BBC LOCAL RADIO PLANS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
MAY I correct a false impression which may have been given by Mr. J. E. Wheatley, chairman of Bay City Radio Limited, in his recent letter headed, Duplication by BBC?
He says Bay City Radio has a very advanced plan for a radio station in the Torbay area. But we all did 18 months ago when the BBC named the City of Exeter as the centre for a possible BBC local radio station covering the South Devon area.
Since that time the BBC has had further discussions with councillors and townspeople about setting up a station in South Devon, and these have been received enthusiastically, as recently reported accurately in the local Press.
Mr Wheatley claims that the listening public has to pay for BBC programmes while Independent Local Radio is self-supporting. We all know that commercial radio is paid for out of advertising revenue. But the BBC’s programmes are not paid out of soap powder or beer revenues, but rather from your own or your father’s television licence fee which he pays for the public to hear his radio programmes as well as to see television. There is no fee for radio.
Mr Wheatley also states that the Government has recently refused the BBC an increase in the licence fee. This is correct. The Government is about to consider an application for a licence fee increase, but no decision is likely before the autumn at the earliest.
I am sorry to have to say this, but there are few facts in Mr Wheatley’s letter which are accurate. He said it seemed unlikely that a BBC local radio station can be operational in South Devon before four or six years. In fact, a BBC station could be on the air within about 18 months of being given the go-ahead.
This permission, for both BBC and IBA Independent upon discussion at present under way within a Home Office Working Party set up under the terms of the recent report on broadcasting.
Mr Wheatley states that the BBC has not often been at a loss to decide where it comes to radio facilities. The BBC has made positive proposals in mind to redress this situation, with plans for local radio stations at Truro, Plymouth, Barnstaple, Taunton, Dorchester and Bournemouth.
Finally, I do agree with Mr Wheatley on one point. South Devon needs good local radio stations, and the BBC is only too willing to supply it, based on its traditional news, information and public service commitment rather than non-stop pop.
TONY TALMAGE
Local radio publicity officer,
British Broadcasting Corporation,
Broadcasting House, London.
