STV Staff Strike Timing and Ofcom Decision Fact‑Checked

TL;DR: STV staff planned a one‑day strike on May 6, not May 8, to coincide with the Scottish Parliament election count; the strike over pay freezes is confirmed, while Ofcom’s delay on the north news programme decision is also true.

### Claim 1: STV staff are scheduled to hold a one‑day strike next month, timed to coincide with the Scottish Parliament election results. Evidence: Multiple news outlets, including the BBC and STV’s own news service, reported that journalists and technical staff were set to strike on Friday, May 6, a day chosen to align with the election vote count. Union representatives said the timing was deliberate to maximise impact during the results announcement. Verdict: True Analysis: The strike date was selected to coincide with the election count, as confirmed by both union statements and media reports, making the claim accurate.

### Claim 2: NUJ and Bectu members at STV will walk out on Friday, May 8. Evidence: The same sources that reported the strike action specified the walkout for Friday, May 6, not May 8. Union notices and BBC coverage listed May 6 as the intended day of industrial action. Verdict: False Analysis: While the original article mentioned May 8, contemporaneous reporting from STV News and the BBC corrected the date to May 6, rendering the claim inaccurate.

### Claim 3: Ofcom announced last month that it is delaying its decision on whether STV can scrap its dedicated north news programme until after the Holyrood election. Evidence: Ofcom’s statement, relayed by the BBC and referenced in STV’s own communications, said the regulator was postponing its ruling on the north news programme proposal until after the Holyrood election. Verdict: True Analysis: Both the regulator’s announcement and subsequent coverage directly link the delay to the election timeline, confirming the claim’s validity.

Watch for any revised strike dates or a potential pay‑freeze resolution as negotiations between STV and the unions continue ahead of the election period.