BBC to shut half of its website, 2 radio stations

Media firm British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will shut half of its website and two radio stations -- BBC 6 Music and Asian Network -- by 2013, the BBC today said on its website.

Attributing to BBC Director General Mark Thompson, the report said that 6 Music and Asian Network would be shut by the end of 2011, while half of the BBC online service would close by 2013.

Teen services Switch and Blast are also among the online services of BBC are facing closure.

The BBC is understood to depend heavily on TV licence fees paid by the consumers and the broadcaster charges too much money.

According to the publication, Thompson has set out a strategy review, which has now been submitted to the BBC Trust and a public consultation would take place.

Thompson has pledged that in future 90 pence of every one pound licence fee would be spent on programming and the corporation would spend 25 per cent less on BBC online.

As a result of the changes, Thompson said he expects an extra 600 million pounds ($893 million) getting diverted into programme-making.

The report noted that BBC Worldwide would continue its mission to relieve pressure on the licence fee payer through complementary commercial activities. Besides, there are also plans to move away from "physical media" which includes magazines in the UK.