FIVE former BBC Scotland journalists have warned of “real damage” – being caused by cutbacks – to news and current affairs coverage in the run-up to next year’s referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future.
The five – former political correspondent, Kit Fraser; former editor of Good Morning Scotland, Douglas MacLeod; former news editor, Carole Bentley; and former reporters, Eric Crockart and David Calder – are signatories to a letter in today’s Scotsman newspaper.
They call for an “urgent rethink” on jobs being axed.
In August – as part of ongoing job cuts over a five-year period – it was announced 35 posts were at risk of redundancy, several in editorial. The cuts follow an annual 16 per cent budget cut while the TV licence fee is frozen, which happened following a deal agreed between the BBC and the Government in Westmister.
The letter is accompaneed by an article by Scott McNab. The letter can be read here.
