Broadcasting unions expect up to 10,000 BBC staff to participate in the first of four days of strike action called in protest over plans drawn up by Mark Thompson, the BBC Director-General, to cut 3,780 jobs. The corporation has prepared pre-recorded programmes to replace Newsnight, the BBC One Breakfast show and the Today programme on Radio 4. National and regional news bulletins will be reduced in length, with the BBC’s ability to cover live news events seriously constrained.

However, the BBC believes that it will thwart the unions’ aim to black out the corporation’s programmes and is holding open the door for further negotiations.

Staff walked out at midnight on Sunday for the strike, called by the National Union of Journalists, Bectu and Amicus after a ballot. The NUJ has around 3,000 members at the corporation and the first effects were felt at the World Service, where journalists work through the night supplying 43 different language broadcasts. Unions plan to picket at the Chelsea Flower Show today, where the BBC is hoping that freelance technicians will help to fulfil its promise to provide live coverage.

BBC managers are trained to operate the digital programme “play out” and news-gathering systems, but viewers will see a severely reduced operation if staff decline to cross picket lines. There will be no graphics to accompany news packages and live reports will be cut.

BBC News 24 is preparing to replace its rolling service with hourly bulletins. News managers will funnel what little resources they have into the flagship BBC One news bulletins and a limited news service on Radio 5 Live. However, the BBC insists that contingency plans are in place should a big news story break today.

Wimbledon, the Proms concerts and news coverage of the July G8 summit in Scotland are further targets for strike action over the summer. The NUJ said that it hoped to “keep as much public support as we can” and claims that Mr Thompson has failed to consult over the full extent of the job cuts.

Mr Thompson sent an e-mail to staff on Friday saying that his door was still open for negotiation.

Bectu hopes to halt filming of EastEnders and other dramas and the BBC believes that the unions will lose support swiftly with further action affecting viewers. BBC executives are particularly concerned about a 48-hour strike called for next week. The supply of news content could dry up, driving viewers to rival commercial channels. Radio 4’s live speech programmes will be targets today and a special Oasis live concert from Paris on Radio 1 tonight is also under threat.

The Today programme was previously taken off air during a strike in 1998. BBC managers are unconvinced that the unions’ leaders have has widespread support for a long campaign of industrial action.

Mr Thompson is seeking a 15 per cent cut in jobs in an efficiency-driven package that would lead to more BBC money reinvested in programmes. He believes that the BBC must manage its licence-fee funds more effectively to fund digital television and win consent for the renewal of its royal charter next year.

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