Supplementary letter from the BBC
Following our evidence session last week, there
were a few areas where the Committee asked for further information,
and we have provided this below:
A DESCRIPTION OF
THE SCALE
AND SCOPE
OF BBC NEWS
BBC journalists compared to other broadcasters:
while we know our journalistic headcount—7,200 (2007—headcount
in News, N&R, Global and Sport)—it is difficult to provide
information from other broadcasters with such confidence as, for
example, we do not always know whether they include support or
other staff in their total. Here is what we have come up with:
NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS
|
| No.
| Year/Source |
|
| BBC | 7,200
| 2007—headcount in News, N&R, Global and Sport
|
| NBC News | 5,700
| All staff—2007—articles in 2006 referring to 6,000 workforce being reduced by 300
|
| CNN | 4,000
| 2004—The State of News Report
|
| ABC News | 3,500
| All staff—articles in 2007 referring to 35 jobs cuts representing 1% of workforce
|
| AFP | 3,250
| 2007—website |
| AP | 3,000
| 2007—website |
| Reuters | 2,400
| 2007—website |
| Fox News | 1,250
| 2004—The State of News Report
|
| VoA | 1,100
| All staff—2007—website
|
| EuroNews | 200
| 2007—website |
|
Turning to the effects of reprioritisation, as part of the
six year strategy we estimate (pending Trust approval of some
of our new proposed investments) that we will reduce the number
of journalists by approximately 400 out of the total number above
of 7,200 journalists worldwide. This represents a reduction of
approximately 5%.
RESEARCHER CONTRACTS
IN CURRENT
AFFAIRS
The Committee also asked for information about the length
of contract for researchers in BBC Current Affairs.
The table below shows the split between continuing contracts,
and fixed term contracts, though technically they are all staff:
|
| Average
age (yrs)
| Continuing vs Fixed
Term contracts
| Average Fixed
Term Contract
|
|
| London TV—20 researchers | 31.5
| 6 vs 14 |
|
| Manchester TV—15 researchers | 30
| 3 vs 12 | 3.4 months (27 contracts issued to 12
|
| Radio (London & Manchester)—9 researchers
| 34 | 8 vs 1
| people |
| | |
|
| Summary | |
| |
| TV | 31 |
9 vs 26 | 3.3 months (57 contracts issued to 26)
|
| Radio | 34
| 8 vs 1 |
|
| All | 32.5
| 17 vs 27 | 3.4 months (60 contracts issued to 27 people)
|
|
| Source: BBC HR—for period 30 June 2006 to 26 July 2007
| |
It is important to note that BBC Current Affairs uses relatively
few researchers. They have significantly more assistant producers
than researchers working on our programmes at any one time. For
example, as a snap shot, London TV currently has 34 assistant
producers and only seven researchers on its books.
The vast majority of the assistant producers are on continuing
contracts. Again as a snap shot, today, of the 34 assistant producers
on the books in London Television, 31 are on continuing contracts
and the remaining two are on fixed term contracts.
BBC Current Affairs needs people who have programme making
and journalistic experience. Current Affairs also tends to attract
people who have had some experience in a newsroom or at the lighter
end of factual programme-making who are looking for something
a bit more in-depth or grittier.
BBC Current Affairs occasionally has small numbers of researchers
on casual contracts working for us. They also occasionally bring
in freelance specialist researchers—usually because they
have languages or specialist knowledge. They currently have one
person on their books on that type of contract.
The fixed term contracts above are project based—BBC
Current Affairs receives income on a project basis. Staff are
therefore hired for the duration of a project.
Staffing needs within current affairs rise and fall—and
staffing levels are maintained for the trough not the peak of
activity.
The level of BBC Current Affairs' core continuing contract
staff is governed by what business they can predict under the
in-house guarantee. If they win commissions above that level,
by winning work from the WoCC or from non-Current Affairs slates,
they hire in the staff from the freelance market often based around
specific skill needs, eg specialists in investigations, drama-documentaries,
observational documentaries, languages or subject matter.
HOW STAFF
CONTRACTS MAKE
CLEAR OUR
COMMITMENT TO
IMPARTIALITY
Staff in programme making are committed by the terms of their
contract to impartiality. The contract contains a paragraph which
states:
"All staff involved in programme making are subject to
and expected to observe and abide by the policies contained in
the BBC Editorial Guidelines".
The relevant section of the guidelines can be found at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/edguide/impariality/
In addition, the BBC's Conflict of Interest policy which
is incorporated into staff contracts states as a principle that:
"No-one should act in a manner likely to bring the BBC
into disrepute or affect its reputation for impartiality".
Finally, Helen Boaden, having seen some of the press coverage
of her exchange with Lord Maxton on the Newsnight film,
is keen to clear up any potential confusion on this.
Lord Maxton asked her if she has apologised to the Prime
Minister. She said since they had received no complaint from the
Prime Minister they had not apologised. However, they had received
a complaint from the Treasury and had written back with an apology.
However, Helen realises that she did not make clear the nature
of the complaint from the Treasury.
This complaint was from the Head of News at the Treasury
who complained not about the reordering of some sequences in the
Newsnight film but about his belief that some of it had
been unfair to one of his press officers.
The Editor of Newsnight, Peter Barron, wrote back
saying he that he was sorry if the press officer felt it had been
unfair to her. This had never been the intention of the film which
was meant to be a gently humorous look at the subject of the accessibility
of politicians.
The Head of News at the Treasury has not at this date chosen
to escalate his complaint further.
The BBC's Director General, Deputy Director General and Helen
herself have made it clear publicly that they believe the reordering
of the film not to be best practice, and undesirable. However,
they believe that in this case, the re ordering of a sequence
in the Newsnight film did not change its overall thrust
and meaning.
I hope this is helpful, and as ever, please contact me if
you require anything further.
July 2007
| 
