EXCLUSIVE: A handful of seasoned BBC Information journalists have complained that they’re the victims of ageism as they face obligatory redundancy below plans to merge the company’s House and Overseas newsdesks.
A number of sources informed Deadline that 4 senior journalists have lodged separate, however coordinated, age discrimination complaints after being proven the door. The BBC doesn’t touch upon particular person employment issues, however mentioned its redundancy processes are “thorough and honest.”
The layoffs are a part of financial savings plans introduced by BBC Information final October. The division mentioned it could lower 130 roles and cancel interview collection HARDtalk as a part of BBC-wide efforts to avoid wasting £700M ($943M). BBC Information CEO Deborah Turness acknowledged on the time that the adjustments have been “not simple.”
The aggrieved workers are everywhere in the age of fifty and are thought to have greater than 100 years of expertise between them, together with warzone reporting and coordinating output on main occasions, together with terror assaults. They’ve raised an inner grievance as a primary step in pursuing an employment tribunal towards the BBC. A fifth worker can be in danger, however shouldn’t be thought to have raised a grievance.
The journalists have been invited to use for brand new roles on the merged newsdesk, going via a recruitment course of that sources alleged was weighted in favor of much less skilled candidates. Insiders mentioned these concerned have been inspired to give attention to their expertise from the previous two years, slightly than replicate on their physique of labor for the company.
There’s a view that youthful journalists have been profitable in being redeployed into new roles, regardless of not having the required expertise. “The entire thing stinks,” mentioned an individual acquainted with the method. One other added: “They’re attempting to make use of folks on a budget.”
A 3rd individual mentioned the continued “mind drain” within the BBC newsroom would result in errors on air, including that the closure of a standalone Overseas information desk doubtlessly created extra danger for staffers stationed abroad.
Sources claimed that interviews for the merged newsdesk have been designed in such a means that if journalists didn’t point out particular key phrases, equivalent to “digital” or “reside web page,” they have been marked down. The method was mocked as an “absurd” little bit of BBC box-ticking.
A number of sources mentioned one of many people going through redundancy is a Nationwide Union of Journalists (NUJ) consultant. This individual is assumed to have raised separate issues about victimization due to their affiliation with the union.
Obligatory redundancies are a crimson line for the NUJ. Paul Siegert, the union’s broadcasting organizer, informed Deadline: “It’s NUJ coverage to poll our BBC union members for strike motion if any member on the BBC is going through obligatory redundancy. We at all times hope it doesn’t come to that and work arduous with the BBC to seek out redeployment alternatives for any member going through redundancy.”
A BBC spokesperson mentioned: “Like all components of the BBC, Information must contribute to the financial savings introduced final 12 months. Whereas we don’t touch upon particular person employees points, restructuring in BBC Information is going down in accordance with established BBC insurance policies; we conduct all processes in a radical and honest method, and we’re dedicated to supporting our employees all through, together with via complete redeployment help.”
The age discrimination criticism follows comparable issues being raised by a gaggle of BBC Information presenters as a part of an employment tribunal final 12 months. Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh settled their three-year dispute in March. The phrases of the settlement weren’t disclosed.
