BBC websites scaled down

BBC websites scaled down

The Watchdog website is one of the affected sites

The websites for the BBC's programmes Watchdog and Crimewatch are being scaled down amid an overhaul of the corporation's interactive services.

The sites will no longer be refreshed after every show but offer more general information, a BBC spokesman said.

"The sites are not closing down. They will remain but rather than being refreshed after every programme they will be making a move towards more generic content."

He said the move was part of a larger restructuring of the BBC's New Media division.

The BBC announced on Wednesday that 100 jobs would be lost as part of changes to BBCi, which oversees the majority of the corporation's website content and interactive TV.

BBCi is trying to make savings of £6m from its £74m budget.

Jobs will be cut from Factual and Learning, Radio and Music, and Interactive Development Services, which provides some technical support.

Lifestyle hub

"Where possible these changes will be achieved through natural wastage, voluntary redundancy and redeployment. It is estimated that there will be approximately 100 job reductions in these areas over the next six to twelve months," a BBC statement on Wednesday said.

Other sites, such as the stand-alone holiday site, will be moved into BBCi's general lifestyle hub.

Other content on antiques, homes and motoring will also be scaled back.

"That will offer out users a one-stop shop," the spokesman said.

The BBC needed to make sure that it was using licence payers' money as wisely as possible, he said.

A BBCi spokesman added that it also wants to cut down on repeating content across its online and interactive outlets.

Part of the changes meant BBCi was switching a lot of its resources to interactive TV.

There are also efforts to try and make BBCi content faster to download.

The BBC's new media services are to be reviewed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport later this year.

Last year a similar audit was made of the BBC News 24 rolling news channel.