‘Why pay the licence fee if Black shows are axed?’ Unrest grows over BBC plans to shake-up Black programmes
FEARING THE AXE: News about the threat to local Black radio shows on the BBC first emerged last November
With Black viewers increasingly switching to alternative news sources, the radical shake-up of Black interest programming will “take away the legitimacy of the BBC as representing Britain in its diversity”, the source said. Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director of Nations who sits on the BBC’s Executive Committee, also got a roasting on the Jeremy Vine show, including criticism that longstanding journalists are having to make “demo tapes” to prove their worth.in January suggesting that the Sunday evening Black local radio shows would be saved, mergers of regions are still believed to be going ahead in September this year.
“It’s messy and it’s shambolic, and shabby that freelancers who are effectively staff in all-but-contract can’t apply for these positions. It’s absolutely appalling that it took this long to tell people.” There is speculation that London, Bristol and Leicester shows could survive, but Manchester is still set to merge with Liverpool and Cumbria, and Leeds might not get a Black show at all.
But radio presenter Carl Wheatley tweeted a furious reaction: “They are destroying a national treasure and they can’t see it. Resign – and reverse this utter madness. It’s a disaster.” John McDonnell MP, secretary of the NUJ parliamentary group said: “London needs a specific service due to its range of ethnic diversity, its differing levels of affluence and poverty, and the scale of its vulnerable audiences.”
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