Mr Brine has pledged to raise the issue in Parliament and said he was very disappointed the announcement had not been made before the Culture, Media and Sport Committee of MPs or even mentioned at a recent breakfast seminar he had attended in the House of Commons with Caroline Thomson, Chief Operating Officer of the BBC.
The proposals could see the broadcaster jettison local news and programmes on BBC Radio Solent during the day, replacing them with BBC Radio 5 Live content, but maintain breakfast and drive-time shows. Disapproval has already been heaped on the idea, with the National Union of Journalists warning it would “rip the heart out of local programming”.
Steve Brine, who worked in BBC Local Radio before entering Parliament, said the area would risk damaging its sense of community if plans were to go ahead. He added: “Here is a proposal that would centralise local radio. It goes contrary to what the BBC is doing in other departments like television. That doesn’t mean to say there are not some shows that could be networked – as is already the case in some parts of local output – but I see no reason for it happening across the lion share of the broadcasting day.
“It drives me crazy to hear BBC local radio repeating national news stories and if they are going to do that, they might as well replace all output with 5 Live. Local radio should be a vibrant and often risky broadcasting environment where young talent can grow and learn and local stories can be unearthed. Local radio and TV should also be a key part of holding local politicians to account and as the Government’s decentralisation agenda moves forward that is going to be more important than ever.
NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear has said the proposals would “sound the death knell for local radio”.
But the BBC has reiterated its assertion that no decision has yet been made. The broadcaster said it would be wrong to speculate, adding that BBC staff would have an opportunity to input ideas about shaping the BBC’s future. BBC local radio already broadcasts Radio 5 Live overnight but the corporation is still seeking to make savings.
Pictured; Steve being interviewed recently by Tony Knight for Winchester Hospital Radio.
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