Amol Rajan warns BBC is destined to shrink at an accelerating rate

Amol Rajan, the departing presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, has predicted that BBC News is destined to “get smaller at an accelerating rate.” Rajan, who is leaving the broadcaster to pursue opportunities in the creator economy on YouTube, noted that he has historically worked in media sectors experiencing rapid decline.

While Rajan described the Today programme as “the last big mass-market news programme,” he argued that the broader corporation faces significant challenges. The BBC is currently working to find £500m in savings over the next two years as it contends with the declining real value of the licence fee and an increasing number of households opting not to pay it.

In response to the shift from linear television to digital platforms, the BBC has announced a new partnership to produce content specifically for YouTube. Director-general Matt Brittin has identified reaching younger audiences as a top priority for the organization.