BBC axe to fall on Black workers

By Vic Motune

BBC INSIDERS have expressed fears of a mass exodus of Black staff and freelancers working in local radio ahead of changes to Black shows.

The corporation announced restructuring plans last year which could have seen Black community programmes axed, but did a u-turn following a campaign by The Voice

This paper has learnt BBC executives have now made Black presenters and producers reapply for their own jobs — and banned freelancers from applying.

The decision automatically excludes several long-serving staffers who complain they are only freelance because the BBC has failed to invest in Black programming.

Last month BBC staff, pictured, went on strike in protest over cuts to local radio which will see counties merged and programmes axed.

The row comes amid anger at BBC Parliament mixing up two Black MPs. As Streatham MP Florence Eshalomi spoke in the Commons, the corporation captioned her as Abena OppongAsare, who is MP for Erith and Thamesmead.

The mistake caused uproar as the MPs look nothing like each other, and BBC Parliament do not have a problem distinguishing between White MPs.

In 2021, the same channel confused Labour’s Marsha de Cordova with the Tory Kemi Badenoch, giving wrong captions for both MPs. The channel also previously confused Ms de Cordova with Dawn Butler.

BBC insiders told The Voice there was a climate of fear about speaking publicly against changes to the Black local shows.

A source said: “The major- ity of presenters, producers and contributors who work on these shows are freelancers so, certainly, what the BBC is proposing is going to have a disproportionate impact.”

Another insider added: “The process the BBC has created has been very divisive and disrespectful.

“They’ve not replied to any of our queries about how the job application process is going to impact people working on these shows, many of whom are freelance.

“They’re just hoodwinking people. They’re saying to people externally that they are increasing shows. What they’re not saying is that they’re merging shows. The shows as they exist are going. I just don’t understand why they’re not being clear and honest with people. “To be honest, there’s always that level of disrespect towards the African Caribbean shows.

“I can certainly see many of us leaving.”

Campaigner Zita Holbourne has launched a petition in protest at the cuts, which attracted nearly 20,000 signatures.

A BBC spokesperson told The Voice: “We are committed to having a range of voices on Local Radio and don’t agree with this characterisation.

“We have clearly laid out future schedules which include an increase in hours broadcast and opportunities for staff and freelancers. We are increasing the resource for each show and we’ll be working that through region by region.

“As standard, we have carried out an Equality Impact Assessment and shared with the unions.”

The BBC declined to share the document with The Voice The NUJ said: “I don’t think it’s worth the paper it’s written on.”