Strikes force BBC Breakfast & Radio 4’s Today off air
The BBC has been left grappling to plug gaping holes in its scheduling this morning after strike action forced several of its highest profile programmes, including BBC Breakfast and Radio 4’s Today, off air.
In their place the BBC was forced to screen repeats of Bargain Hunt and Escape to the Country in a desperate bid to prevent TV screens going dark.
Some of the BBC’s biggest names including John Humphries, Bill Turnbull and Evan Davies were silenced by the action, called by the National Union of Journalists to ‘defend jobs and quality journalism’.
Other programming affected included Radio 4’s World at one and PM whilst Radio 5 Lives Up All Night and Morning Reports were also canceled.
NUJ general secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, said: “NUJ members across the BBC are taking action to defend jobs and quality journalism at the corporation.
“They are angry and frustrated at the poor decisions being taken at the top of the BBC – decisions that are leading to journalists being forced out of their jobs and quality journalism and programming compromised.”
Strikers hope that their actions will forestall planned compulsory redundancies at BBC Radio 5 Live, the Asian Network, the World Service, and BBC Scotland.