BBC Scotland could lose up to 60 jobs under severe cutbacks being imposed on the corporation over the next three years.
The broadcaster is seeking £500 million in savings by the end of the decade and news staff at Pacific Quay in Glasgow have been told that redundancies are “imminent”.
Across the network 550 posts are in jeopardy and a number of programmes, including Blankety Blank, Celebrity Mastermind and Live at the Apollo, have already been cancelled.
BBC Scotland is now working with trade unions to discuss where the axe will fall, amid talk of srike action.
A spokesman said: “BBC Scotland is making proportionate savings across all departments and management have been holding meetings with staff to explain how these can be achieved.
“Some colleagues have taken up an offer of voluntary redundancy, and some are in roles which have been placed at risk of redundancy. We continue to consult and work with those colleagues and our unions to consider all options to avoid compulsory redundancy.”
Nick McGowan-Lowe, the NUJ’s national organiser for Scotland, said efforts would be made to save jobs and ensure workloads are manageable. This year’s annual pay increase is expected to hbe only 1%, well below inflation.
One casualty may be the BBC Scotland TV channel, which cost more than £200 million to launch seven years ago which struggles to forge an identity and an audience, while several radio presenters have been dropped, including Michelle McManus, Iain Anderon and Billy Sloan.
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