Staff clash with BBC over proposals to axe Birmingham's Asian Network

The BBC is on a collision course with its staff after confirming controversial plans to axe two radio stations and slash spending on its website.

Union leaders said the move threatened up to 600 jobs and warned of strikes to fight any compulsory redundancies.

Hundreds of BBC staff listened in dismay as Director-General Mark Thompson outlined plans to close 6 Music and Birmingham’s Asian Network despite campaigns by the public and celebrities to keep them open.

Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said: “In confirming these proposals today, Mark Thompson has put BBC management on a collision course not just with us and the hundreds of BBC staff who face losing their jobs, but with licence fee payers up and down the country.

“Public outrage at the proposed cuts has been overwhelming. A ‘Save BBC6 Music’ Facebook group has gained almost 90,000 members in just a few days and group members have appealed to us and other BBC unions to organise a joint demonstration.

“We’ve seen an increase in requests for membership from BBC staff right across the country.”

Union leaders will meet Mr Thompson today (Wednesday) and will tell him they will oppose the cuts.

The BBC outlined plans to divert nearly £600 million a year to higher quality content in its drive to become “more disciplined and sharply-focused”.

In its wide-ranging strategy review to the BBC Trust, titled Putting Quality First, the corporation said the BBC is on course to hit £2 billion in savings by the end of this licence fee period in 2012/13.

From 2013, the BBC plans to spend at least 90p in every licence fee pound on making content and delivering it to audiences.

It wants to halve the number of sections on its website, close “lower performing sites” and spend 25% less.

The closure of teen offerings BBC Switch and Blast! is also recommended.

Spending on imported programmes and films would be cut by 20%, capping it thereafter at no more than 2.5p in every licence fee pound.

Spending on sports rights would be capped at 9p in every licence fee pound.

The report follows accusations the BBC has been crowding out its commercial rivals and venturing into areas it should not be entering.

The corporation has also faced calls for greater transparency and clearer objectives to be set out in order to demonstrate value for money.

Some 33 MPs signed up to a parliamentary motion expressing “deep concern” at the prospect of the two radio stations being closed down.

While it plans to close 6 Music by the end of 2011, the report added that the BBC should maintain its overall investment levels in original radio content aimed at digital services.