Could BBC Layoffs Affect Doctor Who Long Term?
By David Hill
It is never a positive story when a company decides to lay off a portion of its work force. It is especially troublesome when the entity conducting the layoff is responsible for creating many beloved products. That is certainly the case as the BBC announced that they will be laying off more than 1000 workers as they look to bridge a £150 Million gap in their budget.
Even though the announcement has indicated that the majority of the layoffs will be coming from support staff and professional areas, with a streamlining of the management structure to reduce redundancy and improve efficiency, such announcements are still worrisome. This budget shortfall will need to be made up somewhere, and as these layoffs are thought to be able to save £50 Million per year, other cuts will likely be made.
What does this mean for the future of the BBC? What does this mean for those shows that we have come to love and have become attached to? What could this mean for programs like Sherlock, Doctor Who and every other show produced by the BBC that provides so much pleasure to us all?
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While this is not likely to affect shows like Doctor Who in the short term, one does have to wonder what type of effect this could have going forward. Recently, as the show has surged in popularity, quite a few guest actors have graced the Whoniverse, adding their talents to the program. Will special guests like Maisie Williams no longer be able to be brought in?
Likewise, could the BBC look to reign in the costs associated with Doctor Who? While this may seem to be a strange thought given the popularity that Doctor Who currently enjoys, let us not forget that costs were a factor with the lack of support the show received back in the 1980’s.
Obviously, given the worldwide phenomenon that Doctor Who has become, the show is almost certain to be spared any budgetary cuts. However, depending on whether or not the BBC continues to find themselves facing budgetary shortfalls due to not making as much on their licensing as expected, certain aspects of Doctor Who may come under scrutiny.
Our beloved Doctor Who is likely safe from any budgetary concerns that the BBC is having, especially given how much money the program makes. However, this is still a situation that could bear watching down the line.