Emergency Motion 3
Channel 4
‘‘That this Congress notes the Bectu Sector of Prospect represents hundreds of members in Scotland working as freelancers across scripted and unscripted content. It is our policy that work on content for national broadcasters in the UK should be shared out amongst workers across the UK in an equitable way. On February 28th 2024 it became clear that Ofcom appeared to have conceded to Channel 4’s claims regarding the Nations and Regions production quotas being higher than they reasonably ought to be.
‘‘Channel 4 has a remit to deliver content for the whole of the UK, and to fully do this, ‘productions need to be dispersed across the Nations and Regions. At a time where the industry is struggling, there needs to be larger commitments outside of London to ensure those working outside of the M25 are given the same opportunities as those inside.
‘‘Channel 4 itself in its “4 All the UK” strategy committed to ‘Representing a diversity of thought and opinions from across the UK, and across all of our content.’ It continued: ‘We’ve committed to upping our spend on creative content in the Nations and Regions – from 35% to 50% of main channel UK commissions by 2023.’
‘‘Committing to this, but then also claiming to Ofcom that it has struggled to commission outside of the M25, is contradictory and unacceptable.
‘‘Prospect welcomes the recent support of the STUC and other Unions in raising this matter with both organisations recently.
‘‘This Conference calls upon the incoming General Council to continue to work with affected Unions in raising the profile of this issue, and lobbying not only Channel 4 and Ofcom but the Westminster and Scottish Governments, and to work constructively with the Wales TUC and ICTU to ensure that a consistent Trade Union campaign is heard in both the Senedd and Stormont.’’
Mover: Prospect
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