Spot the Difference

It's traditional at Christmas to play games - so here's one for you. Can you spot the difference between the message of good cheer sent out by BBC News boss Helen Boaden and the gallows humour version sent around by BBC staff?

From: Helen Boaden-PRIVATE
Sent: 21 December 2007 12:03
To: News1; Newsg Bureaux-by-Internet
Subject: Thanks for all your hard work

Dear All,

As some of you prepare to disappear for the Christmas break - and many of you get ready for keeping BBC News on air over the holidays, I want to thank everyone for their work and dedication during a difficult year.

From the kidnap of Alan Johnston to the anxiety over job losses following our reorganisation of News, there haven't been many months when it's felt like "business as usual". Yet despite the challenges to us as an organisation, your focus on doing the best for our audiences has been fantastic. We have done a huge amount of really excellent journalism across all platforms and for all audiences. Whatever your job in BBC News, you should feel proud of being part of that.

2008 is likely to be just as tough in its own way. But we should all take heart from the fact that people in great numbers and across the world continue to trust BBC News and to rely on us to deliver for them.

Thanks again for all your hard work and special thanks to those of you working over Christmas and the New Year.

Warmest good wishes,

Helen.



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Subject: Thanks for all your hard work . THE REAL VERSION


Dear All,

As management prepare to disappear for the Christmas break - and many of you get ready for keeping BBC News on air over the holidays, I want to thank everyone for their work and dedication during a difficult year.

From the kidnap of the BBC News website by advertisers, to the petty grumbles over job losses following our dis organisation of News, it's felt like "business as usual".

Yet despite the challenges to you as a workforce, our focus on doing the best for our own careers has been fantastic.

We have done a huge amount of really imaginative job creation to come up with new senior posts across all platforms.

Whatever your job in BBC News, you should feel proud of being part of that - for however long you've still got it.
2008 is likely to be just as tough in its own way - for you, not me -
But we should all take heart from the fact that people in great numbers have volunteered for redundancy and we will be adding to that with compulsories despite the fact that people across the world continue to trust BBC News and to rely on us to deliver for them.


Thanks again for all your hard work and special thanks to those of you working over Christmas and the New Year - and next year it'll be without UPA .

Warmest good wishes,

Helen.

Ouch! That's gotta hurt..and so it should.

But back to business. Had a meeting this morning with Gerry Morrissey the BECTU General Secretary to catch up on our plans to share more resources, including the possibility of sharing a building and then met with some our Head of Personnel over a number of issues.

I also wrote to Alan Knowles, a member of our Manchester Branch who has served as the NUJ rep on the TUC Pensioners' Committee, for a number of years. He is stepping down and I wrote to say thank you for all his hard work for the union. At the same time a message went from President Michelle Stanistreet and I to all our reps thanking them for all the work they do on behalf of the union. It is never recognised enough.