BBC news services could be ‘pared back’ if coronavirus hits staff, says director-general

• The BBC’s director-general has said there could be a “paring back” of BBC News services as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak but said its priority is to keep services going.
• Taking questions from MPs this morning, Tony Hall said the BBC had recorded 52m unique users online for information on coronavirus.
• He said the BBC’s aim is to “deliver as much useful public information as we can” on Covid-19, with 596 cases and ten deaths reported in the UK so far.
• “In the end we have to make sure that at the core our news services keep transmitting on television and on radio,” said the outgoing BBC boss.

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