[JMT1985]

Local radio has really died a death here in the UK - as Global and Bauer have ate up all the independent local radio stations and the BBC are currently mincing their own local radio output.

Cross over the pond to Ireland it is sort of different - where local radio is still appreciated, even by the big companies who own them, in fact the Murdoch owned Wireless company owns a chunk of local independent Irish stations, which helps Graham Norton during the summer months air his Virgin Radio show from a Cork based Wireless owned local radio station.

Highland Radio in the north west is Ireland's leading commercial radio station, covering Donegal, as well as Derry and Tyrone, and they have always been a success in recent years, and a very decent schedule with live programming with presenters each weekday from 6.30am until midnight or 1am, Saturdays from 7am to 1am and Sundays from 8am until after midnight.

Shame our UK local radio doesn't look to Ireland and see there can be local content for local people and not just minced shows.

[TJTSW]

We have Radio Exe and East Devon Radio (soon to be remaned DevonAir)

Radio Exe seems to be expanding to cover most of Devon, while East Devon Radio/DevonAir seems to be taking on South Devon, Exeter and East Devon, the old routes of what was the original DevonAir in the 80's Gemini FM in the 90's which then got eaten up by Heart

Then you've Palm FM which served the Torbay & South Devon in the 00's which got eaten up by Bauer

How long Radio Exe last's i dont know they seem to be very proud to be independent and have grown from humble beginings
from memory im sure they even tried to make local tele but think that fizzled out a few years back and instead focused on making Radio Exe bigger across Devon

East Devon Radio started off as a commuity radio, so not sure where that would stand as a take over?

Plus if both Heart and Bauer both already cover our area would they need to take over theses two local stations ?

[Ash101]

I think we’re at the point, sadly, where having a single daily local/regional programme on an otherwise nationally networked schedule is pointless.

I just feel they’ve gone this far, so they might as well go the whole hog now and allow all programmes to be networked. It’s sad that it’s come to this, but they aren’t local radio stations anymore, so it’s time to ditch any pretence that they are.

Yeah I think this is sadly true.

It’s a shame the local Breakfast + another 3 hours rule (as it was) couldn’t have stayed in place. Far from perfect, but at least it meant every local Heart / Capital etc all had 7 hours of local content a day. The Breakfast shows were especially great at portraying a local era as there’s space for more speech.

To me, it just felt like a happy medium between unprofitable fully local services & what we have now.

[Omnipresent]

I agree the deregulation went to far. The "local" drive time show for Capital East Midlands comes from Birmingham. I doubt it makes any difference to a listener in Nottingham whether the show comes from Birmingham or London.

On a similar note, some BBC locals seem to have split links set up. Listening to BBC Radio Nottingham this weekend you could spot the DJ playing a pre-recorded "Saturday morning on BBC Radio Nottingham" followed by the live link. Felt very much like GWR networking of Late Night Love etc in the 1990s.

[London Lite]

In areas where there are remaining local commercial stations alongside the national brands, you have Time 107.5 in Romford with 8,000 listeners.

Radio Jackie hasn't subscribed to Rajar for years, but I'd imagine they'd have a similar sized audience.

[Steve in Pudsey]

On a similar note, some BBC locals seem to have split links set up. Listening to BBC Radio Nottingham this weekend you could spot the DJ playing a pre-recorded "Saturday morning on BBC Radio Nottingham" followed by the live link. Felt very much like GWR networking of Late Night Love etc in the 1990s.

The Yorkshire stations have had that since the networking expansion started, largely used for giving different contact details (presumably to track engagement for each station). Sticks out a mile for me, not sure about the listener in the street.

[RhysJR]

Tony Blackburn's Sunday show across a few local stations will be coming to an end.

x.com 

[Ash101]

Now that 2pm Sunday slot was billed to be going national, I think it was delayed as part of a few “rearrangements” to weekend schedules. But surely someone like Tony would suit it?

Could argue maybe it shouldn’t go to someone with a national profile. But Dotun Adebayo does Sunday 6pm despite having a show on 5Live overnights.

[Robert Williams]

The Yorkshire stations have had that since the networking expansion started, largely used for giving different contact details (presumably to track engagement for each station). Sticks out a mile for me, not sure about the listener in the street.

I think a lot of this is down to the skill of the presenter - for example, the split links on the afternoon show on Kent/Surrey/Sussex are done very well, and although a regular listener might notice he always reads the phone number with the exact same intonation, it all sounds seamless and you really can't tell the join.

On the other hand, with some other presenters I've heard it sounds awkward and clunky, and it's quite obvious that they're playing in a recording of themselves.

[Steve in Pudsey]

They have abandoned the usual pre recorded split travel news this afternoon with the local newsreader doing the honours.

Radio Sheffield (whose patch has born the brunt of the snow) produce the afternoon show, the last travel update I heard had Clive Settle start to pad his shorter update on Radio Leeds with a weather update and then get taken by surprise but the Travel Out jingle.

Followed by a localised Sport update and 2 minutes of dead air before crashing into the next track.