BBC staff flood job-cuts call with laughing emojis as 110 roles go
Laughing-crying emojis filled the screen as BBC managers laid out plans to cut 110 jobs.
The protest broke out on a Microsoft Teams call led by leaders of BBC Media Tech, the team that keeps iPlayer and other BBC online services running. Staff posted the emojis while managers talked through the cuts, which form part of the BBC's £500 million ($660 million) savings plan, according to Deadline.
Kelly Kowal, the BBC's chief operations and portfolio officer, was speaking when the emojis interrupted. Deadline reported that she later wrote in a Slack message that comments and behaviour during the discussion were not appropriate. They fell short of standards of respect and constructive challenge, she said.
The response from management was blunt. Andy Ryan, director of technology support and engineering operations, described the emojis as "challenging behaviour". He said the BBC would speak to individuals directly about their actions.
What makes this stand out is how public the anger was. Cuts are usually answered with union statements. Here the reply arrived live, in emojis on screen.
The numbers are stark. The 110 roles sit inside a fresh £37 million round of savings for Media Tech. That follows £42 million of cuts the division already made earlier in 2026. Another £23 million is planned for early 2027. Together, that is a £102 million contribution to the overall target.
Why the cuts? Deadline reported the £500 million push is driven by a growing number of Britons refusing to pay the licence fee, the yearly household charge that funds the BBC. The BBC has previously said a flat licence fee settlement and high inflation left a funding gap, and that savings would help pay for digital investment, according to the BBC Media Centre.
The Media Tech row is one part of a wider squeeze. In April, the BBC said it would cut between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs, almost one in 10 staff. In June, it announced £160 million in savings and 550 job closures, with news and content teams among those affected, according to the BBC and Reuters. All departments will be affected, with the biggest cuts expected in news.
More detail was expected at a staff Town Hall with director general Matt Brittin. The session was due to take place on Wednesday and be chaired by Radio 4 Today host Anna Foster. Insiders told Deadline they expected Brittin to confirm closures of TV and radio networks. BBC Three was expected to be affected, and Radio 4 Extra was seen as under threat.
The BBC declined to comment on the emoji protest.
