News / strikes
BBC radio presenters boycott their live shows to ‘save local radio’
BBC Radio Bristol presenter, John Darvall should have been on air this morning, instead he joined his colleagues and NUJ (National Union of Journalists) members to strike outside the BBC Studios.
A sign which read ‘Keep radio local’ was held up as part of the 24-hour strikes, which began at 11am on Wednesday, over threats to jobs and cuts at the radio station.
Speaking over passing drivers who beeped their car horns in support on Whiteladies Road, John, who is on strike for the first time, said: “If the BBC continue with its dominance of online media that will threaten local journalism, which will threaten local accountability – which will threaten local democracy.”
is needed now More than ever
John Darvall should have been on air this morning, instead he joined his colleagues and NUJ (National Union of Journalists) members to strike outside the BBC Studios – photo: Rachel Sutherland
He added: “Local radio is the closest the BBC can ever get to its audience and that needs to be protected because it is the heart of the BBC.
“I’m on strike because I want to protect BBC local radio services for the audience, the listeners and I want to protect wider journalism for Bristol and for the other local media sites.
“Journalism needs many voices.”
Under the BBC’s proposals, BBC Radio Bristol’s output after 2pm on weekdays and at weekends will be shared with the Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire stations.
Cuts will also mean there will be a reduced time of 40 hours a week of guaranteed local programming.
The BBC’s regional TV bulletins and local radio in England are being disrupted during the strikes.
The NUJ said it expected more than 1,000 staff to take part.
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Another BBC Radio Bristol presenter, Steve Yabsley, joined the strikes. Steve, who was born and bred in Bristol, has been on the radio waves at the station for over 35 years. He said: “We once had the slogan ‘one of the family’ and Radio Bristol is part of many people’s family, particularly older people who love the station.
“I want to keep working here because I love the station and I love the listeners.
“I’ve gone out and about meeting people in pubs and hiked them in as guests because I like to get local voices on air and I like to be part of the community
“With the new proposed measures, people won’t be getting the same, pure local product which you can’t get anywhere else.
“This is the only place where we are in your community and it will be a sad loss if Radio Bristol withers.”
Steve Yabsley who was born and bred in Bristol, has been on the radio waves at the station for over 35 years – photo: Rachel Sutherland
Matthew Hill, health correspondent at the BBC helped to organise the strikes in Bristol and attended to support his colleagues.
He said: “These local presenters are competing for their own jobs and the money the BBC saves is going to go towards redeploying staff for digital output – we say we’re not against people working for digital and for our members (of the NUJ) to be trained up, but we’re not happy at the expense of a unique service which is local radio.
“A lot of people do not get their news online, they rely heavily on the spoken word.”
Matthew Hill said: “These local presenters are competing for their own jobs”
The radio strikes, which will come to an end at 11am on Thursday, are one of many taking place in Bristol with junior doctors in the BMA striking on College Green.
The National Education Union had picket lines at 60 schools across Bristol.
Prospect union members, the University and College Union and the Public and Commercial Services union also all came together.
Wednesday saw hundreds of thousands of workers striking across the UK on what also marks budget day.
Further strikes are also set to take place on Thursday and Friday.
All photos: Rachel Sutherland
Read next:
- BBC Bristol journalists to go on 24-hour strike
- Junior doctors go on strike to demand fair pay
- ‘Claps don’t pay the bills’ NHS workers march through city centre
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