| Unions representing the BBC’s
staff were today preparing to present BBC Chairman,
Michael Grade, with a stark warning about the impact
of job cuts across the BBC.
A meeting, hosted by the TUC, was arranged for
today pitting Grade and Culture Secretary Tessa
Jowell against up to 100 BBC staff and union members.
For NUJ General Secretary, Jeremy Dear, accused
Grade of endorsing a plan presented as attacking
bureaucracy which, in reality, consisted of axing
correspondents and other frontline journalists and
staff involved in programme production.
“The list of frontline jobs being axed across
content divisions in TV, radio and new media goes
on and on."
He added: “Yesterday BBC management gave
the mistaken impression that this has all been worked
out to a plan but the BBC’s own documents
show it hasn’t. They are filled with caveats,
lack detail and in some cases admit details will
be worked out over the coming months.
“[Grade has] allowed the axe to be wielded
before thinking about the consequences - and the
most frightening consequence is that you are putting
in jeopardy the future of the BBC and its reputation
for quality”.
Scottish members
'decline offer' to help dismantle BBC
In Scotland, members expressed equal determination,
following the announcement of plans to cut 176 jobs
at BBC Scotland over the next three years. Among
these would be five senior editors and news and
current affairs staff.
The NUJ’s BBC Scotland Father of Chapel,
Stephen Low, warned that members at the corporation
would fight against compulsory redundancies.
"Management are asking us to help them dismantle
BBC Scotland. It's an offer we decline."
'Enemies are
circling'
And the International Federation of Journalists
declared the battle against the BBC cuts a "global
struggle" that goes to the heart of public
service broadcasting values.
IFJ General Secretary, Aiden White, said: “The
enemies of the BBC are circling. They want to bring
down a broadcaster that stands tall among the world’s
quality media.
“Intense political and commercial pressure
is bringing the BBC to breaking point.
“The fight to preserve the BBC is a global
struggle for quality and public service values in
broadcasting that we cannot afford to lose."
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