NUJ strike action at BBC and in South Yorkshire

NUJ members at the BBC have today started a second 24 hour strike action against compulsory redundancies while industrial action is continuing at South Yorkshire Newspapers over job cuts.

A work to rule will start when the BBC journalists return to work on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, NUJ members in South Yorkshire are continuing an indefinite strike action which started on Friday 15 July against job cuts at the Johnston-Press owned Doncaster Free Press, The South Yorkshire Times, The Selby Times and The Epworth Bells.

The NUJ is calling on management to enter into conciliation talks with ACAS to resolve the dispute. The union has requested a meeting with the new CEO of Johnston Press Ashley Highfield to discuss the future of the newspaper group and for him "to bring forward a new focus and commitment to quality and resources".

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: "NUJ members across the UK are fighting for the future of our profession. Job losses are disastrous for quality journalism and democracy in the UK. Management should stop the job cuts and get round the table with the NUJ."

The BBC said: "We are disappointed that the NUJ has gone ahead with today's strike and apologise to our audience for any disruption to services. Industrial action does not alter the fact that the BBC is faced with a number of potential compulsory redundancies following significant cuts to the central Government grants that support the World Service and BBC Monitoring.

"We will continue with our efforts to reduce the need for compulsory redundancies, however, the number of posts that we are having to close means that unfortunately it is likely to be impossible for us to avoid some compulsory redundancies."

NUJ blames BBC licence fee deal on Murdoch influence and calls for it to be re-examined

The NUJ is calling for the BBC licence fee deal to be re-examined following claims in the Telegraph that the Tories scrapped a policy to top-slice the licence and share money with other broadcasters after being asked to by James Murdoch.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “Reports in the Daily Telegraph show that the Tories abandoned a plan which would ‘top slice’ the BBC licence fee and support other public service broadcasting because James Murdoch didn’t like it.

“David Cameron and his colleagues have been shamelessly prioritising the commercial interests of the Murdochs over those of the British public. The shabby deal on the BBC licence fee settlement was done behind closed doors last autumn, with no democratic scrutiny or transparent discussion. It marked a watershed in the BBC's 89-year history.

“The decision to freeze the licence fee for the next six years has led to the axing of vital language services at the BBC World Service and the imposition of 20 per cent spending cuts across the BBC. Quality public service journalism and the BBC audiences are suffering the consequences of this deal, clearly taken at a time when huge pressure was being exerted by News Corporation.

“The dodgy licence fee deal must now be re-examined as a matter of urgency in light of the latest revelations."

• A senior source told the Telegraph: "The last thing Sky wanted was other broadcasters getting a slice of the licence fee. The policy was amended accordingly."

  In 2009, the "Digital Britain" white paper by the then Labour government proposed a top-slicing deal which would have seen £130 million taken from the BBC's licence fee and used to fund independent regional news as well as children's programmes.

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NUJ: 'BBC not interested in talks to avert strike'

The NUJ has accused BBC management of avoiding talks to head off the 24-hour nation-wide strike by journalists which is due to begin at midnight tonight over the issue of compulsory redundancies.

The union's general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “Union representatives have tried hard to resolve this serious dispute through negotiation. We have even agreed to use the ACAS conciliation service to try to find a way forward.

"But BBC senior management has shown no real interest in negotiations. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that BBC management wants thousands of its journalists to go on strike tomorrow, rather than settle the dispute.

“If that is the case it confirms our members’ worst fears about the management strategy of introducing compulsory redundancy at the BBC. The massive vote for strike action by journalists across the BBC reflected their fear for the future as well as their solidarity with colleagues already being targeted and singled out for the sack.

“Management indifference to settling our dispute suggests that our members’ concern that many more redundancies are planned is fully justified. We have offered to meet the BBC next week or when it’s convenient to the BBC, and have asked management to extend the leaving dates of those individuals immediately affected by redundancy in order to allow the talks to take place. Management has refused. We also offered to meet with the BBC at ACAS today. Management has refused."

NUJ urges re-think on 'dodgy' BBC licence deal

The NUJ has called for the BBC licence fee deal to be re-examined in the light of revelations surrounding the "disturbing influence" of Rupert Murdoch and his News International executives on David Cameron and senior government ministers.

The call comes as NUJ members at the BBC prepare for a 24-hour strike on Friday against compulsory redundancies.

General secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “As the News International scandal deepens it is becoming increasingly clear that David Cameron and others at the heart of government have been in thrall to Rupert Murdoch, shamelessly prioritising the commercial interests of one powerful man over those of the British public.

“The shabby deal on the BBC licence fee settlement was done behind closed doors last Autumn, with no democratic scrutiny or transparent discussion. It marked a watershed in the Corporation’s 89-year history.

“Can David Cameron and George Osborne honestly say that there was no Murdoch influence behind the decision to freeze the licence fee for the next six years? That decision has led to the axing of vital language services at the BBC World Service and the imposition of 20 per cent spending cuts across the BBC.

"Quality public service journalism and the BBC audience are suffering the consequences of this deal, clearly taken at a time when huge pressure was being exerted by News International executives."

She noted that last night Channel 4 News reported claims that friends of Gordon Brown believe the Murdoch empire turned its fire on him because he refused to adopt their demands, cutting back BBC TV and online services and the broadcasting regulator Ofcom, while David Cameron, in the run up to the election, was readier to say what Murdoch wanted to hear.

“It is vital that the dodgy licence fee deal should now be re-examined as a matter of urgency in light of recent developments," she said.

Sun's Kavanagh bashes Beeb over hacking coverage

The Sun has been quite muted in its reporting of the phone hacking affair at its sister title the News of the World, but today the paper's associate editor Trevor Kavanagh has unleashed a broadside against the BBC over its coverage of the scandal.

Kavanagh writes: "What is thoroughly contemptible, though, is the posturing, high-minded and politically prejudiced BBC. This media monster, which blows £2.3BILLION a year in public money, is bound by charter to be impartial and is anything but.

"Its gleeful, vengeful and downright spiteful coverage of events over recent days is a disgrace. Not for nothing is the BBC known as the Blatantly Biased Corporation.

"Don't get me wrong. Nobody can justify or condone the crimes committed by former News of the World staff. They deserve the coverage they have received. Indeed, we are warned by our chief executive Rebekah Brooks that worse is to come.

"I don't know what these revelations will turn out to be. Nor does the BBC. But judging by the Corporation's bloodcurdling reports and commentaries, they must surely involve mass murder, rape and torture.

"Nothing other than a declaration of war would justify its round-the-clock analysis, interviews and breaking news on every radio, TV and internet outlet.

"All other news - and there was a lot of it around last week - was relegated to "fillers" between breathless, screeching "updates" from correspondents.

"The feeding frenzy was led each morning by Radio 4's increasingly hysterical Today programme. John Humphrys introduced an eye-popping chat about 'media barons' in the scary voice pantomime villains use to frighten children."

Kavanagh adds: "The BBC's tone - driven by its fear of competition from Sky TV - is not so much "comment" as a giant raspberry in the face of impartiality."

He dismisses the Guardian as: "A small circulation paper whose readers mostly work in the taxpayer-funded public sector. But its Left-wing views are amplified out of all proportion by the BBC who, with breathtaking arrogance, portray themselves as the Voice of Britain."

• The Sun estimates the last issue of the News of the World sold more than 4 million copies.

• A journalist friend was amazed to find an ad for Sky Broadband tumbling out of his Guardian Weekend magazine on Saturday. Shows there's no hard feelings?

NUJ to hold strike ballot at BBC over job cuts

Thousands of NUJ members at the BBC are to be balloted for strike action in response to the threat of compulsory redundancies across the Corporation.

The union says that around 100 BBC journalists based in the World Service, BBC Monitoring, Online, and in Scotland and Wales are threatened with compulsory redundancy.

The NUJ, which represents the majority of journalists at the BBC, is to ballot members after it says the BBC refused to consider further moves to secure redeployment or find alternative opportunities for around 100 staff.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "For months we have been negotiating with the BBC and have been able to resolve most cases by agreement. But the BBC’s refusal to consider workable alternatives for around 100 staff has left us with no choice but to ballot members for industrial action to defend jobs and services. There is no justification for these compulsory redundancies."

The union will begin the ballot next week.

Pic: Jeremy Dear speaking at protest against BBC World Service job cuts outside Bush House in London. (Jon Slattery)