BBC journalists strike for second time over World Service job cuts

[Blue_Tires]

Newsnight and The World at One were among the programmes forced off air yesterday as journalists at the BBC walked out for the second time in three weeks – and management and unions argued about how well the action was supported.

Radio 4's Today programme ran but was an hour shorter than usual, while a string of unknowns led by a former ITV regional news presenter led the news bulletins. Gavin Grey, who used to work for ITV Meridian, fronted the 1pm bulletin, while the Six O'Clock bulletin was presented by Chris Rogers, a BBC News stand-in.

Lucy Adams, the BBC's director of business operations Lucy Adams said "six out of seven staff" were working with "all our services on air" and "limited changes to planned programming" with the BBC's 24 hour news channel remaining on air.

Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said it was "absolutely ludicrous" to suggest such a high level of staffing, which she said was "completely untrue".

"The NUJ has several thousand members at the BBC and there have been only a handful of reports of people crossing the picket lines," said Stanistreet, who suggested BBC management was living in "fantasy land".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/aug/01/bbc-strike-world-service-cuts