Hull MPs question why local radio is 'target' for BBC cuts

Dame Diana Johnson, Karl Turner and Emma Hardy have urged Mr Davie to “rethink” the proposed cuts, describing local radio as a “major reason” the broadcaster is “the envy of the world”.

The BBC announced it would overhaul its local radio services with stations sharing more content and broadcasting less programming unique to their area.

Plans confirmed by the broadcaster on Monday included the loss of 48 jobs across local staffing in England.

The letter from the Labour MPs to Mr Davie said that “dedicated staff” from BBC Radio Humberside should not hear that their “livelihoods are at stake” through media headlines. The plans will see programming restricted to weekdays before 2pm.

The MPs continued: “Local radio output is a major reason why the BBC is the envy of the world, with local stations an essential element of the talent pipeline in the UK’s media and creative professions, which make a major and growing contribution to the UK economy.”

The letter also questioned why local radio listeners have not been consulted and insisted licence-fee payers would “prioritise all-day local radio output over a ‘digital first’ strategy”.

Regional TV news programmes in Oxford and Cambridge are also among the services being scrapped – merging with the BBC’s Southampton and Norwich operations.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, director of BBC Nations, said: “BBC local radio remains an essential service for millions of listeners, the very best local radio network in the world, but it’s also essential we make difficult choices that will enable us to reach out to many people that increasingly rely on their mobiles for local content.”