EXCLUSIVE: BBC News is closing BBC Trending, an investigative journalism team tasked with shedding light on the darker side of social media.
Deadline hears that the British national broadcaster is closing four jobs as part of the cost-cutting decision, which has been bemoaned internally amid rising disinformation online.
BBC News declined to comment.
BBC Trending launched in 2013 and was dubbed the “bureau on the internet.” The unit published investigations on the BBC News website and broadcast a regular radio show on BBC World Service.
BBC Trending’s recent investigations include revealing how Facebook grifters were profiting from AI-generated Holocaust images, and examining the phenomenon of Down’s Syndrome deepfakes.
A journalist who worked for BBC Trending said the unit had “married artful and considered storytelling with meticulous investigative journalism.”
The BBC World Service announced plans last year to cut 130 jobs as part of efforts save around £6M ($8.2M) by the end of March.
At the time, BBC News’ acting chief Jonathan Munro said: “These changes will ensure we operate effectively with the resource we have, creating the most impact for audiences internationally.”
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