04 Informed Update BBC strikes continue


More action in England and Northern Ireland over cuts in local radio


NUJ


Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Belfast Trades Union Council. Picket line pictures can be seen on the NUJ website. Te union is concerned about staff


shortages in Northern Ireland and a dramatic reduction in BBC Radio Foyle’s morning news service. Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said the NUJ wanted to continue negotiations with the BBC and the NUJ ‘s priority was the maintenance of public service broadcasting. At BBC Local, while some concessions


Te dispute with the BBC and cuts and changes to scheduling in programming in local radio has intensified with journalists in England announcing a 48-hour strike and members in Northern Ireland staging a walk out to disrupt the reporting of the local election results. Te strike in England will be on


Wednesday 7 June and Tursday 8 June. Tere will also be a lobby and rally in support of local radio in Parliament on


Wednesday 7 June. In Northern Ireland, members picketed in Derry and Belfast on Friday 5 May significantly disrupting radio and TV news coverage of the local elections. Adam Smyth, director of BBC Northern Ireland, was forced to read a news bulletin. Te strikers won huge support from the local community, and broadcaster Eamonn Holmes joined the picket in Belfast. Cakes were delivered to the picket line and drivers honked in solidarity. Te NUJ was sent messages of support from across the union, the


were made in talks brokered by the arbitrator Acas, NUJ reps said they did not go far enough to provide a proper service for the 5.7m loyal local radio listeners. Te vote to carry on the dispute, including the work to rule, was overwhelming. Te journalists on strike will be from local radio, regional TV and online in England. A no confidence vote in the BBC Local senior management was carried. Paul Siegert, NUJ national


broadcasting organiser, said the fight was “about the heart of the BBC’s public service remit”, adding: “Local radio is not expensive in relative terms and we believe that the BBC could easily solve this dispute.” Te campaign has been supported by petitions from the National Federation of the Blind of the UK and National Pensioners Convention.


Carole Cadwalladr Te union has expressed dismay at a decision by the UK Court of Appeal that will create a chilling impact on journalists and media freedom. Journalist Carole Cadwalladr has been ordered to pay 60 per cent of multimillionaire Arron Banks’ costs, totalling more than £1m in libel damages from a TED talk she delivered


in 2019. Support for Carole.


Writing awards Te Orwell Society and NUJ Young Journalist’s Awards winners have been announced, with an opinion piece addressing the complex challenges of maintaining a Welsh identity in modern Britain, and a review of Oscar-winning movie Women Talking


scooping the top prizes worth £1500 each. It was a record year for entries.


Local journalism Michelle Stanistreet said of the government’s response to an MPs’ report on sustainability of local journalism: “Local journalism lies at the heart of communities who value its relevant, insightful content.


For several years, we have called for measures allowing publishers to receive fair reward for the editorial content published by large platforms with litle gain for those who produce it.” Te NUJ will monitor the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill to ensure it properly checks the power of the tech giants. Find out more.


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