BBC Manager’s Email Recommended Presenter’s ‘Sack’

A BBC manager stated his intention to “sack” a presenter and to “soak up the tribunal costs” following instances where the presenter’s social media comments “spilled on air”. Jack Murley’s employment with BBC Radio Cornwall was terminated in 2024 due to violations of the corporation’s guidelines. Mr. Murley asserted that he experienced discrimination on the basis of his sexual orientation and his affiliation with a trade union. At a tribunal in Exeter, BBC manager Tim Burke expressed regret regarding the specific language used in an email, which was addressed to another senior BBC colleague. He explained that the email’s wording conveyed his “fury” after he became aware of the presenter’s conduct on air. Mr. Burke holds responsibility for upholding editorial standards throughout BBC England and for guaranteeing adherence to policies and guidelines. He informed the tribunal that Mr. Murley had “pinged up on my radar and remained there” since 2019. The BBC contended that certain social media posts made by Mr. Murley, which contained sexual language, were unsuitable, citing the rule that presenters should not post anything on social media that would be inappropriate for broadcast. Mr. Murley, who has served as an NUJ representative since 2022, also shared content on social media concerning the BBC’s Local Value For All proposals, which outlined modifications to local radio services. The BBC stated that this action violated the organization’s guidelines because it did not uphold “due impartiality”. Mr. Burke testified that he was requested to review and offer his assessment of Mr. Murley’s Loosest Goose radio feature, broadcast on 11 June 2023. The tribunal was informed that the feature included substantial innuendo and satire. Mr. Burke stated: “I was shocked by Jack’s conduct live on air, broadcasting criticism of the BBC and ridicule of BBC managers to our audience through a BBC platform, and exploiting the BBC’s trust in him as a broadcaster.“This was the first time I had ever dealt with an individual whose social media misconduct had carried over to the BBC’s live broadcasting activities.” He further mentioned that he felt “frustrated” with Mr. Murley following this incident. “Jack was crossing the line in a considerable and flagrant way,” he stated. Subsequently, Mr. Burke dispatched the email recommending to “sack” Mr. Murley, the wording of which he later acknowledged regretting. Nick Toms, who represents Mr. Murley, asserted: “You are targeting him for his trade union activities.” Mr. Burke responded: “No that is simply not the case, I would rather not have to deal with these things.” “You were asked for your considered opinion over email,” Mr. Toms stated. “I was asked for my opinion and I gave it,” Mr. Burke replied. Tomos Livingstone, a senior news editor, presided over the disciplinary hearing concerning Mr. Murley and determined that the accusation constituted gross misconduct. During the tribunal, Mr. Toms challenged him, stating: “It had long been decided it was gross misconduct and not by you.” He further suggested that the decision had been made by managers and that Mr. Murley was specifically targeted. Mr. Livingstone responded with “no” and maintained that he had taken into account the violations of editorial and social media guidelines that were brought to his attention. He explained that the guidelines “are a condition in your contract when you are employed at the BBC” and that violating them constitutes a breach of contract, thus amounting to gross misconduct. “It’s my decision at the end of the day as the hearing manager,” Mr. Livingstone affirmed. Mr. Toms countered this point by drawing attention to a social media post in which Mr. Murley stated he was defending himself against homophobia. “You are discriminating against him for his sexual orientation, he was responding to abuse,” Mr. Toms argued. Mr. Livingstone replied: “Yes, he is responding to abuse but there is no get out clause for not following the guidelines.” The tribunal proceedings are ongoing. Details on following BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight are available on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is provided.