Fans bombard BBC over Radio Stoke cutbacks
BBC bosses have been inundated with protests over plans to cut jobs and programmes on Radio Stoke.
The deadline for public consultation over the proposals for local radio ended at midnight and thousands of listeners have made their voices heard.
Under the plans, Paula White's afternoon show and the early morning programme hosted by Den Siegertsz would be taken off air. Match commentaries on Stoke City, Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra would also be cut by one third.
It is understood listeners in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire have been more outspoken in support of their station than residents in any other part of the country.
A final decision on the plans, which have also sparked outrage from staff unions and the city's three MPs, is expected in the New Year. Opponents hope the outcry will prompt a review of the cuts.
Seven posts at the Hanley-based radio station are to be made redundant after the corporation announced plans to reduce its £125 million budget for local radio by £5.3 million.
A spokesman for the National Union of Journalists at Radio Stoke said listeners had rallied overwhelmingly in support of the station as soon as it became clear that services were under threat.
He said: "There has been a fantastic response from people. The NUJ has fought passionately to protect local programmes, news and sport."
BBC director general Mark Thompson has already said he will keep an "open mind" about what cuts to make to services after he was quizzed about Radio Stoke in Parliament.
Hundreds of fans adding messages of support on a Fight For Our White website which was launched by former Sentinel journalist Andy Morris, a personal friend of Paula.
The 44-year-old former Biddulph High School pupil, from Knypersley, said he was expecting a climb down by the BBC over the proposed cuts to local radio. He said: "It seems to me that after the large outcry they will have to have a re-think.
"Any changes are not due to come into effect until 2013, which gives the BBC a lot of time to reflect on the proposals.
"I hope they will save money elsewhere, radio is a vital part of the community.
"I am not surprised there has been an outcry from Radio Stoke listeners."
Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Tristram Hunt, who wrote a protest letter to BBC Trust chairman Chris Patten, said he thought strong arguments had been put forward against the budget cuts.
He said: "There is a strong case for Radio Stoke. I have always taken the view that Paula White is what local radio is all about. She has a strong voice in the local community and is a trusted."
The cuts would have left Radio Stoke with three daytime peak time programmes with Paula and Den's shows being replaced by a regional service.
BBC Radio Stoke has seen its listening figures rise by 46 per cent in the past year, from a weekly audience of 143,000 in September 2010, to 209,000 in September 2011. Only one other BBC radio station recorded a bigger boost over the same period – 5 Live Sports Extra.
A BBC spokesman last night declined to comment before the end of public consultation.
10 Comments
by Backdoored
Friday, December 23 2011, 1:50PM
“by fiat128
"BRING BACK JASON DEAN."
Yes -dead right!! Those were the days.... BUT WHO GOT RID OF HIM AND WHY? Worth checking out in the archives... A bit of digging required here.
He makes Fatte Morgan sound like a big girl's blouse.”
by fiat128
Thursday, December 22 2011, 10:27PM
“BRING BACK JASON DEAN.”
by Backdoored
Thursday, December 22 2011, 9:42PM
“It warms my heart to see the comments on this thread. I absolutely agree with all of them -except to say -I'd get rid of the 'demon den' too as he likes to portray himself. He 'pretends' rather than genuinely has a passion for what really 'connects' with North Staffs people. His, is a sort of 'music hall' caricature of what we are.
When it comes down to the 'real thing' -the history of personalities for instance -he pours childish scorn on the likes of Vincent Riley, referring to him once as a 'good for nothing drunk' who never did a good day's work in his life. That to me was disgraceful -he obviously knows nothing of what Vincent went through -and worse, couldn't care less. And before anyone says 'that's Den's style' -I can tell you he was on a bad wicket if he thought that was funny.
The bloke they should get rid of though -and be the first to go -is that fat buffoon Pete Morgan from Manchester. He must be the thickest broadcaster this side of Adderley Edge.
Just one example, I'd like to quote here; On his Friday morning slot at 9am he has what he calls his 'Pete's People' hour. The format for this 'serious' opinion of the people' slot, is to get three local people -one's who have achieved some modicum of success in whatever field they are involved in - into the studio and discuss the week's news.
Well, on one of these mornings a couple of months ago, he brought up the topic of the 'Arab Spring' -when the Libyan fighting was at its height, and they all chimed in with their strongly held views on the 'ifs and buts' -and when one of them said, -with great aplomb, 'Well, the Arab Spring all started in Egypt and now its spreading to other countries in the middle east..' unquote.
No one corrected the speaker. None of the other two panellists corrected him. And worse, not even, more importantly, Pete Morgan himself, especially as by setting up this 'serious debating slot' -called 'Pete's People' -he sees himself as equipped to 'sit in the chair'.
I even texted Radio Stoke on 81333 (starting my message with the word 'stoke') to point out the glaring ineptitude on the part of the four people in the studio, but not a squeak, no acknowledgement, no correction. They simply let the 'misinformation' drift across the airwaves.
-The Arab Spring, as anyone who follows International events will know -originated in Tunisia not Egypt; -when the costermonger who had been abused by the corrupt 'Police Thugs' once too often, in despair at the hopelessness of his life, set himself alight and burned to death. That was what started it all.
You'd think that as dramatic an incident as that would not go unnoticed by Pete's Pundits' -or by Pete the Pundit himself -but it did -The man is a complete buffoon. All huff and puff -and merry hype. What did we do to deserve this monstrosity?
But I put the blame firmly on the shoulders of Sue Owen -the Station Manager for setting these silly inept people on to her staff.”
by marieiz
Thursday, December 22 2011, 8:54PM
“I just cant stand Paula Whites show and have to turn her off straight away,
besides look at all the protests there was when Sam Plank was being finished, but they still cut his programme. Now he was a good presenter,”
by Goach
Thursday, December 22 2011, 8:15PM
“I agree with the posters on here, good riddance and take that mickey mouse signal radio at the same time.”
by Anon_mow_cop
Thursday, December 22 2011, 6:24PM
“Keep Den, he really is a good presenter and makes Radio Stoke enjoyable, but get rid of Paula, she just seems to witter on about her family, her ex, etc., etc.,. If i want to listen to family life I turn The Archers on, at least they are more interesting.”
by stokeandvale
Thursday, December 22 2011, 2:31PM
“The football coverage (praise/grumble) are the only decent things on Radio Stoke.
Are good rid out seems like a good idea to me.”
by WebMonkey1
Thursday, December 22 2011, 2:03PM
“I tune in for the presenters and local content, but the music isn't really me so I have to mute it (on the PC) and then forget to switch it back on.”
by diddydee
Thursday, December 22 2011, 12:50PM
“I too switched off, the accents are enough to grate on anybodys nerves............listen to BBC Radio Leicester, or BBC Manchester. You get a much better standard of broadcasting that shows Radio Stoke up for what it is, an amateur production company.”
by yesamwargames
Thursday, December 22 2011, 12:32PM
“I stopped listing to BBC Radio Stoke because of boring broadcasters like these.”