04 Informed


News Update


Major cuts loom across the BBC as political coverage slashed


BBC


Major cuts at the BBC were looming, Michelle Stanistreet told the NEC, and a number of redundancy consultations were already in train in TV current affairs, Panorama, BBC Mobile and Online, Radio division, Monitoring and the Nepali, Indonesian and Urdu services. BBC parliamentary staff told the union


drastic cuts to political coverage would be a disservice to viewers and listeners. Te Daily Politics is to be axed and the Sunday Politics replaced by a shorter programme. Tis represents a reduction of about two hours of network politics coverage on BBC1 and BBC2 a week and the loss of eight journalism jobs. Te Day in Parliament and the Week in


Parliament, roundups and explanations of the day’s/week’s events across


Andrew Neil: his coverage will be cut


the Palace of Westminster will also go. Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general


secretary, said: “Te suggestion that political coverage should be undermined at this time suggests the BBC senior decision-makers lack an appreciation of the vital role the corporation plays.”


Te union will monitor the BBC’s redeployment process and oppose any compulsory redundancies. A deal on full-scale changes to terms and conditions at the corporation in the past two years were accepted by more than 58 per cent of members balloted, including a three-year pay deal of 2 per cent, 2 per cent and 2.5 per cent (or licence fee, whichever is higher). Te next stage of the process is the implementation of the proposals, including seting up a number of task groups to evaluate such issues as night and weekend working. Te union is also taking part in the on-air talent review which will include new contracts for freelances, a different freelance fee framework and revised staff contracts for a number of members.


Broadcasting News


Treats of strike action by the union resulted in a back-down on job cuts at STV plus a nine-per cent pay rise over 2 years at Al Jazeera English – and the company has since improved its consideration of other outstanding issues… At RTÉ, staff welcomed the outcome of a legal review of work contracts and called for rapid implementation of the changes… ITN setled its pay claim at 3.5 per cent on the first £50,000


of salary, a much beter deal than the 2 per cent for the non-union production unit, which includes Channel 5 news… ITV will start pay talks in September and expectations will be high, given the company’s strong business performance... Te NEC gave approval if the union needed to take industrial action at Red Bee Media over pay… Te union has had several meetings at Al Araby on the long-standing issue of the channel’s failure to recognise the NUJ and the next steps


will include the IFJ in negotiations… Jeremy Wright, the new culture secretary, gave Rupert Murdoch the go-ahead to buy the 61 per cent of Sky he does not already own. Te batle for Sky took a new turn when Comcast, the US media and cable company, said it was dropping its pursuit of 21st Century Fox to concentrate instead on a take-over of the broadcaster. Murdoch has until 8 August to submit a new bid for Sky. A recruitment drive with Bectu will start at Sky’s site in west London.


ITN’s BAME pay targets


Data published by ITN, which provides news to ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, showed staff from black, Asian or other minority ethnic backgrounds were typically paid a fiſth less than white colleagues. Te median hourly pay for a BAME employee was 20.8 per cent lower; the median bonus gap was 50 per cent. ITN now has targets, including halving the BAME pay gap within five years; 20 per cent of BAME employees to be in the top 20 earners; and having at least one BAME candidate for every role. Te broadcaster said it was one of the first media organisations to choose to make its BAME pay gap public.


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