Ouch

So - the BBC has cut the commissioning budgets for BBC3 and BBC4 by 23% and 29% respectively, leaving BBC1 and BBC2 roughly unchanged.

That's the bald conclusion from answers by Controllers Richard Klein and Zai Bennett to the Media Guardian this morning. Last year the content spend on BBC4 was £50.8m (out of a total operating budget of £67m, which includes distribution costs, infrastructure and support).  Today, Mr Klein says his commissioning budget is £36m.  Zai Bennett, new at BBC3 after the elevation of Danny Cohen, says he has £65m to spend, compared with his predecessor's £84.7m.

Danny Cohen says he has £1.1bn to spend - that's the same as last year (unless, of course, the various controllers are taking a different line to what they say about cuts and when).  Janice Hadlow also declares the same as last year - £421m.   If that's right, then George Entwistle's four key channels have only taken a total cut of 2% in their spending power.