Several veteran BBC News journalists have filed age discrimination complaints after being selected for compulsory redundancy, as the corporation implements a major restructuring of its Home and Foreign news desks.
According to Deadline, four senior journalists—all over the age of 50—have submitted coordinated complaints, alleging that their dismissals are a form of ageism. The affected individuals collectively bring more than 100 years of experience to the newsroom, including work in warzones and during national emergencies.
These redundancies are part of broader savings measures announced in October 2023, in which BBC News confirmed it would cut 130 roles and cancel the long-running interview series HARDtalk. The move is part of a corporation-wide plan to reduce spending by £700 million ($943 million). Deborah Turness, CEO of BBC News, admitted at the time that the decisions involved were “not easy.”
The journalists affected were invited to reapply for new roles under the merged news structure. However, sources claim the recruitment process favored younger, less experienced applicants. Candidates were allegedly marked down if they failed to use specific keywords like “digital” or “live page,” leading some to describe the interview criteria as a “box-ticking exercise.”
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There is a perception that the restructuring is designed to replace experienced staff with cheaper alternatives. “They’re trying to employ people on the cheap,” one source remarked. Another warned that the “brain drain” could result in more on-air mistakes and increased risks for overseas correspondents, especially following the closure of the standalone Foreign news desk.
Among those facing redundancy is a National Union of Journalists (NUJ) representative, who has separately raised concerns of victimization due to union affiliation. The NUJ opposes all compulsory redundancies and has threatened strike action if its members are forced out. Paul Siegert, NUJ’s broadcasting organizer, stated:
“It is NUJ policy to ballot our BBC union members for strike action if any member at the BBC is facing compulsory redundancy. We always hope it doesn’t come to that and work hard with the BBC to find redeployment opportunities for any member facing redundancy.”
A BBC spokesperson responded:
“Like all parts of the BBC, News needs to contribute to the savings announced last year. While we do not comment on individual staff issues, restructuring in BBC News is taking place according to established BBC policies; we conduct all processes in a thorough and fair manner, and we are committed to supporting our staff throughout, including through comprehensive redeployment assistance.”
These new complaints follow a recent employment tribunal involving high-profile BBC presenters Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera, and Annita McVeigh. That case, also related to age discrimination, was settled earlier this year after three years of legal proceedings. The terms of the settlement remain confidential.
