BACKGROUND
BBC local radio is facing drastic cuts under the Delivering 'Quality' First initiative.
The cuts will mean the end of early afternoon local programmes. Specialist music shows in the evening will be swept aside for an "all England" show. Stations will lose reporters and backup staff. When all hands to the mikes are needed in a crisis or emergency, there will be fewer hands and less local reporting. BBC local radio champions our communities, our sport and our music. It cares for us and helps us care for ourselves. When things go wrong in a crisis, it helps us cope, cry and recover. Local radio is also great fun!
|
25 January 2012. Lord Patten, Chairman of the BBC Trust, has announced a major reduction in the cuts to local radio. He has declared that “local radio must stay local for most of the time to continue to have an impact and to stay distinctive – and it must be resourced to achieve this.” He also clearly stated the five remits for local radio: news, sport, culture, identity and music. This is a good start but some of the apparent gains could be lost in negotiations with BBC management, which still shows little love for or understanding of local radio. We need to keep up the pressure and the best way to do this is through asking your MP to lobby the BBC Trust and BBC Director General. So if you want to protect your favourite show, sports coverage or radio station, write to your MP now |