 4’s The World Tonight will be axed after more than 50 years, and news today for listeners is a replacement format from next April. The 45-minute weekday evening programme will give way to a news bulletin and a simulcast of the World Service programme Newshour.
The closure sits inside the ’s first round of sweeping cuts, which the corporation says are aimed at trimming £500m over the next three years. Matt Brittin sent a morning note to staff saying the would review its broadcast TV channels and radio network portfolio as audiences move online.
Matt Brittin’s cuts
The scale goes beyond one programme. The is aiming to cut as many as 2,000 jobs, and some of those losses could be compulsory redundancies. By the end of the 2027-28 financial year, the corporation says up to 150 fewer hours of programmes will be commissioned.
That reduction has a practical effect for staff and listeners at the same time. The says between 350 and 400 hours of audio content would be cut by the end of the next financial year, while about 700 roles are expected to go across its corporate divisions. It also plans to cut 10% of senior leaders.
Radio 4 schedule changes
The World Tonight launched in 1970. Robin Lustig, who presented it for more than 20 years, said he was “deeply saddened” by the decision. He said, “The World Tonight has a long and honourable tradition as an award-winning, outward-looking, forward-thinking news programme, which I am proud to have been associated with for more than 20 years.”
Lustig added, “It has been in management’s sights for quite a while, so the decision comes as no surprise.” He also said, “At a time of snap judgments and widely disseminated disinformation, it is, if anything, more needed than ever before, I hope the doesn’t come to regret its decision.”
Today and Newsnight changes
Other Radio 4 programmes are also being removed, including Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show and Crossing Continents. Amol Rajan will not be replaced as presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme, and the main presenting roster will be reduced to four.
The is also changing its television and current-affairs output. The Sunday morning edition of Breakfast will be scrapped from September, and the production teams for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and Newsnight will be merged.
For listeners and staff, the immediate change is narrow but the wider cut is not. The World Tonight ends, the replacement starts next April, and the ’s savings drive is still working through its programme list and workforce.
