BBC Radio Cumbria listeners urged to fight cuts (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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BBC Radio Cumbria listeners urged to fight cuts
8:54am Wednesday 12th October 2011 in News
By Daniel Orr, Reporter
RADIO listeners in Cumbria are being urged to fight plans to slash funding to the county’s primary station by 20 per cent.
Despite being the most listened to local station in the country, Radio Cumbria could be the hardest hit in the UK by the BBC’s cost-cutting measures as the corporation aims to save £670 million a year from its budget, leading to about 10 job losses.
The budgets of other local radio stations are being cut by an average of 12 per cent and Cumbrian politicians have vowed to lobby hard against the proposal, which they believe will have a ‘significant impact’.
The station is the most listened to station per head of population in the whole of England, and last year achieved its highest ever audience reach of 39 per cent.
South Lakeland MP Tim Farron has invited Lord Patten, BBC Trust chairman, to the region for a ‘Question Time’ style event with a cross section of listeners expressing their views and quizzing him on the situation.
"I think this news is awful and shows BBC bosses in a very bad light. To me this feels like London elitism of the worst kind. They have agreed to protect Radio 4’s budget whilst slashing the budget of a much loved and valued local service.
“Our local radio station is a pillar in our community and I will do all I can to continue to fight for it.”
The cuts would mean more shared programming with other BBC stations during off-peak times.
Julie Clayton, National Union of Journalists’ representative for the station, said staff knew the cuts were coming but were in shock at how hard they had been hit.
Coun Eddie Martin, Leader of Cumbria County Council, said: "BBC Radio Cumbria is one of the most popular local radio stations in the country - and that's because Cumbrians want to hear about what's going on here.
"They don't get that from local television news as Cumbria falls in the gaps of coverage between Look North in Newcastle and BBC North West in Manchester.”
A spokesman for South Lakeland District Council said: “As a public sector organisation, the council understands and has some sympathy for the difficulties the BBC faces in times of financial constraint. However, any saving’s made should always be made in mind of how they will affect front line services. In this instance it appears the BBC is cutting a vital community service without considering the needs of the community it was set-up to serve.”
BBC director general Mark Thompson said: “This is a plan which means stretching efficiencies and significant job losses.
"It's a plan for a smaller BBC, but a BBC which uses its resources more effectively and collaboratively to deliver a full range of services to the public.”
The plan is out for consultation until December 21 and residents can email their views on the proposed cuts to dqf.consultation@bbc.co.uk
Comments(28)
Utter
says...
11:41am Wed 12 Oct 11
The Lune Ranger
says...
1:23pm Wed 12 Oct 11
life cycle too
says...
4:40pm Wed 12 Oct 11
NO OTHER STATION provides that service, while Radio 4 output is duplicated elsewhere!
The Lamb Bank is another valuable Radio Cumbria initiative which might be affected if early morning programes are axed, as many farmers start work early and will miss the later broadcasts.
Tamsin Tiger
says...
6:41pm Wed 12 Oct 11
Please also sign this petition to save BBC local radio and BBC Radio Cumbria.
To Chris Patten, Chair of The BBC Trust and Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC,
On Thursday 6 October 2011 Mark Thompson unveiled a number of proposals to cut spending at the corporation to respond to freezing of the licence fee.One of these proposals is to reduce programming on BBC Local radio to peak time broadcasts. During the afternoon the stations will amalgamate with other stations. Between 7pm and 10pm there will be national programming shared by every station.
This is devastating news for anyone who values their BBC Local radio station for what it is and what it should be.If these proposals are implemented BBC local radio will be damaged beyond repair and once diluted and destroyed it will be almost impossible to reclaim. BBC local radio has always been at the bottom of the foodchain and is almost underfunded.It does not deserve to become a victim of this attempt to economise.
BBC local radio must be shown respect by those who manage it, they are after all only temporary custodians of it. Their value is to react to the days news both national and local and provide the opportunity for listeners to have their say to local MPs and representatives of councils etc as they are put on air, BBC local radio is very interactive in its nature and many listeners rely upon it as a point of social contact. It is also an invaluable source of local information and news.It also acts as a parish notice board for communities and it gives considerable coverage to local charities and voluntary groups. BBC Introducing is at the heart of BBC local radio and gives a platform to local bands and musicians.
BBC local radio is part of our democracy at a grass roots level and to damage it will be to damage our democracy.
We the undersigned, value BBC Local Radio and hope that you continue to respect it and protect it as a valuable part of Our BBC. The role of the BBC at a local level is to provide a public service and if it is reduced to a limited service and networked it will be very damaging and will would more than likely spell the end of its life as a broadcasting medium. We come from across the country, including our capital, but are united in support of BBC local radio.
http://www.petitionb
uzz.com/petitions/th
eindependentbbc
Tamsin
BBC RADIO FORUM
none
says...
8:37pm Wed 12 Oct 11
Tamsin (local? I think not) claims it is at the bottom of the food chain, well of course it is, it is a minority service with a tiny audience so what do you expect!
life cycle too
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11:52pm Wed 12 Oct 11
When the floods struck Carlisle, internet, telephone and mobile phone service was lost. Only Radio was still available via portable battery radios.
As a result, the county council has included Radio Cumbria's service in it's emergency planning.
Perhaps None can point us to an internet site that puts farmers with dead ewes or lambs in touch with other farmers, so that orphaned lambs can be found foster parents?
Or perhaps a commercial radio station without "The inane drivel" contained in the commercials that constantly interrupt the programs, and the answer A,B or C type competitions, aimed at listeners of extraordinarily low intelligence?
none
says...
7:18am Thu 13 Oct 11
Lamb Bank I'm sure is useful to the dozen or so farmers who listen to it but is it value for money?
Audience share of 16% so only 1 in 6 people of those who listen to the radio in Cumbria are listening to Radio Cumbria? Mmmm, not many when put like that is it?
wezzyk
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7:00pm Thu 13 Oct 11
BBC radio Cumbria is extremely valuable and so is other nationwide local radio services i think a huge chunk of the millions of £ paid to stars of the BBC such as Chris Moyles, Graham Norton and Chris Evans should be scaled back to realistic amounts. Not criticising their talent, but pay levels are outrageous.
It is as Tim states crucial to ask the listeners on this as cutting a service could have a detrimental impact on communities.
none
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7:14pm Thu 13 Oct 11
Nagsman on the hill
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8:42pm Thu 13 Oct 11
and no I don't want to listen to half a dozen adverts while waiting for a traffic update.
I'd rather have less Eastenders, comedancing and even less cooking programs.
But dream on.
Nagsman on the hill
says...
8:42pm Thu 13 Oct 11
and no I don't want to listen to half a dozen adverts while waiting for a traffic update.
I'd rather have less Eastenders, comedancing and even less cooking programs.
But dream on.
none
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9:09pm Thu 13 Oct 11
life cycle too
says...
11:01pm Thu 13 Oct 11
RAJAR says Lakeland Radio has 15,000 listeners.
Radio Cumbria is doing better than Radio 4 - Radio 4's share of the total radio audience is 12.5%
Perhaps None could now use his maths to explain why the BBC is supporting Radio 4 s existing budget, while reducing Cumbria's budget by 20%?
none
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7:41am Fri 14 Oct 11
none
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7:55am Fri 14 Oct 11
You know I am right, deep down you know I am always right!
jimjames
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3:35pm Fri 14 Oct 11
One local chat forum bemoans the fact that only 20% of cash is being cut, 100% is recommended. Another comes out 95% pro Lancashire.
So please don't run away with the assumption that "everybody" cares, they don'T!
gadgetgadget
says...
4:42pm Fri 14 Oct 11
none wrote:If "none" is right on this subject then our democratically elected representatives at Cumbria County Council might agree with "none" - they don't (!) (see link below) - what a surprise NOT !!
And you can massage the figures anyway you like, but to keep it simple (I will avoid personal insults, I am better than that) 10million listeners for Radio 4 and 147,000 for Radio Cumbria- Where would you concentrate limited resourses?
You know I am right, deep down you know I am always right!
http://www.thewestmo
rlandgazette.co.uk/n
ews/9304951.Council_
cabinet_attacks_Radi
o_Cumbria_cuts/
Shame some users here can't control their egos and think they are ALWAYS right !!
Wilson Grizleymire
says...
7:50pm Fri 14 Oct 11
jimjames wrote:I agree with the lad from Barra. Radio Carlisle is appen a better name. I live south of Kendal but north of the Lancs border,an area ignored for most of the time by Border news,Granada news, North west tonight,Radio Cumbria and Radio Lancashire. Meby that's due to nowt gannin on ! just champion.
I guess I'll be shouted down as past experience of forums on here shows how fiercely "cumbrian" you all seem to be. But here in Furness I know nobody who gives a fig for radio cumbria. Indeed it is generally termed Radio Carlisle and ignored as nobody here seems that interested in news from what are seen as alien places!
One local chat forum bemoans the fact that only 20% of cash is being cut, 100% is recommended. Another comes out 95% pro Lancashire.
So please don't run away with the assumption that "everybody" cares, they don'T!
On't t'other hand if people get pleasure and service let's just leave it as it is.
Nagsman on the hill
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8:42pm Fri 14 Oct 11
none
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9:15pm Fri 14 Oct 11
Milkbutnosugarplease
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10:14pm Fri 14 Oct 11
none
says...
10:31pm Fri 14 Oct 11
Lakeuk
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12:17am Sat 15 Oct 11
BBC local radio broadcast programming that local commercial stations will never provide - could you see lakeland or the bay doing 2hrs of live breakfast news with no music, Radio Cumbria does a lot of reporting in the South Lakes. Like wise the commercial radio play music that BBC Local radio would never play.
Personally I don't think the plans are to bad but that's assuming any cuts don't eat into the programmes that will stay local. I think there's opportunity for some a good regional phone in programme in a evening slot, there used to be one. The nearest on is City Talk in Liverpool, in the evening they have Pete Price getting irate at local scouse callers losing the plot
life cycle too
says...
12:56pm Sun 16 Oct 11
What is disheartening is that THE most listened to BBC station in terms of percentages and hours listened, is being forced to take a 20% hit in funds, while the average is 12% - an average already raised by Cumbria's 20%!
It is not JUST the quality of radio output that will be affected.
When an Ulverston man and his son were missing on the sands, the BBC TV report was voiced by Radio Cumbria's Neil Smith.
The Foot & Mouth coverage was based on work done by Radio Cumbria.
Lockerbie crash? Radio Cumbria forst on scene and providing feed to BBC national TV and radio.
In addition, Radio Cumbria has been the station where several TV celebrities have cut their teeth.
IF the BBC persist with the planned cuts, the whole of the BBC will suffer in the future, and the local people will find themselves worse off now and in the future.
life cycle too
says...
4:08pm Tue 18 Oct 11
South Cumbria has had a good deal of coverage of one sort or another.
A lot of information over the past few days has related to the weather and road conditions - something which will never be covered in enough detail by Radio 4!
none
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8:48pm Tue 18 Oct 11
All media outlets use the same original sources for travel and weather information so the output is usually the same. Thousands of people have not listened to Radio Cumbria in the last few days but they have not been running around panicking because they had no idea is was a bit windy outside. They are however at a loss to the current situation regarding the next coffee morning to be held at the Marchesi centre.
life cycle too
says...
10:43am Wed 19 Oct 11
If you were setting off for Scotland for instance, and wanted reliable traffic condition reports, there would be little point in listening to the Bay or Lakeland Radio, then having to try and find another commercial station once you leave Kendal or Windermere!
I have difficulty in seeing even Ambleside from my window, let alone Scotland or Lancashire.
With RDS, you can at least rely on BBC local providers to cover the whole of the country without need to find other local stations! I have yet to find a national BBC station that gave anything but traffic reports for the M25!
Are you suggesting that the Marchesi Centre and hundreds of other COMMUNITY services should be denied an outlet to the elderly and caring members of the listening public, while the elitist Radio 4 output is allowed to continue without facing similar cuts to it's budget?
Helvellyn55 says...
10:48am Wed 12 Oct 11