BBC Journalists To Strike Over Local Radio Cuts

Hundreds of BBC journalists across England will strike on the day of the Spring Budget in opposition to cuts to the broadcaster’s local radio services.

The U-K's Press-Gazette reports TV, radio and online journalists will begin a 24-hour strike at 11am on Wednesday 15 March, the day of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s first Spring Budget, the National Union of Journalists said on Tuesday.

The journalists oppose the BBC’s proposal to begin more sharing of output between neighboring stations from 2pm on weekdays and at weekends.

Of 1,000 members across BBC Local, 83% voted in favor of strike action on a turnout of 69%. Some 92% backed action in short of a strike.

The original proposal, set out in October, said the BBC’s 39 local radio stations in England would share 18 afternoon programs between them after 2pm on weekdays, with ten programs shared between 6pm and 10pm on weekdays, all day Saturday, and on Sunday mornings. After 10pm on weekdays and on Sunday afternoons and evenings there would be a shared national “all-England” program.

The BBC later proposed a watered down version of its plans, which included no station sharing with more than two others on weekday afternoons and the vast majority with just one as well as an increase in the number of weekend morning programs from 12 to 18, but this was rejected by 70% of NUJ members in a ballot in January.

They oppose the content sharing proposals because, the NUJ said, they “would result in a diminution of local content and up to four radio stations sharing the same output”.

The BBC proposals could involve a net loss of 48 roles – with about 139 jobs cut in local radio and 131 created in online local news.