BBC blacked out by NUJ walkout

MANY BBC programmes have or will be affected in the next 48 hours, after thousands of journalists walked out, following rows over pensions.

Little has run to schedule, as many of its staff, some highly-established members amongst them took to the picket lines in the early hours of the morning.  On the radio, BBC Radio 4’s flagship programme, the Today show was replaced between 6am and 9am this morning by pre-recorded documentaries.  Meanwhile, over at 5 Live, their normal schedule also went because of the strikes, with its Breakfast show taken over by pre-recorded interviews and repeats of previous shows.  Other radio services, both local and national have also been severely affected.

Meanwhile on the television, BBC2’s Newsnight programme, scheduled for 10.30pm tonight is not expected to air and the BBC News channel has been running a very basic service today.  The one o’clock news wasn’t presented by any of the normal regular presenters, and BBC Breakfast also ran a reduced show from the BBC News studio.  It is likely that the regular of the 10pm news slot on BBC1, Huw Edwards will not present the news tonight.  On the internet, the BBC News website also had a restricted service, with many blogs and opinions being left untouched from yesterday. 

So, why are there all the problems?  Well, all the journalists who have walked out under the NUJ banner (National Union of Journalists) are not worried about programme cuts; it is about the planned alterations to their pension schemes.  The BBC insists that changes have to be made in order to cut the broadcaster’s £1.5billion pension deficit.  They will keep talking, but insist that no money is on the table.

More strikes are planned for November 15 and 16, and the NUJ is also threatening a more damaging walkout at Christmas.  The NUJ’s argument is that journalists at the BBC would “pay more, work longer and receive lower pensions.”  Fiona Bruce, Tony Livesey, Victoria Derbyshire and Simon Mayo are among those journalists who are believed to be on the picket lines outside Television Centre and Bush House.

The BBC’s director general Mark Thompson insists that the new pension scheme on the table is ‘fair.’  However, despite the Beeb saying that they have measures in place to limit the disruption, this isn’t a good image it is promoting.  Thompson has got a lot of head scratching to do if he wants this issue to be solved quickly and peacefully.