BBC local radio cuts ‘harm older audiences’
Shifting services online comes at the expense of more vulnerable listeners, warns committee of MPS
THE BBC’S cuts to local radio are harming older audiences, MPS warn, as they accuse the broadcaster of lacking a clear plan for shifting hundreds of millions of pounds in spending outside London. MPS on the public accounts committee warned that the BBC’S decision to share more programming across its 39 local stations as it shifts services online came at the expense of more vulnerable listeners.
In a report published today, the MPS said the changes would “reduce services for those who are older or less able to access digital online platforms”.
The PAC added that the BBC “lacks a clear plan” in its wider programme to shift £700m of spending and 400 jobs out of London by March 2028. MPS accused the broadcaster of being overly focused on diverting spending without a clear idea of what benefits the changes will deliver for licence fee payers.
They also raised concerns about a lack of transparency in how the BBC had reported progress in its scheme, dubbed Across the UK, to both Parliament and the public. The broadcaster told MPS the decision to relocate its Birmingham offices from the Mailbox to Digbeth was separate from Across the UK, but it included benefits of the move in the scheme’s annual report.
Meanwhile, the cuts to local radio services, which led to a strike by staff last year and have attracted criticism from MPS and audiences, have been excluded from the scheme.
The committee said: “We are concerned that the BBC is claiming benefits for Across the UK publicly when it is favourable for it to do so for activities that are not part of the programme, compared with dissociating other activities from the programme when they could be seen as a bad news story, such as cuts to local radio.”
The BBC set out the strategy in 2021 in a bid to reduce its reliance on London and deliver improved services for audiences across the country. But it has caused controversy amid concerns bosses have scrapped crucial programmes while increasing online spending to pursue younger audiences.
The BBC, led by director general Tim Davie, has said it is confident it will deliver its Across the UK strategy.
But MPS warned that this confidence was misplaced, claiming it had failed to carry out proper planning and was working towards unrealistic timelines.
While the corporation is on track to move TV expenditure out of the capital, other areas including audio production and apprenticeship schemes are lagging behind. MPS also raised concerns about the BBC’S reliance on local authorities to complete its plans, saying that several are on the verge of bankruptcy and may have to withdraw some local services.
Overall, the BBC was £20m behind its phase one target by March last year, while implementation of the strategy had cost the organisation £34m.
Thomas Wrathmell, director of Across the UK, said: “We are disappointed by some of the commentary in the committee’s report and look forward to addressing the issues raised.”