The BBC has announced it will axe up to 1,000 employees across the next few years while also stopping the broadcast of smaller, but much-loved, linear channels such as children’s channel Cbbc and BBC Four. The move comes as director general Tim Davie laid out initial plans as to how the BBC will save around £1.5B (2B) across the next few years as a result of a government-enforced license fee freeze across the next two years.

The public broadcaster also revealed that it would be merging its BBC World News and BBC News Channel into a single, 24-hour TV channel as it makes a big push to digitize its business across the next few years. Its Radio 4 station would move online to BBC sounds rather than via its traditional broadcast outlet.

In an announcement to staff on Thursday, Director General Tim Davie told staff “this is our moment to build a digital-first BBC.