BBC sheds jobs, cuts salaries

The BBC plans to cut the salaries of top managers by 25% and axe more than 100 senior posts as part of a broader overhaul to cut costs, states The Wall Street Journal.

The BBC currently spends about $129.4 million on pay for its 634 senior managers and nine most senior executives.

The BBC receives £3.4 billion (R43.3 billion) annually from a £142.50 (R1 800) TV licence fee. Commercial rivals complain that gives the BBC an unfair advantage in dominating the radio, TV airwaves and Internet.

The European Union (EU) has urged its members to use the same part of the airwaves for mobile broadband to help achieve its target of 100% broadband coverage by 2013, reports BBC News.

Using the same part of the spectrum would make it easier for devices to work across borders and allow consumers to use roaming services.

The spectrum will become available as members switch from analogue to digital broadcasting. Up to 30% of the EU's rural population lacks high-speed Internet access.

The FCC plans to take spectrum from broadcasters and re-auction it for use by wireless carriers, as part of an effort to craft a national broadband plan, says Fierce Wireless.

US wireless operators have been fighting for additional licensed spectrum to meet users' growing demand for data.

The National Association of Broadcasters in the US says freeing up more spectrum should be done in ways that don't limit consumers' access to digital broadcasting. Wireless companies including AT&T and Verizon spent almost $20 billion in last year's auction of the spectrum.