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Mixed response as less than half of BBC staff opt for Salford
The North West’s sporting legacy appears to be substantially better than its marketing clout as just 26% of the BBC’s marketing, communications and technology staff have agreed to move to MediaCityUK.
Meanwhile 58% of Sport has said yes, as did 56% of Radio 5 Live’s morning team and 50% of 5 Live’s news staff.
The first new employees will head to Salford this year and the new statistics show how many of the 924 affected staff have opted to head North.
In total 428 have said yes, that includes 45% of future media and technology, 26% of BBC Learning and 31% of the children’s department.
This is despite a package, which includes cash to pay for new carpets and curtains, expenses to go house-hunting in Manchester and a relocation payment of £5k.
Those who've decided not to go to MediaCity have a year to find new jobs in the BBC or they can take redundancy.
Meanwhile 5 Live's boss Adrian van-Klaveren has been blogging on the move for the BBC and in his latest update wrote:
"We aim to sound like a radio station free of any metropolitan bias which covers events and stories in every part of the UK. A base outside London should make that easier to achieve to the full - as I've written here before, if you were starting 5 live today I'm certain you would not choose be based in London."
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Yeah thats the one! The lush suburbs of that region known as Shepherds Bush a mere stones throw from Salford and London in the North East Region of Scotland. With a local economy made up entirely of Estate Agents.
I totally agree with you Brian. Appointments being made at all levels will hopefully ensure that property stock all around Manchester should be used, rather than just the lush suburbs.
Quite Paul. But one of the key benefits of Media City is surely that we attract a well paid population adding to the whole of the local economy and skill pool? Not just commuting ,taking the salaries and spending it someone else's region. If that becomes the case then its just a great big expensive bollocks of an initiative, rather than something quite special. Which it can and should be.
I suspect that the terms of the move do NOT stipulate that employees LIVE in Salford so why are we all getting our knickers in a twist??
Lindsey I dont know on what basis you hold your opinion. Therefore being sarcastic without stating your own interest is ineffective. If you are a member of the local media that I obviously believe is open to criticism or a BBC HR person or perhaps even one of Hazel Blear's cronies then be brave and say so. By not doing it, you reinforce my comments . I am positive about Salford. There is a big clue when I say 'I am very happy and live and work here. That is what an ambassador generally does.
What's wrong Lindsey? Frightened of a bit of straight talking?
What a great ambassador you are, Brian. Congratulations.
I read some time ago in The Eye that many of the relocation packages offered by the BBC had a sting in the tail with regard to writing off other more valuable employee benefits. Add that to the dire image of Salford displayed by its local media, which is usually negative or sickly a(relocating? read the local paper before making your move) and the sort of national headlines that Hazel Blears and her hypocritical free loadings add to the equation and its not surprising. I live and work in Salford and am very happy, but if I didn't and had researched it as a potential place to live and work or to educate children? On face value, I doubt I would locate here either.