;.<.42;2<B! @2AB@C0BC@6<4 .<1 6<[email protected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anagement, Restructuring and Industrial Relations: Organizational Change within the United Kingdom Broadcasting Industry 1979 – 2002. A thesis submitted for the degree of PhD. By Brian J. Quinn BA (Hons). School of Management, The Gateway, North Haugh, St Andrews. University of St Andrews, Scotland. I, Brian Quinn, hereby certify that this thesis, which is approximately 25,000 words in length, has been written by me, that it is the record of work carried out by me and that it has not been submitted in any previous application for a higher degree. Date……….. Signature of candidate……………………. I was admitted as a research student in October 1998 and as a candidate for the degree of PhD in October 1999; the higher study for which this is a record was carried out in the University of St Andrews between 1999 and 2005. Date……….. Signature of candidate……………………. I hereby certify that the candidate has fulfilled the conditions of the Resolution and Regulations appropriate for the degree of PhD in the University of St Andrews and that the candidate is qualified to submit this thesis in application for that degree. Date……….. Signature of supervisor……………………. Unrestricted. In submitting this thesis to the University of St Andrews I understand that I am giving permission for it to be made available for use in accordance with the regulations of the University Library for the time being in force, subject to any copyright vested in the work not being affected thereby. I also understand that the title and abstract will be published, and that a copy of the work may be made and supplied to any bona fide library or research worker, that my thesis will be electronically accessible for personal or research use, and that the library has the right to migrate my thesis into new electronic forms as required to ensure continued access to the thesis. I have obtained any third-party copyright permissions that may be required in order to allow such access and migration. Date……….. Signature of candidate……………………. ii ABSTRACT. In the past decade researchers began to remedy a literature deficit in the study of broadcasting institutions – addressing in particular the issues of labour process, restructuring and industrial relations. This thesis which considers management change, industrial relations and restructuring within the United Kingdom (‘UK’) broadcasting industry employs a case study format with a view to highlighting the variations of industry (macro) and firm (micro) based restructuring. Organizational change was not a uniform process throughout the UK broadcasting industry and significantly different strategies were developed by management within the two main terrestrial broadcasters – in particular in attempting to fundamentally alter the organization of programme production. The labour process and experience of employees and owner-managers within the independent production sector was also distinguishable as between the two main UK terrestrial broadcasters. In order to provide a theoretical underpinning to the empirical studies which form the centrepiece of this thesis, the four themes of contemporary labour process theory are explored. These contributions are included because examinations undertaken of labour processes have resulted in critical insights as to the nature of management and labour relationships. Together with firm based organizational restructuring of the broadcasting industry, the past 25 years have seen very significant regulatory change consequent on a variety of legislative initiatives and which are set out. The case studies begin with the wide-scale restructuring of industrial relations within the Independent Television (‘ITV’) sector since 1979 (Chapter 4). The second case study (Chapter 5) is concerned with the implementation of a set of managerial strategies aimed at reshaping the labour processes within the Central Scotland ITV franchise – Scottish Television Ltd. (‘STV’). Chapter 6 deals with the implementation of new working practices and what might be described as an attack on employee identity within BBC Scotland. The restructuring of the Corporation along quasi-commercial lines with specific reference to the employment of the directorate (distinct business units) system is examined. The final case study (Chapter 7) is an examination of the independent production sector tracing the emergence of a group of Producer Owners (independent production company owners) who emerged during the first half of the 1990s and who have since become a significant force in British television production. This study also traces the development of the career and networking labour of the group of individuals employed on short-term contracts by the independent production company owners. ii Contents. Chapter Page Introduction. i-vii. Chapter 1: Core Theoretical Underpinnings: 1-51. Introduction to Labour Process Theory and the United Kingdom Broadcasting Industry. Chapter 2. The Materials and Methods of Study. 52- 65 Chapter 3: The Political and Regulatory Context of the UK 66-89. Broadcasting Industry 1979-2002. Chapter 4: Management, Work and Industrial Relations: 90-122. British Commercial Television, 1979-2000. Chapter 5: Management –Technology and Industrial 123-157. Relations Change: Re-Regulating the Employment Relationship. A Case Study of Scottish Television PLC. 1979- 2001. Chapter 6: Marketizing – a Cultural Bureaucracy: 158-195. Negotiating Organizational Change in BBC Scotland 1982-2002. Chapter 7: Networking and The Independent Television 196-231. Production Sector in the United Kingdom 1982-2000. Chapter 8: Summary and Conclusions. 232-247. References: 1-LV. iii Chapter 1: Core Theoretical Underpinnings. Introduction to Labour Process Theory and the UK Broadcasting Industry Introduction. 1. 1.1. Situating Labour Process Theory (LPT). 4. 1.2. Regulation of the Broadcasting Industry and Management of Work and Industrial Relations Change. 10. 1.2.1. Regulation and Fordism. 11. 1.2.2. Post-Fordism and De-Regulation of Work. 16. 1.3. De-Skilling and Up-Skilling; the changing nature of work within broadcasting. 22. 1.3.1. The De-Skilling Thesis. 24. 1.3.2. The Up-Skilling Thesis. 27. iv 1.4. Identity and Work for Creative Workers. 30. 1.5. Networks and Networking within the Independent Television Production Sector. 39. 1.5.1. Networking and Producer Owners. 42. 1.5.2. Broadcast Professionals and Networking. 44. Conclusion. 49. Chapter 2: The Materials and Methods of Study. Broad Research Questions of the Study. 52. 2.2 Rationale for the Multiple Case Study Research Approach. 53. 2.3 Data Selection Methods and Selection of Cases. 56. 2.4 Data Gathering Methods and Interviews Undertaken. 57. v 2.5 Statement of Interviews, Including Date and Location. 62. Chapter 3: The Political and Regulatory Context of the UK Broadcasting Industry. Introduction. 66. 3.1. Context For Industry Change. 67. 3.2. UK Television Broadcasting 1950-1979. 70. The Pilkington Report. 71. The Annan Report. 72. 3.3. Pre-Peacock De-regulatory Manoeuvrings. 73. 3.4. The Move to Marketization: The Peacock Report. 73. 3.5. Broadcasting in the 1990s and Beyond. 79. vi 3.6. The Broadcasting Act, 1990. 80. The Broadcasting Act, 1996. 84. The Communications Act, 2003. 86. Conclusion. 87. Chapter 4: Management, Work and Industrial Relations: British Commercial Television, 1979-2000. Introduction. 90. 4.1. ‘Tales of Corruption’. 92. 4.2. National Agreements and Regulation; A Relatively Quiet Industrial Relations Environment. 95. 4.3. The Formation of Employers’ Strategy. 101. 4.4. The Collapse of the Guild Strategy. 115. 4.5. Industrial Relations in the 1990s. 118. Conclusion 121. vii Chapter 5: Management –Technology and Industrial Relations Change: Re-Regulating the Employment Relationship. A Case Study of Scottish Television PLC. 1979- 2001. Introduction. 123. 5.1. Management and Labour in a Regulated Environment. 126. 5.2. The New Broadcasting Economy? The Move From A Regulated to A Flexible Workplace. 133. 5.3. Work and Employment Relations in The Late 1990s and Beyond. 148. 5.4. Game Show 1. 149. 5.5. SMG Opinion Survey. 153. Work Organization and Quality. 154. Management Effectiveness. 154. Leadership and Direction. 155. Communications. 155. Conclusion. 156. viii Chapter 6: Marketizing – a Cultural Bureaucracy: Negotiating Organizational Change in BBC Scotland 1982-2002. Introduction. 158. 6.1. The Organizational Context. 160. 6.2. The Working Environment before Producer Choice. 164. 6.3. Working Within G51, BBC Resources and Producer Choice. 170. 6.4. The Impact of Organizational Change – Resources. 180. 6.5. Producer Choice and BBC Production. 186. Conclusion. 193. Chapter 7: Networking and The Independent Television Production Sector in the UK 1982-2000. Introduction. 196. ix 7.1. The Move to Open Up the Regulated TV Market for Programming. 201. 7.2. 1990 – The Year of the Independents and the Development of Networking for Producer Owners. 208. 7.3. Broadcasting Professionals and the Role of Networks. 220. Conclusion. 229. Chapter 8: Summary and Conclusions. Introduction. 232. 8.1 Case Studies. 234. 8.2 Key Findings and Links to LPT. 243. References. 1-LV. x Acknowledgement. I wish to place on record my deep gratitude and appreciation to Professor Alan McKinlay, School of Management, University of St Andrews, for his inexhaustible patience in guiding and directing this work from the very outset. I wish also to thank my parents for their constant support and encouragement – not just in bringing this thesis to a conclusion but through the entirety of my 36 years.