Thursday, July 28, 2011

BBC staffing row over ‘one year to go’ coverage

The BBC sent almost 10 times as many staff as its main news rival to cover an event marking one year until the start of the London 2012 Olympics, according to the Daily Telegraph. The corporation, the official games host broadcaster, sent 153 “domestic” staff to report on the “One Year To Go” series of events throughout the capital. In addition, 58 BBC World Service staff, who are not [yet] funded by the licence fee, also covered the special events marking a year to the games’ opening ceremony. A total of 250 BBC staff were accredited.

In comparison ITN, which produces several news programmes for ITV and Channel 4, sent just 22 staff to cover the day-long event while Sky News sent 11 employees. The BBC was criticised for sending a “cast of thousands” and of a “complete overkill” by a member of staff covering the event, who did not wish to be named. But the corporation defended its staffing, saying journalists, producers and technicians produced “dozens of hours” of broadcasting across television and radio as well as online.
 (Source : Media Network Weblog)

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