Fifty editorial and production staff will be lost as a result of schedule changes on BBC World, the BBC’s flagship overseas news channel.

Out will go BBC World’s long-form The World Today programme and nightly Europe Direct. From next April BBC World will adopt a rolling news format with half-hour bulletins on the hour followed by "additional programming focusing on global economic and business news output." This is not the first time BBC World has cut back on staff as resources have been trimmed. BBC Worldwide CEO Rupert Gavin, in a statement, said BBC World has seen losses reduced by 35 per cent in its last full year.

BBC World has struggled for some time. The channel is owned by BBC Worldwide, the BBC’s commercial arm, and depends on advertising and subscription income. The BBC itself does not financially support the channel. BBC World lost pounds 15.6 million last year, and cumulative losses are a reported pounds 75 million, and according to one report in June "shows no sign of ever making money." These changes, according to an industry insider, may reverse that situation. Earlier this summer, BBC Worldwide was heavily criticised in the Davies Report on the BBC, which stated BBC Worldwide was not being "sufficiently aggressive or entrepreneurial."

Patrick Cross, managing director of the BBC World, speaking in June, said the channel was on target for profit in 2004.