news Staff could be represented on BBC board


THE government has said it will “almost certainly” introduce worker


representation on the BBC board for the first time in its history and remove political appointments as part of its charter renewal.


Appearing before the culture, media and sport committee’s BBC royal charter review inquiry on July 13, culture secretary Lisa Nandy (right), said “a stronger role for the nations and regions” was also envisaged.


The relatively radical assertions by Nandy came amid plans to axe up to 2,000 BBC jobs as part of a 10 per cent reduction in costs by the end of 2029. The first wave of cuts would remove 550 roles across the BBC’s news, nations and content teams and the loss of programmes,


including on Radio 4 and the World Service. The


corporation also planned to axe correspondents covering 13 key capitals and the United Nations in what the NUJ general secretary Laura Davison described as ‘an act of vandalism’. Meanwhile, the union has rejected a pay offer of around one per cent and agreed to seek conciliation through ACAS. The NUJ pointed out that the increase is far below inflation and would amount to a pay cut in real terms. This would give full-time staff a rise of one per cent or £500 whichever is greater – when inflation is nearly three times higher.


The union pointed out that the proposals failed to recognise the growing pressure on staff, who are being asked to produce


HOUSE OF COMMONS


‘more with less’ while facing increasing job insecurity. The NUJ leader said the offer fell far short of what members deserved and would leave many worse off. “BBC journalists and media workers continue to deliver accurate,


Anxiety over Reach cuts


THE NUJ has warned that constant ‘haemorrhaging of jobs’ across Reach leaves staff in ‘a form of purgatory’. The company announced yet more cuts as it released its mid-year financial results on July 22, which show that despite a previous target of reducing operating costs by


5-6 per cent, it is


implementing 10 per cent cuts. The figures show that group revenue is down 9 per cent (£23.1m) so far this year, with digital income down 11.4 per cent. The company - which publishes titles including The Mirror, Daily Star, Daily Record,


Manchester Evening News, Irish Daily Mirror and Liverpool Echo - said major changes in the digital landscape were largely to blame, particularly the decline in Google referrals. Management plans to cut 24.2 full-time equivalent roles in regional print


independent, locally relevant and universally accessible journalism in increasingly difficult circumstances. The BBC must invest in the talented and experienced staff who make its public service journalism possible,” she said. Meanwhile, NUJ resolutions expressing solidarity with BBC workers have been passed, including by the Birmingham and Coventry branch and the Financial Times chapel. The union also joined forces with sister unions to launch a petition calling on the prime minister and Matt Brittin, BBC director-general, to back the corporation and its workers and called on the government to intervene. Union members and the public can sign the petition on the TUC’s Megaphone platform.


production, placing 67 jobs across the country at risk. Other roles are also under threat, in addition to two voluntary redundancy schemes threatening a further reduction in staff. In a statement Reach chief executive Piers North said the company would focus on maximising income from digital subscriptions and video and produce


Lyra McKee: not guilty verdict


THE gunman who killed journalist Lyra McKee has got away ‘scot-free’ after the three men accused of murdering her were found not guilty. The 29-year-old author and award-winning reporter was shot in the head more than seven years ago when a masked gunman fired towards police during a riot in Derry. The three accused – Paul McIntyre, 58, Peter Cavanagh,


38, and Jordan Devine, 25 – all denied the charges. In the long-running, non-jury trial at Belfast crown court, judge Mrs Justice Smyth said the prosecution evidence was wholly circumstantial. But she expressed her regret that the


trial would “not have brought any comfort” to McKee’s family. The self-styled New IRA admitted responsibility and said she was killed while she stood beside ‘enemy forces’. Outside the court, her sister, Nichola Corner, said: “This is not over. Lyra said, ‘If you’re going to go down, go down fighting.’ I can tell you right now that every one of my family will, because we do this for Lyra.”


The NUJ was represented at the hearing by Séamus


Dooley, assistant general secretary, and Kevin Cooper, Belfast and district branch acting chair. Dooley commented that the person who pulled the trigger had got off ‘scot-free’.


theJournalist | 03 “


The BBC must invest in the talented and experienced staff who make its public service journalism possible


Laura Davison NUJ general secretary


more original content and distinctive brands. However, the NUJ pointed out that this will not be possible with fewer experienced journalists.


The NUJ Reach group chapel said: “The stress on staff caused by the lack of clarity on the company’s coming actions is hitting morale and leaves them in a form of purgatory.”


KEVIN COOPER


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