View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

New ‘contract’ to curb BBC local news expansion

By Dominic Ponsford

The BBC is proposing a review of local radio with more investment in peak time journalism but sharing of content across services at other hours.

And a new “contract for local” has been proposed to ensure the corporation’s news services never become more local in England than is currently the case.

In a strategic review unveiled by BBC director general Mark Thompson today he proposes “investing in better quality local journalism within the core listening hours at breakfast, mid-morning and drivetime’adding that this will be enabled ‘through the sharing of some content across services in non-peak hours”.

Calling for a “reform” of BBC local radio, Thompson suggests the following changes across the network:

  • A new monthly programme in the schedule to hold the elected and the powerful to account;
  • Current and recent music chart hits to represent no more than 15 per cent of weekly output;
  • A renewed emphasis on speech radio and journalistic content which holds local democracy to account;
  • 100 per cent speech at drivetime;
  • Audience focus on the over 55s.

Thompson’s review also suggests that local websites should be refocused to carry only news, sport, weather, travel and local knowledge content.

A “contract for local” will define a series of BBC commitments and limits, the report states.

This will mean, the corporation said, “leaving room for local newspapers and others to develop in a digital world by keeping the BBC’s current pattern of local services, and not launching new services in England at any more local a level than today”.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

The BBC prompted a fierce response from the local newspaper industry when it proposed creating a new network of local video news websites. Local newspaper publishers claimed such a move would smother their own online video news efforts. The new local video news network was scrapped by the BBC Trust in 2008.

Acknowledging this sort of criticism, Thompson says in his report: “There are ways in which the BBC, with a relatively stable income and remit, can and must set clearer limits for itself.”

The report states that in the past the BBC it has not “differentiated sufficiently between excessive and unreasonable attacks and legitimate concerns about its activities by commercial media players”.

It says the BBC must “take the latter seriously and demonstrate its determination to respond to reasonable and evidence-based complaints about the boundaries of its scope promptly and effectively”.

Thompson’s proposals will now go to the BBC Trust which will issue its own conclusions later in the year after a further period of consultation with staff and the public which concludes on 25 May.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network