Monday 5 July 2010

NUJ welcomes reprieve for 6music but says fight against cuts to other BBC services will go on

The NUJ has today welcomed the announcement that BBC 6music would be saved but called on the BBC Trust to rethink the go-ahead it has given to other planned cuts to the Asian Network and the BBC's website.
While the BBC Trust rejected the proposal to close BBC 6 Music, it failed to give a reprieve to the BBC Asian Network - which still faces closure and endorsed the proposal to cut the BBC's website budget by 25%.
NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear said,"The Trusts rejection of the proposal to close BBC 6 Music vindicates the campaign of opposition which the NUJ, BECTU and other organisations and individuals have been running since the proposals were first made public. However, given the continued threat to BBC Asian Network, local radio and the BBC website, the fight goes on.
"These are services which lie at the heart of the BBC's public service remit and must be saved. In particular, the proposal to share regional radio content is a recipe for disaster. Its something we've seen in the newspaper industry, and will destroy the local nature of the service and threaten jobs. Alongside our sister unions, we will continue to oppose these proposals and defend jobs and quality output at the BBC."

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