With ‘salami slicing’ cuts threatened at the BBC resulting in a net loss of 1800 posts, three unions which represent the Beeb’s workers have announced that the corporation has until midday to reconsider, or they will ballot for industrial action. It seems that BBC Vision, regions and news will bear the brunt of the redundancies, should they go ahead.

But there are problems in Tellyland across the pond, too. The Writers Guild of America are currently in talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over “residuals” – the payments a writer receives whenever his or her work is broadcast. If no settlement is reached, then the screenwriters are prepared to go on strike, meaning shows in production could be stopped in their tracks. It’s thought that reality TV and hours of repeats will have to fill in the gaps while there is a lack of original work being written. [via BBC and MediaGuardian]