The BBC announced on 15 April its decision to cut 10% of jobs across departments. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in condemning the cut, urging the BBC to guarantee sustainable funding that protects jobs and quality journalism.
In an all-staff meeting held on 15 April, BBC management announced that between 1,800 and 2,000 jobs could be cut across various departments. The broadcaster justified its decision by a need to make £500m (approximately 574 800 000 euros) savings over the next two years.
Management also announced spending reductions – including on travel, attending external events, and commissioning freelances – in addition to controls on recruitment.
In the past, the NUJ had raised concerns to BBC management over a reduction in the number of freelance shifts across production teams at the BBC and the lack of recruitment into vacant posts and the impact these changes had on already overworked journalists.
In a statement published on 15 April, Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said: “Plans for more brutal job cuts are wrong, damaging and will cause uncertainty and distress for workers at the BBC. Previous rounds of cuts have led to reduced programming, loss of experience, unmanageable workloads, fewer opportunities and have significantly hit staff morale. These cuts severely undermine the BBC’s ability to fulfil its purposes: providing quality journalism and programming that informs, educates, and entertains. The BBC cannot provide quality journalism without the talented and experienced workers who make it possible. “
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We stand with BBC media workers and the NUJ today and urge BBC management to review its position and consider the impact such a decision will have on its staff and the public’s right to know. When disinformation is ripe and the world is shaking, we need ethical, qualitative media to inform the public. We call on the BBC to reconsider these cuts and call on the UK government to back the BBC by guaranteeing sustainable funding that protects jobs and quality journalism – both through the next Royal Charter and urgent intervention”.
Source: IFJ
