The BBC has announced that the editor of Radio York will leave the station as part of cutbacks aimed at saving millions of pounds.
Joe Pignatiello is one of six senior managers who run BBC local radio stations in England who are taking voluntary redundancy.
It follows the news that popular Look North presenter, Harry Gration, is also going as the broadcaster looks to save £25 million in the English regions.
The role of editor at the Bootham Row studios, which overseas all broadcasting and staffing in North Yorkshire, will not be replaced immediately.
The BBC is reviewing the way it runs stations and some fear that will lead to more sharing of resources and programmes.
The editor has played a key role in representing the stations and guiding they way they are programmed to suit individual areas. In the past Radio York has sounded very different to, say, Radio Lancashire.
Absent for months
In an email to staff, head of audio and digital in the regions, Chris Burns, says allowing the editors who wish to leave to take voluntary redundancy will reduce the risk of the BBC having to achieve its savings target through compulsory redundancy.
Joe Pignatiello has been absent from Radio York for a number of months while he’s been working on other projects and Anna Evans has been acting editor.
The BBC says that she will now revert to her role as assistant editor whilst Martyn Weston, editor at Radio Humberside will cover the role at both York and Hull.
A BBC spokesperson says they have introduced a temporary leadership structure while they review the way they run the local stations.
Radio York launched in 1983 and covers all of North Yorkshire. There are neighbouring services in Leeds, Teesside, Hull. Sheffield and Blackburn.