1,000 members of the National Union of Journalists working at BBC Local have started a 48-hour strike, in opposition to cuts to programming and staffing at local radio stations in England.
A 24-hour strike in March took all but two regional TV services off the air and severely impacted local radio output and online services.
The BBC claims the audience for BBC local radio is in decline and that there are more effective ways of serving local audiences. To that end, the BBC intends to invest in enhancing digital offerings such as local journalism on the BBC News website.
The BBC’s plan for local radio will see some stations sharing the same programming from early afternoon until late-evening. The changes will result in the departure of many longstanding familiar voices at local stations.
An increasing number of voices from within the industry, including former BBC managers, have criticised the BBC’s local radio plans. MPs from various constituencies have also written to the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, expressing their opposition to the cuts at local stations.
Last week, 93% of BBC journalists who took part in a survey, expressed no confidence in the BBC Local senior leadership team.
Speaking on BBC Look North yesterday, director of production, BBC Local, Jason Horton said: “We have to serve all of our audiences. And my job is to make sure that across your area, across Cornwall and Devon, across the North East, across the South East, we are reaching as many people as we possibly can, with all of our services.”
The National Union of Journalists issued a statement on social media on 2nd June, explaining the background to the 48-hour strike:
“In May 2022 the NUJ was told a ‘digital review’ was underway in BBC Local. We asked to be part of the project team, to feed in ideas. A full consultation, if you like.
“This didn’t happen and we, like all our colleagues, heard nothing until October, when the Digital First strategy was announced. A formal consultation opened with the joint unions, but there was no public consultation, no published research, to accompany this.
“Understandably our members were very concerned about the plans to cut Local Radio output, but also about the logistics of outputting extra digital content within the resources and systems available. So we submitted counter proposals, which could have achieved digital and also preserved Local Radio.
“The counter proposals were largely ignored. Additional, still ‘regional’ programmes, were added to Plan A, but did not restore local content as we had suggested.“Two ballots were held to gauge the mood of NUJ members in BBC Local during this period. They made it clear that the revised plan was unacceptable and voted overwhelmingly for industrial action.
“We held back on strike action because we hoped the Senior Leaders would listen to not only our views, but those of the listeners, MPs, and industry experts who all said the proposals were deeply flawed.
“A handful of relatively minor concessions were offered 48 hours before our first stike date in March. We walked out, taking all but two TV regions off air that evening, and a significant part of radio output. We hoped they would listen.
“Further concessions were tabled in May in talks brokered by ACAS. The only democratic thing to do was put that to our members. Three additional weekend breakfast shows weren’t enough, and the proposals were rejected.
“Our members were rightly becoming frustrated with the lack of listening at the top. By now, a growing body of evidence was building up to illustrate why this plan was wrong. Several previous senior leaders of BBC Local Radio stepped in.
“There’s been no movement since, meaning we’ve no choice but to strike for 48 hours next Wednesday and Thursday. The votes of confidence was a last resort, with very few other options left.
“Now our members have delivered another decisive result, those leaders have a clear choice. Pause this plan, have a proper public consultation and work with us. The door remains open.”
National Union of Journalists (Twitter)
Strike disruption on Wednesday
Most regional news bulletins within BBC Breakfast were blacked out by the strike action.
Regional news bulletins were broadcast in the following English regions:
- BBC East Midlands
- BBC West
- Combined bulletin in BBC South East and BBC London.
All other English regions received a generic news bulletin produced in Salford and presented by Steve Saul.
Late this morning, the BBC pushed out updates to EPGs. All English regions were updated as follows:
1.30pm Blue Planet II.
6.30pm Garden Rescue.
However, regional news programmes were broadcast in some regions:
- BBC East Midlands
- Combined programme for BBC London and BBC South East
- BBC North West
- BBC South West
- BBC West
By 6.30pm, some additional regions were in a position to produce news programmes, though BBC North West dropped out:
- BBC Channel Islands
- BBC East Midlands
- Combined BBC London/BBC South East programme
- BBC South West
- BBC West
- Combined BBC Yorkshire/BBC East Yorkshire/Lincolnshire programme.
BBC Local Radio across England was significantly impacted by the strike with many presenters being replaced and some stations forced to simulcast others.
Local news updates were replaced by national news bulletins on many stations.
The 10.30pm regional news slot on BBC One saw only a handful of regions put out a local bulletin for their area:
- BBC Channel Islands
- BBC South East/BBC London combined
- BBC South West
- BBC West
All other English regions took the combined BBC South East/BBC London bulletin.
The NUJ reported that online services for BBC local coverage “have been severely impacted”.
Strike disruption on Thursday
Most regional news bulletins within BBC Breakfast were blacked out for a second day by the strike action.
Regional news bulletins were broadcast in the following English regions:
- BBC East Midlands
- BBC West
- Combined bulletin in BBC South East and BBC London.
All other English regions received a generic news bulletin produced in Salford and presented by Steve Saul.
At lunchtime, regional news programmes were broadcast in some regions:
- BBC East Midlands
- Combined programme for BBC London and BBC South East
- BBC North West
- BBC South West
- BBC West
In the other English regions, an episode of Blue Planet II was broadcast.
At 6.30pm, the following English regions produced their own news programmes:
- BBC Channel Islands
- BBC East Midlands
- Combined BBC London/BBC South East programme
- BBC South West
- BBC West
- Combined BBC Yorkshire/BBC East Yorkshire/Lincolnshire programme.
In English regions where the regional news was blacked out completely, an edition of The Bidding Room was broadcast.
The National Union of Journalists reported a significant impact on local radio services:
“BBC chose Lancashire as the location for all-England output, known as a ‘network show’ or ‘sustaining service’.
“Twelve breakfast shows were taken off air and replaced with this sustaining service from radio Lancashire which had no local content, including:
- Nottingham
- Derby
- Cumbria
- Merseyside
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Humberside
- York
- Shropshire
- Solent
- Cornwall
- Hereford and Worcester
“These and some other stations were forced to take news bulletins from BBC Radio 2.
“Hereford and Worcester completely off air and took a shared service for the full 48 hours of the strike action.”
The union also claims BBC Local’s online services have been severely impacted.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: image from a picket line during the March strike. COPYRIGHT: BBC.