Foord calls for public consultation on BBC radio cuts

Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord has hit out at plans to cut back on local BBC radio services, saying that license fee payers ‘must have a say" in the proposed changes.

Under the plans, announced by the BBC earlier this year, local radio services - including BBC Radio Devon - are to be cut back to bolster BBC online reporting.

Output from Radio Devon’s will be shared with Radio Cornwall after 2pm on weekdays, while weekend breakfast shows would also be shared with Radio Cornwall.

This means there would be a 36-hour window of shared broadcasting, before a return to exclusive content from BBC Radio Devon.

There is also concern about who will present these new shows, with reports suggesting that no-one from BBC Radio Devon will present a show, due to the allocation of roles to presenters from Cornwall, Wiltshire and Stoke.

Last week saw the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) go on strike for 48 hours over changes to output and the NUJ met with MPs in Parliament to discuss these changes.

Tiverton and Honiton MP Richard Foord has written to the BBC Director General to lay out the benefits of local radio to Devon’s communities. He praised the work of presenters like Angela Kalwaites, and expressed his concerns about the impact these changes will have.

Richard Foord MP said:

“BBC Radio Devon delivers a valuable public service, offering high-quality and up-to-date local news while also providing companionship to people across our communities.

“Their shows are part of people’s daily lives, especially for those living in remote rural areas – who are not as well served by other broadcasters and have more limited access to reliable broadband.

“With 5.4 million people tuning-in to radio programmes every week, radio continues to play an significant role in our communities. That’s why it’s deeply concerning to see such a major scaling-back being planned for local BBC radio services.

“I appreciate the need to ensure the BBC’s online reporting is properly resourced, but this should not come at the expense of loyal radio listeners. It is also concerning that these changes are being made when there has been little to chance for local people to have their say.

“I am urging the BBC to pause the rollout of these damaging changes to enable a proper public consultation to take place - and to then use feedback to help shape the future of these services. Anything less is a disservice to listeners across our towns and villages.”