At 2 a.m. on Thursday in the English seaside town of Whitehaven, a transmitter tower that had broadcast British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programs to analog television sets since the 1950s switched off. The abrupt blackening was the first part of a nationwide program to make British television entirely digital by 2013. A few hours later, staff at the BBC felt another effect of this sea change in broadcasting, as the broadcaster announced plans to cut 1,800 jobs, sell its iconic London headquarters and reduce the number of original programs it makes by 10% in an effort to fund the move to digital and create an integrated, multi-media news service.

　　In an email to staff, BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said the job cuts — part of a six-year reform plan to cover a $4.8 billion funding shortfall — would be achieved primarily by integrating existing programming. Currently, separate journalists and producers from various radio and television stations often cover the same topic. BBC employees will soon be required to work across all media to help reduce this duplication. The BBC will close 2,500 job posts in the next six years while creating 700 posts, resulting in a net loss of 1,800 staff.