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**Chris** · 10-02-2023, 18:01

I think local radio works where there’s a strong local identity for it to play off. I used to enjoy BBC Radio Merseyside and the independent rival, Radio City, back in the day, but the life and culture of Liverpool greatly enriched what they were able to do. Likewise the (sadly diminishing) local content on Clyde One which is my local radio these days feeds off the strong local character of Glasgow. But other places I’ve lived the local output has made no sense at all. BBC Three Counties Radio, for example (Bedforedshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire). What’s the point of that?

And where I am right now the BBC has never bothered with local radio as far as I’m aware; BBC Radio Scotland is like Radio 2 and Radio 4 ran away to Gretna for a dirty weekend and had a love child. It doesn’t do anything either of the national stations can’t do better, and it has no local character because it’s not a local station. Its only USP would be in its ability to handle Scottish national current affairs more thoroughly than either a local station or a London based one would.

10-02-2023, 18:01	#2
Chris Trollsplatter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,142	Re: Local radio disappearing in England I think local radio works where there’s a strong local identity for it to play off. I used to enjoy BBC Radio Merseyside and the independent rival, Radio City, back in the day, but the life and culture of Liverpool greatly enriched what they were able to do. Likewise the (sadly diminishing) local content on Clyde One which is my local radio these days feeds off the strong local character of Glasgow. But other places I’ve lived the local output has made no sense at all. BBC Three Counties Radio, for example (Bedforedshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire). What’s the point of that? And where I am right now the BBC has never bothered with local radio as far as I’m aware; BBC Radio Scotland is like Radio 2 and Radio 4 ran away to Gretna for a dirty weekend and had a love child. It doesn’t do anything either of the national stations can’t do better, and it has no local character because it’s not a local station. Its only USP would be in its ability to handle Scottish national current affairs more thoroughly than either a local station or a London based one would.