Journalists and technicians at the BBC began a 24-hour strike at midnight in protest at plans to cut thousands of jobs. Union leaders say thousands of workers will join the walkout today. The BBC has said it regrets the unions' decision and will do everything it can to broadcast programmes. This report from Torin Douglas:

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The three unions - the National Union of Journalists, BECTU and Amicus - say they expect the walkout to be joined by around eleven-thousand workers - out of a BBC staff of twenty-seven-thousand. They say plans to cut almost four-thousand jobs over three years are savage and will damage the BBC's output.

The BBC says the efficiency savings are vital for it to respond to rapid changes in technology and the money will be reinvested in programme services. It's told the unions the strike will damage its relations with the public.

Torin Douglas, BBC, London

Listen to the words

output
here, programmes

to face the severest disruption
to be badly affected ('to face' means 'to deal with')

flagship
main

walkout
strike

to cut
to reduce (the number of jobs)

savage
cruel, barbaric

damage
harm, result in lower quality

efficiency savings
reduction in money spent in order to be more productive with minimum waste of effort

reinvested in
put back into

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