BBC Radio York staff strike over cuts in local output

BBC Radio York staff began a 24-hour strike at 11am today (July 20) in protest over cuts to local radio services.

The country-wide walkout in England is the third since March as the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) continue their dispute with the broadcaster over its Digital First strategy.

The union says the BBC is seeking to move increasing amounts of local news online.

NUJ rep Richard Staples was outside the Bootham Row studios and said: “We’re protesting about the BBC proposals to reduce the amount of local radio programmes coming from this building, from the 109 hours that we do each week, at the moment, to just 40.

“They want to do that because they want to plough those resources into more digital services.

“And we think they can achieve what they want to without decimating local radio.

“What’s frustrating is that a lot of the local radio audience, which is on the older side, don’t embrace digital services and the BBC seems to want to cut them off, rather than give them training.”

The NUJ backed the nationwide digital expansion of local news, but stated that this should not be at the expense of linear local radio and its 5.7m loyal listeners.

Richard Staples outside BBC Radio York today (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Mr Staples said: “Scheduling would be nationwide and it would also be regional not local.

"So, weekend breakfast, for example, will come from Sheffield and broadcast to South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

“The afternoons, similarly, will come from Sheffield.

“But…people living in Barnsley, what do they want to know about Northallerton and Ripon?

“So it’s not local, and it’ll be pretending to be local and we don’t think that’s right and we don’t think it’s fair on our audience.”

The NUJ has lobbied parliament and 26 Yorkshire MPs, including Rachael Maskell, Labour (Co-op) MP for York Central, were among more than 70 cross-party politicians who have expressed their concern. According to Richard Staples, over 140 charities wrote a petition against the proposals.

I have just called the BBC to account for slashing @BBCYork services and insist that they stop the cuts and start engaging with their listeners.

— 💙Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) June 22, 2023

The theme of some listeners losing the companionship of BBC local radio presenters in their homes was picked up by the local branch rep.

Mr Staples said: “The Archbishop of York says local radio should be local. There’s a hint in the title.”

“Because of this isolation that people are really concerned about now, we have communities going on and yet there is so much social isolation, so much loneliness around and for many people like that local radio is a friend they want to listen to.

“They get their news as well from there, but it’s actually the friendship and hearing a friendly voice, the voice that they know, and a voice that’s local, and being part of the local community.”   

The BBC says plans to change its local output across England comes with a commitment to boost daily online news for 43 local areas and providing a wider range of local audio programming through BBC Sounds.

 It will create 11 investigative reporting teams across the country to give more analysis of key local issues across TV, radio and online.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, director of nations at the corporation, said last year: “The plans will help us connect with more people in more communities right across England, striking a better balance between our broadcast and online services and ensuring we remain a cornerstone of local life for generations to come.”