BBC to axe Radio 4’s The World Tonight after more than 50 years

The cuts programme is the biggest at the BBC for more than a decade. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Sopa Images/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen The cuts programme is the biggest at the BBC for more than a decade. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Sopa Images/Shutterstock BBC to axe Radio 4’s The World Tonight after more than 50 years News programme broadcast every weekday evening is one of first victims of corporation’s drive to cut £500m in costs BBC Radio 4’s The World Tonight is to be axed after more than 50 years, as part of a first round of sweeping cuts that will result in other shows being cut and the departure of hundreds of staff. The 45-minute news programme, broadcast every weekday evening on Radio 4, is one of the first victims of a savings drive that will also put entire BBC channels and radio stations under review. Its closure emerged as BBC departments began announcing savings, designed to axe as many as 2,000 jobs – with some compulsory redundancies – and trim £500m across the next three years. Some in the BBC already fear the cuts will lead to a strike. On-screen figures will be among those leaving the corporation after a review of the BBC’s chief presenter roles. View image in fullscreen Matt Brittin, the BBC’s director general, said many divisions had already opened voluntary redundancy windows and more would be opening. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters In all, up to 150 fewer hours of programmes will be commissioned by the BBC by the end of the 2027-28 financial year. In a morning note to staff, Matt Brittin , the new director general, indicated he was focusing cuts on areas that would help shift BBC content to digital platforms, where audiences were growing. He said the BBC would “review our broadcast TV channels and radio network portfolio as audiences move online”. Its UK-wide channels currently include BBC One , BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, the BBC News channel and BBC Parliament, as well as two children’s channels. The World Tonight is the first big casualty. The programme was launched in 1970. Robin Lustig, who presented the programme for more than 20 years, said he was “deeply saddened” by the decision. “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,” he said. “It has been in BBC management’s sights for quite a while, so the decision comes as no surprise. At a time of snap judgments and widely disseminated disinformation, it is, if anything, more needed than ever before, I hope the BBC doesn’t come to regret its decision.” From next April, the show will be replaced by a news bulletin and a simulcast of the World Service programme Newshour. Other Radio 4 shows to close are the Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show and Crossing Continents. Other savings mean that Amol Rajan, the outgoing presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme, will not be replaced – meaning the main