In the age of austerity measures and budget deficits it’s no surprise that we keep hearing about painful cuts to public services. You will have more than likely heard many ways in which the local council, national government and perhaps the BBC might be able to save money. Doubtless you have your own opinions about what should be shrunk, scrapped and in many ways more importantly, what should be saved.
One suggestion that has caused a great deal of anger and alarm surrounds the future of BBC Local Radio. Concern grew swiftly after an article in a national newspaper suggested that BBC Local Radio stations should stop broadcasting local content apart from a breakfast and drive time show, replacing the rest of the days output with Radio 5 Live.
The proposal, which the BBC says is only one of many put forward for discussion as part of an ongoing consultation by the corporation, called ‘Delivering Quality First’. The reason for the debate is a freeze in the licence fee until 2017, and new funding obligations - including paying for the BBC World Service. Staff across the 40 local BBC radio stations in England have reacted angrily to the suggestion. This is no surprise given that the NUJ have suggested this could result in the loss of 700 jobs.
I believe BBC Local stations are unique in their ability to engage with the communities of which they form a part. They can often provide much greater detail on local news stories than the national networks can. They cover local sporting, political and community events which commercial rivals often don’t or won’t. They provide a wealth of expertise and contacts which journalists and producers at the national stations can tap into when need be, and due to their locations in the centre of towns and cities across the country, they are the public face of the BBC, easily accessible by licence fee payers.
Radio Orkney listeners are very loyal to their station, and this is something reflected nationally. Listeners turn to their local broadcasters for information all the time, not least during bouts of bad weather and snow for up to date information about school closures and travel problems.
Another area where I believe local radio plays an important role is in providing a great learning ground for new talent and young people looking for a way into the industry. As many readers will know, when I was still at school I was given an amazing opportunity by Radio Orkney to get involved with the station. The team, which at the time was led by John Fergusson, took me under their wing and showed me the ropes. In the years that followed I was given countless opportunities to learn new skills both on and off the air. I am convinced that if it weren’t for this amazing opportunity at a young age, I would not be working in radio now.
Figures fans may be interested to know that Local Radio shares 17% of the licence fee with all radio at the BBC. The sums indicate the 40 stations in England account for approximately 34p a month or £4 of a standard yearly licence fee. For comparison, TV accounts for 66% of the annual licence fee spend.
In an article in Ariel, the BBC’s internal newspaper, Caroline Thomson, chief operating officer, said: “It's important to remember that representing the UK's regions and communities is one of the BBC's six public purposes. With the rest of the local news sector at increasing risk of market failure, the BBC's contribution to local journalism is more important than ever. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be looking at the most effective way of delivering it.”
Radio 5 Live is a great station and I’m sure there are a lot of local radio fans that would also enjoy 5 live, but I think it would be a big mistake, and a great loss to even partially replace one with the other. Looking ahead, the BBC’s plan is to bring all the ideas together and test them against the organisations public purposes and priorities. The findings will then be shared before being submitted to the BBC Trust for its approval in July.
