BBC's 'aggressive' promotion in local news is stifling competition, newspapers claim

Members of the BBC Broadcasting House union in central London are protesting against changes to local radio programming. Photo: James Manning/PA

BBC journalists staged a 48-hour strike over local radio being switched off, while industry representatives and MPs warned the changes would kill local radio and leave many listeners without an adequate service.

Ian Carter, editorial director of Iliffe Media, which owns the Cambridge Independent and the Kent Messenger, said: “There is something quite disgusting when the BBC boasts of a fairly modest increase in its regional digital audience, knowing that it was achieved by ripping the guts out of her signature local radio show.

“I don’t much like a world where the only source of local news is the BBC, along with the occasional plucky hyperlocal news, but that’s where we’ll end up if allow its aggressive expansion to continue unchecked.»

Announcing the increase in traffic this week, Jason Horton, director of production at BBC Local, said: “These figures are testament to the hard work and dedication of our news teams at BBC Local.”

p>»We talk about delivering more local value for everyone, and now we're really showing how we can do it.»