BBC TO CLOSE GRAPHIC DESIGN IN BIRMINGHAM

PROPOSALS have been made to close the Graphic Design department at BBC Birmingham.
BECTU say that BBC management made the proposal because of the loss of internal work at Birmingham and the reduction in external business in the UK Midlands.
The proposed closure will mean the axing of 13 posts in the Birmingham Pebble Mill Graphic Design department, including eight Designer positions, with subsequent redundancies. Management are understood to have said that staff resettlement opportunities across the BBC are "limited".
Birmingham Graphic Design is part of BBC MediaArc, which also has sections in BBC London, Bristol and Belfast - all of which is part of BBC Resources.
Corporation management say the proposals are connected with the management moves to close the main network television facilities at Birmingham, the transfer of local news graphics work from the department, the changing pattern of daytime programmes and the lack of predictable work from BBC production areas.
However, management have said they plan to keep a MediaArc presence at Birmingham with a newly created character animation workshop.
BECTU are seeking to meet with BBC management during the next week to open negotiations on the proposed closure. (CD)