News staff at Signal 1 in Stoke are balloting for industrial action following a decision by owner UTV to move some news production to Lancashire.
3 news staff will be axed as afternoon production heads to a new UTV hub in Wigan.
Wolverhampton’s The Wolf, Juice FM in Liverpool, Tower in Bolton, Wire in Warrington and Wish in Wigan will be based at the office, along with Signal.
But the local National Union of Journalists chapel has written to MPs to say it signals the “death of journalism.”
“News hubbing is a trendy word for cutting and running from the communities that radio stations claim to serve. Having news for six stations run by overworked journalists in Wigan is a recipe for disaster for listeners and workers,” added Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ deputy general secretary.
“This is an issue for radio journalists all over the country. I applaud the NUJ members at Signal for standing up for independent radio news and send them the solidarity of the entire union.”
Signal is one of the country’s oldest stations, having been on air for 26 years. In the letter to MPs, staff explained that the new-look news production would mean one member of staff and pre-recorded bulletins:
“That one person would read breakfast news bulletins. Bulletins in the afternoon would be pre-recorded and not live. They’d come from a hub in Wigan, 49 miles away from Stoke on Trent. The hub, staffed by six people, would provide bulletins for six stations. Staffing levels at that hub would mean three journalists on afternoon shifts doing bulletins for all six stations.
“We believe this plan will be the death of journalism in the UTV Group and more importantly, from our point of view, at Signal.”
The most comprehensive ever review and assessment of the top communicators and marketers working in public services in the North West: the Public Sector 100. READ
The North West’s top marketing folk who collectively control marketing expenditure in excess of £500m and whose endeavours help sustain tens of thousands of jobs. READ
The full listing of How-Do's Media 100. The 2009 list in its entirety, offers the definitive compilation of the most influential and powerful media, creative and digital folk based in the North West. READ
The How-Do poll
Latest comments
Mike Flex: And as they say, from the ashes the Phoenix rises...
READ
Mike Flex: So Channel M reverts back to its original RSL/Plowright model. Think it's a...
READ
Mr Drivel: Hi watcher...2 + 2 is not 5.
Love the conspiracy theory but I suppose in y...
READ
Watcher: That's what happens when you have 10 year olds doing grown ups' jobs - they...
READ
Anon: Wow! Great news, so there is still a future for Channel M after all??
Salf...
READ
Watcher: How very neatly done. Year Zero at Channel M. Having thrown everyone bar th...
READ
Comments (3)
