Journalists at STV have walked out on strike in a major dispute over proposed job cuts and significant changes to the broadcaster's news programming in the north of Scotland.
Picket Lines Form in Glasgow and Aberdeen
On Wednesday, 7 January 2026, reporters and news staff from STV's offices in Glasgow and Aberdeen formed picket lines. The action was called by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) following a ballot in December where 94% of members voted in favour of a walkout. A further 98% supported action short of a strike.
The strike is a direct response to STV's plan to cut the north edition of its flagship News At 6 programme, putting 28 editorial roles at risk. The proposed new structure would see a single STV News At 6 programme produced from Glasgow, with only around 30% of its content tailored specifically for the north of Scotland.
Government Concern and Union Warnings
At Holyrood, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson voiced the Scottish Government's ongoing concern. He stated that the plans would have a "negative impact on news provision across Scotland" and pledged that ministers would continue to champion a strong broadcasting sector and argue against decisions leading to fewer Scottish-based staff.
NUJ General Secretary Laura Davidson, who joined the picket line in Glasgow, warned the cuts would damage local journalism. "If these cuts go through, there's going to be a really visible impact on the reduction of local news and a more generic programme with fewer staff to produce it," she said. The union has branded the plans "bad for viewers" and "bad for journalism" in the region.
Ofcom Consultation and STV's Defence
The media regulator, Ofcom, has launched a public consultation on STV's proposed changes, which closes on Friday, 9 January. Ms Davidson urged viewers to submit their responses to highlight the potential impact of losing dedicated local news coverage.
In a statement, an STV spokesperson said the NUJ's action was "ill-timed" as consultation was ongoing and claimed significant progress had been made in reducing the impact on jobs, with most reductions achieved through voluntary redundancy or redeployment. The broadcaster emphasised it was a commercial business with public service commitments that received no public funding, and argued the changes were necessary to ensure a sustainable news service in a changing media landscape. STV also stated that Ofcom has supported its proposals.
Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser for Scotland, said members were angry at the company's leadership and handling of the changes, adding it was not too late for management to rethink and avoid damaging strikes.
