[ftv]

The two main BBC unions, BECTU and the NUJ, have voted for further strike action over redundancies and what they claim is an increase in bullying and harassment by managers turning the Corporation into a ''sweatshop.'' It is reported the strike will take place over Easter and is expected to curtail news programmes. Two days of strikes are due to take place at BBC Scotland tomorrow and on March 25 over a protest at the management's failure to redeploy staff made redundant.

www.bbc.co.uk/ariel

[Spiderpig]

Pink Panther comming back then as the filler perhaps?

[Caxton]

Plenty of other channels plenty of other news sources. Just a slight inconvenience that can easily be overcome. This could go on for days or even weeks. We can survive without them.

[jazzydrury3]

Having the strike over Easter surely, wont make as much as an impact onair, as it would normally.

BBC News Channel, obviously willl be affected, but during the last strike, it was nice to see the likes of Chris Rodgers, who i remember presenting Newsround, all those years back, and the relief presenters in my eyes done nothing wrong.

BBC1, only generally has 10 minute news programmes, over the holiday periods anyway, which can be presented by thte likes of Rodgers and the reliefs.

The main side of teh news, which will be affected, is the Regional News, which always seems to go to pot, during a strike.

[Ambassador]

Good.

Radio at least was at least 100 times better and the news was straight to the point.

Keep striking, you're just proving how much we don't need you

[hyperstarsponge]

BBC News Channel in a nearly empty newsroom outside the night would be a change, We see live newsroom shots at the start of the news these days.

[hendero]

39% of BBC Members voted, and of them 56% voted to strike, so a grand total of 22% of BBC staff voted to strike. Sounds like a real mandate.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by hendero

39% of BBC Members voted, and of them 56% voted to strike, so a grand total of 22% of BBC staff voted to strike. Sounds like a real mandate.

We could use the same reasoning to question the mandate of many MPs (and Governments come to think of it), especially those elected in by-elections where turnout is poor..

But for some reason, we tend not to.

[jazzydrury3]

Originally Posted by hyperstarsponge

BBC News Channel in a nearly empty newsroom outside the night would be a change, We see live newsroom shots at the start of the news these days.

Yeah u can visage the newsroom shot, the countdown music, then zooming to the studio shot, loads of blank space, if just relief news guy or girl, sat at table

[Verence]

Originally Posted by hendero

39% of BBC Members voted, and of them 56% voted to strike, so a grand total of 22% of BBC staff voted to strike. Sounds like a real mandate.

That's still more than the average % of people who voted in the elections for Police Commissioners so presumably they have even less of a mandate??

[hendero]

Originally Posted by Verence

That's still more than the average % of people who voted in the elections for Police Commissioners so presumably they have even less of a mandate??

The police commissioner thingy was a joke, that's what I took from the public's complete indifference to it.

The threatened BBC strike sounds like a few militants getting their knickers in a twist about something the BBC can't do much about. "Sweat shop" conditions. Please.

If they want to strike they can knock themselves out, but I doubt they will get much sympathy in too many quarters.

[Caxton]

Originally Posted by jazzydrury3

, ,, , , , ,The main side of teh news, which will be affected, is the Regional News, which always seems to go to pot, during a strike.

Regional news can be missed, last time ours was restricted to a 10 minute summary with just one announcer instead of two, plenty long enough for any story of importance.

Most of the other parochial stories like some local person complaining about a speed limit, a cat stuck up a tree or a visit to some flower arranger's class is no great loss.

[Dan's Dad]

Originally Posted by hendero

....
The threatened BBC strike sounds like a few militants getting their knickers in a twist .....

The majority vote for action short of strike was even more decisive with 81 per cent of members voting in favour compared to 19 per cent voting against.
Participation in the ballot was 39 per cent of eligible members.

Quite a high proportion of 'militants' then!

Can I suggest that you read Section 44 of the Royal Charter and decide whether these 'militants' are doing anything other than playing their part in an obligation placed on the BBC.

[Bill Clinton]

Can't resist this I'm afraid!

The current BBC schedules look as if they were planning a strike already, nothing original or special targeted at Easter, just a couple of films bunged in and a programme about Mary Magdalene and Miranda looking back at Eric Morecambe, there might as well be a strike because that would be more like entertaining Bank Holiday viewing!

[hendero]

Originally Posted by Dan's Dad

Quite a high proportion of 'militants' then!

Can I suggest that you read Section 44 of the Royal Charter and decide whether these 'militants' are doing anything other than playing their part in an obligation placed on the BBC.

So more (but still less than half the total who could have voted) preferred action short of strike. I wonder why they didn't just go with that option.

[franchise]

Why just 12 hours? Seems pointless. They should ask their colleague in the commercial sector about cuts. In fact, ask anyone in the current economic climate we live in.

[lotrjw]

Originally Posted by hendero

The threatened BBC strike sounds like a few militants getting their knickers in a twist about something the BBC can't do much about. "Sweat shop" conditions. Please.

I agree, if they want to put blame anywhere they should blame politicians for spending cuts but its debatable whether they had a choice! I better stop before things get political!

[Pizzatheaction]

Originally Posted by hendero

39% of BBC Members voted, and of them 56% voted to strike, so a grand total of 22% of BBC staff voted to strike. Sounds like a real mandate.

Not even that, because the BBC has loads of non-union staff.

The ballot results are a slap in the face for the unions, especially BECTU, and the 12-hr strike is a face-saving measure.

I wouldn't even be surprised if they spin a weak reason for calling it off nearer the time.

[Caxton]

The last strike they had made little impact, this one will be the same. One newsreader will suffice for national and local news, do we really need two? We had only one newsreader some years back in Kenneth Baker's and Robert McDougall's time when they had to spend far more time reading the news individually than two do now together, as there were far fewer outside reporters on film and film clips. The BBC may cut back even more.

[Westy2]

Could BBC News get away with using the old titles(minus the newsroom view!) & the virtual studio(The one they use at 5pm & 9pm now!) during the strike?

This would disguise the fact that the newsroom would have a lot less people in than normal.

[inothernews]

You could get all the visitors on one of the BBC tours to sit behind the desks to make it look busy.

[KevJ]

It'll look like this.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4pY3QtiGyo

[lotrjw]

Originally Posted by KevJ

It'll look like this.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4pY3QtiGyo

lol is this some sort of spoof? or is it from actual news strikes?

[Caxton]

Originally Posted by lotrjw

lol is this some sort of spoof? or is it from actual news strikes?

I think you will find it was genuine footage on strike days

[hyperstarsponge]

Someone should pull the plug on BBC1 and force a test-card on, Viewers will like it better then what's on judging by the Easter line-up