news


BBC Local journalists begin ballot for industrial action


NUJ MEMBERS working for BBC Local, which is also known as BBC England, are being balloted to take industrial action over the corporation’s latest proposals to share local radio programming across the network. The move follows a consultative ballot which was held to gauge how many members might still want to take industrial action after the BBC altered plans announced late last autumn that it would roll out shared programming and cut jobs. Under the BBC’s original proposals, BBC local radio stations


would share programmes with neighbouring stations after 2pm on weekdays and at weekends. Some news bulletins would also be pre-recorded. The plans would result in a loss of about 40 posts and with hundreds of journalists having to reapply for their own jobs. A compromise put forward by the BBC


which would have seen less sharing was rejected by 70 per cent of NUJ members. The union says it had no option but to move to a formal ballot;


a consultative ballot held in January was overwhelmingly in favour of action. If the formal ballot result is the same then strikes or action short of a strike would start in March. The journalists involved work for local radio, online and TV in England.


Paul Siegert, NUJ national broadcasting organiser, said: “There


is real anger about the BBC’s plans for local radio which will result in 5.7 million people getting a much-reduced service. It will completely undermine the BBC’s public service remit and take the ‘local’ out of local radio. We expect there to be an overwhelming vote for action. The union has made it plain that it supports the BBC’s expansion of digital, but believes it can be done without destroying local radio.” BBC members in Northern Ireland have


voted 95 per cent in favour of industrial action over plans to cut 36 posts and end the popular Radio Foyle Breakfast Show.


• The BBC has named five chief presenters for its TV news channel merging the UK and


international services - Matthew Amroliwala, Christian Fraser, Yalda Hakim, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri. The loss of about 70


jobs in London is expected. Jane Hill, Martine Croxall, Ben Brown, Annita McVeigh, Geeta Guru-Murthy and Shaun Ley are among those to have lost their roles. Hill is going to news bulletins and others may apply for other roles. Large turnout for Foyle meeting, page 7


Union granted legal challenge


THE NUJ has been granted permission to intervene in the human rights organisation Liberty’s “People vs the snoopers’ charter” legal appeal. This will allow the union to provide a voice for journalists


in this challenge to the ‘bulk’ surveillance regime contained in the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016). The IPA 2016, which has been dubbed the Snoopers Charter by campaign groups, empowers authorities to


Journalists abused after migrant story


THE UNION has condemned online abuse of Irish Times journalists Kitty Holland and Dara Mac Dónaill following their coverage of a violent incident in Dublin. They had reported on a


group of men who arrived at a migrants’ encampment on the banks of the Tolka river in Ashtown, with dogs and sticks. The attack was interrupted by the journalists who were there to interview camp residents.


Following the story Kitty Holland was abused on social media and there were suggestions that their story was fabricated. Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish Secretary, said: “The attempts to smear a reporter and photographer are despicable. The abuse of Kitty Holland, in particular, is vile and beneath contempt.”


intercept and retain communications data on an unprecedented scale and without any requirement for “suspicion” of wrongdoing. The Act has implications for press freedom in view of the risks of intrusion into


journalists’ private communications and the protection of sources. The NUJ’s lawyers said:


“This is a vital opportunity to play a significant role in protecting the freedom of the press, which is under threat from the bulk surveillance powers in the IPA 2016.”


inbrief...


FUND NEEDED FOR LOCAL JOURNALISM The quality and coverage of local news will continue to decline and damage democracy without new support from the government, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select committee said. It urged the government to establish an innovation fund for news, as proposed in the Cairncross Review, make it easier for publishers to get charitable status, and encourage more philanthropic funding.


TIMES MERGER PLANS FOR SCOTTISH TITLES News UK is proposing to make The Times Scotland and Sunday Times Scotland a single seven-day operation. In February last year, the then culture secretary Nadine Dorries released News UK from its legal requirement, in place since Rupert Murdoch bought the titles in 1981, to keep them separate.


NICK COHEN LEAVES THE GUARDIAN Nick Cohen has resigned from The Observer on ‘health grounds’ after being the subject of an investigation by publisher Guardian News and Media. His departure follows an investigation over a number of allegations about Cohen’s behaviour in the office.


UK offered legal help to Putin ally


The UK government reportedly helped Yevgeny Prigozhin, a sanctioned ally of


President Putin and leader of the mercenary army Wagner Group, sue British journalist


Eliot Higgins, founder of investigative website Bellingcat. According to openDemocracy the


Treasury issued special licences in 2021 to let him start legal action against Higgins. James Cartlidge, exchequer secretary, has said that the


government is reviewing protocol on granting such licences to sanctioned people. Higgins believes suing him rather than the website was intimidation.


theJournalist | 03


MARK DIMMOCK


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