Strike action will take BBC Radio York off the air for 24 hours
Some BBC Radio York staff including presenters, producers and newsreaders will take strike action from 11am this morning.
The NUJ has called a walkout after the BBC announced it was slashing local programmes in favour of doing more online content.
The BBC says the station, 40-years-old in July, can share afternoon and most the weekend output with Radios Leeds, Sheffield and Humberside without affecting audiences. It says it can then spend more on news and features seen on online platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as make some savings.
But staff and listeners, who in many cases are older people, don’t agree and the strike followed by a work to rule will hit news and programmes broadcast from Bootham Row.
Action is being taken at the other 39 stations in England too.
Richard Staples represents the NUJ at Radio York. He said: “It’s never good to have to go out on strike. But we need to make a point to the BBC that the changes they want to make to the local radio output are something that we think is going too far.
“We agree that the BBC and local radio should embrace the digital future and do some more digital content.
“But we don’t think that should be at the cost of all the local radio programmes.
“They’re wanting to reduce from around 100 hours of production from our York office to about 40 plus sport, and we think that’s too much too soon, and that there should be a halfway house.”
He explained what would be happening if the BBC is able to ahead with the cuts.
“With weekend breakfast, for example, we’re told we will be sharing with Radio Leeds, Radio, Sheffield, Radio Humberside and Radio, Lincolnshire.
“I don’t know how people in Northallerton will feel about hearing stories from Grantham.
“It’s just too big a patch”
Richard Staples said he took some comfort from the Gary Lineker U-turn too. He’s hoping if there is enough pressure on senior managers in the regions and at HQ then there will be a ‘row back’ on the plans.
“They need to take the audience with them and also the staff and neither of that is happening at the moment.
“And it’s something where I think the BBC should be cherishing its listeners to local radio, and take them along on the journey and not just kind of ditch them.”
Some staff, NUJ members will switch the microphones off at 11am for 24 hours.
YorkMix understands that there will not be any attempt to carry on and managers at Radio York will switch the station to a feed of a national filler show instead.