Summary of complaint
We have received complaints about a lack of coverage of recent strike action which took place in various sectors in March 2023.
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Our response
In the week commencing Monday 13 March, workers in many sectors went on strike over issues such as pay and working conditions.
On 13 March, we provided widespread coverage of the start of the three-day strike by junior doctors, which was the lead story on ±«Óãtv One’s morning news programme ‘Breakfast’, and was one of the lead items on the ±«Óãtv News at One, Six and Ten. This was also reported throughout the day on the ±«Óãtv News Channel, on ±«Óãtv Radio 4’s flagship news programme ‘Today’, and prominently on the ±«Óãtv News website which featured a Strikes Update page that led with the junior doctors’ strike:
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Our coverage of strike action continued on Tuesday 14 March, featuring on ±«Óãtv One’s ‘Breakfast’, and in our main ±«Óãtv One news bulletins. This included a report on the ±«Óãtv News at Six in which our journalist, Navtej Johal, spent the day with one junior doctor on the picket line. The panel on ±«Óãtv Two’s ‘Politics Live’ also discussed the pay received by civil servants, and the story again featured on the ±«Óãtv News website.
On Wednesday 15 March, alongside junior doctors, workers in several other sectors also went on strike, including teachers, London Underground staff, civil service workers in various government departments, and ±«Óãtv Local Radio staff.
This story was reported on ±«Óãtv One’s ‘Breakfast’, ±«Óãtv Radio 4’s ‘Today’, and again featured as a main item on the ±«Óãtv News at One, which also highlighted the rally taking place in London. While later bulletins led with what had been announced in the new Budget, our coverage of this story reflected that industrial action was taking place.
The ±«Óãtv News website also featured several articles on strikes by workers in various sectors:
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Across our coverage we have made clear the reasons for the strikes, and heard from those participating to provide our audience with a better understanding of the issues involved. We are also providing ongoing coverage of this story as negotiations continue to take place, and will reflect any new developments as they come to light.