‘Rethink and consult’: Hull MPs urge BBC to save ‘vital’ local radio programmes
By Simon Bristow
Hull’s three MPs have today written to the Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, to oppose the announced cuts to BBC Local Radio, and asked to meet him to further discuss the importance of BBC Radio Humberside to their constituents.
In the letter, they urge Davie to rethink proposed cuts to local output and to consult BBC listeners, who they believe will overwhelmingly support a continuation of current programming.
Under plans revealed on Monday, the 39 local radio stations in England would share more shows, with regional content replacing local content after 2pm Monday to Friday, and at weekends, including a single “all England” show after 10pm.
Presenters are also understood to have been asked to reapply for their jobs, with unsuccessful applicants facing redundancy.
In their letter, the three Hull Labour MPs - Karl Turner, Emma Hardy, and Dame Diana Johnson - say: “We are aware that this week you visited the BBC studios in Hull and believe you will have seen first-hand what brilliant work staff at BBC Radio Humberside do. As we celebrate one hundred years of the BBC, we are sure you will agree that our local station embodies the founding values of a service built to inform, educate, and entertain.
“BBC Radio Humberside has a proud track record in serving our region in moments of crisis, in a way which national and commercial broadcasters who lack specific local knowledge and experience simply can not replicate. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Radio Humberside provided essential information on the latest guidance, making a vital contribution to public health, and was similarly invaluable in supporting our city during the 2007 floods.”
The letter continues: “While we recognise that the BBC faces difficult commercial decisions in a changing market, dedicated staff should not have to hear that their livelihoods are at stake through media headlines.
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“Furthermore, we strongly question the reasoning as to why local radio output, which is valued so deeply by communities in Hull and across the country, is the target of cuts, when its 5.7m listeners represent a greater audience than Radio 1, Radio 5 Live, and almost as many as Radio 2.
“We also question why there has been no prior consultation with local radio listeners. With local radio’s power to bring local communities together, and connect those who may otherwise be isolated, we believe that many licence fee-payers would prioritise all-day local radio output over a ‘digital first’ strategy.
“We therefore urge you to rethink the proposed cuts to local output and consult BBC listeners, who we believe will overwhelmingly support a continuation of current programming.”
Some presenters have commented on the announcement on social media. Andy Comfort, of BBC Radio Humberside, posted this on Twitter:
