[Keith]

That's fault of BBC top management not consult the merger plan to NUJ or other representative unions. If they still insist the linear channel merger plan as part of cuts, they should instead shifting the BBC News-World News merger plan into CBBC and CBeebies linear channels, as both channels were part of single service before 2002. Merger of both channels instead of UK News and World News channels will not hurt BBC's long-term strategy for the audience in the future as long as their respective channel's content remain available online If CBBC and CBeebies linear services are merged.

Merging CBBC and Cbeebies would be highly unlikely to give the same level of savings required. Also the BBC have previously announced closing the CBBC linear channel, along with BBC Four.

I suspect the current proposals for merging the news channels may in part be for political reasons. It may give them leverage for future licence fee funding/increases with the government. Were the BBC to get a bit of additional funding then potentially a few more UK only bulletins could be retained.