I switched on the radio at 1830 this evening to see what was on Radio Humberside. Amid continuity announcers saying that one was listening to “BBC Local Radio“, I hear a programme presented by one Arun Verma who seems to belong to BBC Radio Nottingham and who disclosed that he was born in 1986. The same programme is being aired on BBC Radio Guernsey, London, Merseyside, Somerset, Wiltshire and many others. Not very “local”, I thought! Whilst one might accept BBC 5 Live overnight, an almost-national programme aired over the BBC Local Radio Network in the early evening is not good, and is a foretaste of things to come I fear. All is not lost; some UK stations (Newcastle, Cumbria for example) were broadcasting local sports news.
One might think that the BBC is running down local radio in a bid to remove it completely – fewer listeners (as a result of less local programming) = less demand = close the network completely.
Andrew Brade to mwcircle iog (2022-12-20)
They are running it down because they cannot afford it due to the licence fee freeze. I’m sure it was in MWN earlier. The core time for local programming is 0600 to 1200 and local sport commentaries. At other times there will be the sort of common programming you describe.
Very very sad.
John Fitzgerald to mwcircle iog (2022-12-20)