Lost in Transmission
Is BBC Local Radio being destroyed, saved, or re-invented?
Lost in Transmission
Is BBC Local Radio being destroyed, saved, or re-invented?
By Ben Mellor
For over fifty years, BBC Local Radio has been broadcasting to people across England.
However, the media landscape in which the BBC's radio stations find themselves in today is vastly different than in 1967. Online and digital services are seeing their usage increase, while traditional mediums stagnate.
The organisation's response to this new landscape has prompted emotional accusations that it's "destroying local radio", either by 'ignorance'... or a wilful desire to shutter it altogether.
In its defence, the woman at the helm of all 39 BBC Local Radio stations has described the changes as: "making sure your content is where the audiences are."
According to the latest figures from the industry body RAJAR, all BBC local stations combined reach 6.8 million people each week - although this listenership has been declining since the early 2000s.
To understand how BBC Local Radio got into its current position, it's important to take a glance at its history...
An experiment in 'local' radio
With the rise of FM transmitters allowing broadcasts to target smaller areas - a senior manager at the BBC, Frank Gillard, became interested in local radio's potential in the 1960s.
His pressure caused the BBC to build mock local radio studios (which didn't actually broadcast) in town halls and regional centres across the country.
The aim was to answer: What equipment would it need? How many people would it take? Should it serve a large area or a small town? What would it even broadcast?
The establishment of BBC Radio Leicester
The first of the BBC Local Radio stations to open was Leicester, which commenced broadcasting on 8 November 1967.
It was "run on a shoestring", according to Matthew Linfoot, an expert on the BBC's history. He says that the BBC in the early years couldn't use the licence fee to pay for them.
Additionally, a great deal of "jealousy" existed in the early days between the national stations and local stations, as Rev. Linfoot said: "They [network controllers] were all quite sniffy about local radio... they were all thinking, look, this is taking resources from us."
An ever-increasing number of BBC Local stations
Despite that animosity though, the eight initial 'pilot' stations (Leicester, Sheffield, Merseyside, Nottingham, Brighton, Stoke, Leeds, and Durham) had proven their worth - and the BBC made Local Radio permanent in 1969.
Throughout the 1970s, twelve new local stations would launch. The 1980s would see the opening of fifteen new local stations and two 'opt-out' services. Meanwhile, the 1990s saw five new launches... but also some mergers and the closure of BBC CWR in 1995.
It was during these 'good times' that the stations fine-tuned their target audience: the answer may well be "local people"... but "local people" are very diverse.
Making the most of being broadcast on both FM and AM frequencies, some stations began using AM to put out special interest shows (targeted towards music niches, or minority groups).
GLR (now called Radio London) used this extensively, with Rev. Linfoot saying there were dedicated programmes for "Black Londoners, Asian Londoners, Jewish Londoners, Irish Londoners and Gay or Lesbian Londoners."
The creation of BBC Introducing, closures and openings, AM switch-off
Entering the new millennium, BBC Local Radio was in a strong position with its services reaching 8.2 million people, and an average listenership share of 10.8% (although it varied station-by-station, and the highest in Jersey had a share of 27.1%).
The following two decades would be a mixed bag: BBC CWR would be re-opened in 2005; 'BBC Introducing' was created to showcase small local artists on-air; but AM broadcasting would gradually be switched off; local evening programming was taken away in 2013.
However, in a U-turn, the then-Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, declared during a speech in 2017 commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Radio Leicester, that there would be a "renaissance" for local radio.
There would be a swift return to local evening programming, further money given, and a pledge that "local radio should be for everybody."
But how long would this renaissance last?
Facing up to the future
The answer, arguably, would be a measly five years. In 2022 it was announced that the corporation would be embarking on a plan to deliver a "digital first" BBC, so it could remain relevant.
Since 2000, the reach of BBC Local Radio has declined by 17%. This was not just down to changing habits however, as the combined reach of all radio remained completely stable.
Another factor was money - with repeated licence fee freezes requiring the organisation to slim itself down, in the wake of a real-terms fall in funding.
A 'digital-first' strategy
In a speech to staff on 26 May 2022, Director-General Tim Davie proclaimed: "From today we are going to move decisively to a digital-first BBC.
"We have a chance to do something that no-one else is doing: build a digital media organisation that makes a significant positive impact, culturally, economically and socially."
So, what does a 'digital first' BBC mean? The changes include (but are far from limited to) reducing running costs; closing CBBC, BBC Four, and Radio 4 Extra; and aiming to reach 75% of viewers through iPlayer each week.
It's part of a move to prioritise digital content (such as online or on-demand) over its traditional stomping ground of television and radio.
The BBC's management says it'll allow the organisation to stay relevant in the coming years - but experienced broadcaster John Holmes describes it as a frenzied drive to attract young people.
There's subsequently been heavy criticism that the changes are, in reality, 'broadcast-last'.
The pivot to digital content also extends to BBC Local Radio, with it being announced that there would be a return to regionalisation and the launch of an "all-England" programme at night. However, local news and sports coverage would remain.
Regionalisation meant that the local stations would not broadcast their own programmes after 2 pm - instead, they would be shared with other stations nearby.
"We will reshape our local services to be fit for the digital world"
The reduction of local programming would inevitably mean the loss of much-loved presenters and the staff behind the scenes, with the BBC estimating the loss of around 139 jobs.
When the changes began to be implemented in 2023, it coincided with many experienced broadcasters announcing they'd be leaving the organisation - often amicably - but some did hit out at how they were treated.
John Holmes worked with the BBC for over fifty years, however, he thinks the organisation saw the "perfect opportunity" to get rid of older presenters, saying "I never even got a thank you at the end."
The sharing of programmes across different regions also means that 'local' stories may not be where the listeners are from. Radio executive David Lloyd says it's an "absolute myth" to suggest people care about their region.
Leading all of the BBC Local Radio stations is Chris Burns, and she argues that the changes face up to "the purpose" of local radio - saying it's primarily about local news, information, and sports.
She continued: "So that's what we're doing in terms of local radio, but we've just shifted a little bit of our resources, not all, into things like online, into things like developing digital content for sound."
We'll come back to Chris Burns later, but it's important to know what the listeners of BBC Local Radio stations think of the changes.
"You cannot expect everybody to be IT savvy"
Karen Lawrence, BBC Local Radio listener
The BBC's key reason for its local radio changes was to make it 'fit' for an increasingly digital world. Now statistically this is true - the latest data shows that 68% percent of people use the internet for news, whilst only 41% use a radio for news.
Karen Lawrence is a local radio listener who is upset with the reduction of local programming (and rather fittingly works as a radio technician - although not the broadcast kind).
"I talk to people who don't even own any form of IT at all."
She fears that people who rely on their radio will be left behind, saying: "They're not going to look information up or fill it out on a website. I talk to people who don't even own any form of IT at all."
And even for people using modern technology - there's no guarantee that you can use your phone to get news: "I work a long way out. Signals don't even reach that far - I can't even get a phone call to work properly."
Ms Lawrence also happens to be a city councillor in Worcester, and the regular phone-ins allowed her to get an understanding of what was concerning local people.
The morning programmes remain local to her station (Hereford & Worcester), but she feels as though the staffing changes behind the scenes have worsened community engagement.
She said: "It used to be more of a local chat conversation with a bit of music, there seems to be more music than there used to be.
"I don't mind the music... but it's not what local radio was about, or what BBC Hereford and Worcester used to be."
"It's a sadness, but not one that moves you to tears"
John Reed, BBC Local Radio listener
When speaking to listeners of any radio station, a common theme is that they consider the presenters to be a 'personal friend' - it keeps them returning to one station over another.
The process of sharing programmes across BBC Local Radio meant that by November 2023, roughly 45 presenters had been axed - and it's why listener John Reed tuned out.
Mr Reed enjoyed BBC Local Radio for its 'localness', but he says the recent changes mean that the presenters on-air now don't know the patch well enough.
He said: "What makes local radio valuable is local news and local people - so we've got, or should I say had, presenters that lived locally. I actually feel as though I know the presenters."
When his favourite presenter Malcolm Boyden left the BBC in October 2023, Mr Reed mentioned he felt sad about the departure but confessed it wasn't something that brought him to tears.
"You would have thought that one of the main criteria would have been, well, who's got the best listening figures?"
Instead of sorrow, it was more so bafflement at the BBC's treatment of its former staff that Mr Reed wanted to put across, as he'd heard rumours that presenters had to re-apply for their old jobs (which many other sources have also stated).
Mr Reed's understanding is that there was an interview, alongside submitting a demo tape, as per "BBC procedure"... but he says: "You would have thought that one of the main criteria would have been, well, who's got the best listening figures?"
He further explained: "I could understand that they want to change the way that radio is consumed, but surely the number of people listening to it is the important factor. And it appears to have not been a factor at all."
The union fights back.
The digital-first strategy employed by the BBC goes beyond simply 'managers' vs 'listeners', unfortunately, some hard-working staff find themselves in the middle of a battle.
Not just to save their jobs, but also to protect what they consider local radio to be.
#KeepBBCLocalRadioLocal
The beginnings of a long and bitter dispute between the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the BBC would see its first opening salvo on 31 October 2022, with the union's broadcast leader Paul Siegert declaring that the digital-first strategy "will be the beginning of the end for local radio."
What followed was industrial action between March and November of 2023, which would see BBC television and radio services knocked off-air during repeated 24 and 48-hour walk-outs by union members.
"The aim of our strike was to hurt the BBC. It's as simple as that."
One striking NUJ member was Andrew Hartley, who works on the television side of BBC Newcastle, and says it is in the union's "DNA to fight job losses." They aimed to stop the organisation from making local radio staff redundant.
His solidarity, despite personally not being affected by the local radio changes, came at a personal cost - when on strike members didn't get their wages, which put their livelihoods at risk.
To hurt the BBC, to cause it pain, would bring it back to the negotiating table according to Mr Hartley. After four strike days and regular negotiations, NUJ members voted 70 percent in favour of accepting a compromise on 14 November 2023.
The deal:
- No compulsory redundancies.
- The BBC will review shared and pre-recorded afternoon local news bulletins.
- The thirteen existing Sunday afternoon programmes would remain until March 2024, rather than switch to an 'All-England' equivalent (and they currently remain today).
- Staff forced onto lower pay due to the local changes will keep their previous salary.
However, for many on the picket line, their acceptance was out of financial necessity, and there was a failure to stop programme sharing and to stop redundancies altogether.
As bluntly put by one NUJ member from elsewhere in the country, who wished to remain anonymous at risk of chastising their colleagues, they said: "Don't ask me whether it was successful or not, because I don't think it was...
...we lost."
"I want to see local radio thrive"
Chris Burns
A woman under fire
Meet Chris Burns
BBC Controller of Local Audio Commissioning
While Chris Burns' job title may be rather fancy, it's best understood as her being the boss of all thirty-nine BBC Local Radio stations. She says it's not about day-to-day management, but instead deciding the overall "strategy for local radio."
Her entire career has been spent in and out of radio stations, and she is vigorous in defending the ongoing changes to BBC Local Radio.
On regionalisation, Ms Burns argues it was done with "coherency", saying: "You may well do your shopping in Nottingham if you live in Leicester, you may well visit the Peak District in Derbyshire."
When pushed on whether that 'regionality' is the case for everyone, she points to the fact sports were kept local - because that's tougher to do on a regional scale.
Meanwhile, the alleged mistreatment of staff, in particular the claim that they were made to re-apply for their jobs, is not a 'picture' that Ms Burns recognises. She states that "everything was done in line with HR policy and full transparency."
"I'd be lying if I said it doesn't upset me.
Criticise me for what I've done, but don't criticise me as a person."
Ms Burns has been subjected to abuse from a small number of listeners over the ongoing changes.
Identifying details have been censored, however, these all exist in the public domain.
Identifying details have been censored, however, these all exist in the public domain.
Whilst acknowledging that "it would be impossible to get everything right from the get-go", Ms Burns expressed that many comments had 'crossed the line' and were "sexist and misogynistic."
She continued: "I'd be lying if I said it doesn't upset me. Criticise me for what I've done, but don't criticise me as a person... because you don't know me."
Because of the abuse, Ms Burns is no longer on X / Twitter. Instead, she hopes that over time people will rekindle companionship with the new presenters after the local cuts.
Where do we go from here?
In the view of industry experts...
Chris Jackson
34 years at the BBC, now freelances
Having worked inside BBC Local Radio during the 1980s, broadcaster Chris Jackson says that the budgets weren't good even during those times.
And since then, it's been "cut and cut and cut... and there comes a point where actually there's nothing left to cut and we're at that stage now."
David Lloyd
47 years across the radio industry
Despite running what could be considered a competitor to BBC Local Radio, David Lloyd has been vocal that it serves as a "fabric of a community" and must be protected from further cuts.
But Mr Lloyd is very pessimistic about local radio's future: "I think we're at serious risk of losing BBC Local Radio. I fully expect that the audiences will continue to decline. The BBC will no longer be able to defend the money they're spending on it."
John Holmes
50+ years of broadcasting, mainly with the BBC
Few people can claim to have worked for BBC Local Radio longer than John Holmes, who joined BBC Radio Nottingham when it was created and left in 2023.
Mr Holmes fears that the reduction in staffing will make local leaders unaccountable to their communities: "We've lost the newspaper circulation, so they don't hold anybody to account. The BBC are not holding anybody to account. So who? Who's going to do that?"
"Unless someone brave like Frank Gillard comes along again, I don't think there's a lot of future in what I see as local, community-driven radio."
