news


Global Radio plans to cut local news output and journalists’ jobs


GLOBAL RADIO, which owns LBC, Capital, Heart and Classic FM among other radio stations, could be cutting up to 40 journalists’ roles in a widespread restructuring of its news operation. It is believed that the restructuring will see


some news centres closed with the coverage of the areas they serve moving to larger news hubs. The NUJ said the move would cause further damage to local journalism as the BBC reduces its local radio services. The action of the broadcasters follows similar moves in the regional press. Paul Siegert, the union’s broadcasting


officer, said: “This is yet another blow for local and regional news coverage. This comes at a time when the BBC also wants to cut back on its local radio output and news services and local newspapers have also been cutting back and axing journalists’ jobs.


“Yet there is a real appetite from local people to know what’s going on in their communities. We call on the BBC and Global to rethink their plans.” He added that the NUJ would endeavour


to prevent any compulsory redundancies for its members. Global newsrooms in Birmingham, Bristol,


Cardiff, Fareham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham and Wrexham are expected to be affected by the plans. Between three and five reporters and presenters in each newsroom are believed to be at risk of redundancy. The broadcaster’s workforce were told of the


move in an email from executive president Ashley Tabor and group chief executive Stephen Miron, who said they had reluctantly concluded that they needed to make further cost savings. They said that


they were sorry at the prospect of losing talented and valued members of staff.


“ NUJ member forcibly deported


MANCHESTER and Salford NUJ branch member Ghazi Ghareeb Zorab was forcibly removed from the UK on July 1 following a last-minute campaign to prevent his


deportation to the Kurdish region of Iraq. His colleagues had been with him at a branch social the week before he was detained at a Home Office reporting


centre where he was given only five days’ notice of removal. Immigration minister


Robert Jenrick refused to cancel the flight, despite appeals from Zorab’s own


MP and the NUJ parliamentary group. The NUJ urged the Home


Office to reconsider, saying his reporting on politics made him a likely target of violent attacks and torture. Zorab was seeking asylum in the UK after


STEVE BELL


This is yet another blow for regional news coverage at a time when the BBC wants to cut back on local radio output


Paul Siegert NUJ broadcasting officer


receiving threats because of his work. Abuse of journalists’ rights


in Iraqi Kurdistan has been consistently highlighted by the International Federation of Journalists. In 2022, there were at least 73 cases of media and rights violations.


THE OWNERS


04 | theJournalist


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28