BBC plans to axe 1,500 more jobs to save £200m

A second wave of job cuts at the BBC will hit about 1,500 posts in news and other programmes. The corporation's governors are believed to have approved the cuts at a meeting yesterday.

They will lead to savings of £200m, although the BBC is believed to be planning to reinvest the money in programmes.

The corporation announced last week that 1,730 jobs will be cut in the first round of saving, with 980 staff being made redundant and a further 750 outsourced. The governors are believed to have approved plans for a second wave of 1,500 job losses in news, sport, drama, children's programmes, new media and other areas over the next three years.

A formal announcement will be made on Monday, when staff will be briefed about the cuts.

Trade unions have already warned that they will ballot for industrial action if there are any compulsory redundancies.

Leaders of the broadcasting unions involved will meet next week to decide their next move after they have been given details of the cuts. It is understood the BBC will tell unions they want to achieve the cuts by voluntary redundancies.