As everyone knows, the world of media is a slime bucket. People are tossed aside in favour saving money and cutting corners. To hell with the content! Show me the ad’ money! Well, the BBC is no different as, according to the National Union of Journalists, the corporation are planning to ask news staff to write a 200-word memo setting out why they should keep their jobs.

The union has reacted angrily to the move, accusing executives of “losing the plot” and asking staff to “write their own suicide note”. It has written to the BBC asking for clarification after being informed the initiative was discussed at a meeting of the BBC journalism board. A source told The Guardian that everyone in BBC news would be asked to write 200 words on “why they want to keep their jobs” by mid-October. These would then be considered by a panel of managers.

“Those not successful after writing 200 words will be let go,” the source said. “This is essentially a mass application process for everyone in news. Managers are horrified but have been told to make it happen.” The source added that there were “no plans” to let staff see the panel directly, with the staffing cuts to begin in mid-October and be finalised by March next year.

Of course, it’s obvious that when a company has lost money, or in the case of the BBC, lost some of its funding, money has to be saved somewhere. However, cutting back on the people that give the company its ‘content’ isn’t the first place to look. Without a decent output, the company is nothing. People won’t tune in or read if the product is poorer will they? How about saving some money on execs bonuses? Or maybe the money could be saved in rents or extravagances? These are the things that the general public couldn’t care less about. Reputation is everything. I wouldn’t be surprised if those affected take the name of the BBC down with them… and who could blame them?

Of course, this isn’t what the suits at the Beeb are planning to do. Auntie is looking at merging the news department, which will take in TV, radio and online news and has been asked to look at annual cuts of 5% over the next five years, while Newsnight has been asked to slash its budget by 4% over the same period.

“Senior BBC executives appear to have the lost the plot entirely,” said the NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear. “No wonder leaked memos describe middle managers as ‘militant’ if they are being expected to preside over a mass cull based on a 200-word application judged by a secret panel. It is an astonishing way to run the world’s leading public service broadcaster. The BBC need to stop plotting in secret, come clean on their plans and start negotiations with the unions about how best to defend quality and protect jobs in light of the current financial situation.”

The NUJ broadcasting representative, Paul McLaughlin, said the move would be akin to making each staff member write their own “suicide note”. “If the BBC thinks our members are going to do that they are on another planet,” he said. “It is not going to happen.” A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC will continue to follow fair and proper processes throughout.”