BBC journalists in York started a 24-hour walkout today to protest against cuts to local radio shows.

Members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) across the country began the strike at 11am today (Wednesday, March 15), and will protest until 11am tomorrow morning.

The strike is in protest over proposed cuts to local radio shows.

The BBC has said plans to invest money saved from local radio into digital programming. 

The industrial action coincides with the national strikes of junior doctors, teachers, civil servants, train staff and London underground staff this week.

In York, the protest is taking place outside the BBC Radio York offices in Bootham Row.

Richard Staples, the NUJ representative for BBC Radio York said: "We're striking against the BBC's proposals to stop afternoon, weekday evening and weekend shows to invest all that money into digital programming.

"They say it's not going to threaten jobs, and we're not against the idea of doing more digital, but we think losing all that local radio is not fair on the listeners and the staff that want to carry on doing those programmes.

"It's affecting the 5.7 million listeners, all 39 local radio stations and a dozen regional TV outlets across the country - so there will be no Look North on tonight. 

"This is not for money, this is for the listeners, we are concerned about keeping our audiences and taking them with us into the digital world."

 

A BBC spokesman said the broadcaster plans to modernise local services, including more news journalists and a stronger local online service, "which will see no overall reduction in staffing levels or local funding".

A BBC spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that audiences will experience some changes to local tv and radio services in England as a result of industrial action by the National Union of Journalists. We have tried to minimise disruption as much as possible.

"We are obviously disappointed that the strike has gone ahead. We have a plan to modernise local services across England  - including more news journalists and a stronger local online service – which will see no overall reduction in staffing levels or local funding. Our goal is a local service across tv, radio and online that delivers even greater value to communities.

"We will continue to engage with the trade union and do everything possible to minimise the impact on staff.” 

The BBC has previously said that due to a freeze in the licence fee and inflation it faces a £400 million funding gap by 2026/2027 and must make savings.

Some 382 jobs at the service are being lost as part of plans to move to a digital-led offering, it was announced in September.