Staff at STV are due to strike on Wednesday over the compulsory redundancies and plans to cut the north edition of the News at 6.
All news staff in Scotland will be affected as the planned action coincides with the launch of the new commercial radio station, STV Radio, on Tuesday. Staff will join picket lines in Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Around 94% of members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) among the STV staff were in favour of striking.
STV announced their plans to initially make 60 redundancies – of which half would be in news – just after issuing a profits warning. The commercial TV company said it would cut one of the regional editions of News at 6, and would drop the five minute regional updates for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.
The number of redundancies has been reduced, and STV has also revised its original plans on programming. The broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, has not yet approved any of the changes, and a decision is not expected until March after a consultation.
Meantime STV Radio will launch on Tuesday in a £500,000 investment.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland, said: “This week STV plan to launch their new costly radio station, while also facing a one-day strike from journalists who jobs are being axed to pay for it.
“On Wednesday our members at STV will be standing on picket lines to defend quality local journalism, and in opposition to management who want to rip up their public service broadcasting obligations in pursuit of higher profits for shareholders. Viewers, business leaders, politicians and unions all see STV’s plans for what they are: foolhardy and damaging to Scottish journalism. It’s not too late for STV to rethink these plans and avoid a damaging dispute.”
In 2024 STV News staff went on strike over two days taking all STV news broadcasts and bulletins off air.
The company said it welcomed the OFCOM consultation on proposed licence changes and that the proposal “has been developed in response to major and long-term changes in viewing habits and news consumption and the significant growth in online and social media – shifts that are affecting all UK broadcasters”.
While the News at 6 may change, news gathering would still take place at all existing sites including Edinburgh, Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dundee.
CEO, RUFUS RADCLIFFE, said: “STV is an iconic Scottish business with a brilliant schedule of programmes for viewers which delivers unrivalled mass reach for advertisers. We’re incredibly proud of what we do, and we have a clear strategy in place to ensure our continued contribution to Scotland’s creative economy. Businesses cannot stand still when their industry is changing and when consumers are changing their behaviour fundamentally and at pace. Viewing habits have transformed and we must adapt and provide the services that people demand, and ensure that we are a future-facing, commercially sustainable business.
“We have had valuable ongoing dialogue with Ofcom and considered very carefully the changes we need to put in place, and we are pleased the regulator proposes to accept this plan. The model presented will enable the continued delivery of high-quality news that we are proud of and will see STV realise its digital news ambitions, serving viewers across Scotland.”
The Ofcom consultation and STV’s submissions can be found here.
