MP Bob Seely has joined other MPs speaking in parliament in opposition to BBC plans to reduce local news output from local radio stations.
Under the plans, BBC Radio Solent will see locally produced output fall from 100 hours to 60 hours with some programmes being shared with Oxfordshire and Berkshire with some BBC journalists having taken strike action against the planned cuts.
On Thursday 22nd June, Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead, Sir Mike Penning, moved a motion in the House of Commons asking the house to call on the BBC to reconsider its decision to reduce local news output from local radio journalism. He said the plans would have a negative impact on communities across the UK, reduce access to local news, information and entertainment and silence local voices.
Speaking in support of the motion Bob Seely MP said:
“I fully support the motion and I call on the BBC to reconsider this incredibly poor decision to cut news output locally. I wrote a letter to BBC bigwigs about the plight of BBC Radio Solent and I am glad that 7 other colleagues from across the House signed it. Instead of cutting back local BBC coverage, we should be investing in it and expanding it.”
Mr Seely went on to say:
“In a perfect world, we would have our own BBC Isle of Wight, as we do not share that much in common with Dorset. What on earth we will share with Oxfordshire news-wise I do not know, because it is 100 miles away and on the mainland. We cannot have a further regionalisation of so-called local services.”
Mr Seely went on to praise the work of local BBC reporters:
“I know my local BBC reporters, such as Peter Henley and Emily Hudson. I do not always agree with them, but I respect their integrity and the fact that they really care about the places they represent. They live there, and what happens in their communities in the Isle of Wight, Hampshire and Dorset matters to them.”
Mr Seely has written to the BBC alongside 7 other Members of Parliament in the Solent region including Alan Whitehead MP, Tobias Elwood MP, Caroline Dinenage MP, Caroline Nokes MP, Richard Drax MP, The Rt Hon Dame Maria Miller DBE MP and Robert Syms MP.
He said:
“I hope we get an answer from the [BBC] bigwigs and that they will reconsider. I hope that the Minister can impress on Ofcom the need to get a grip of the situation, because what is happening is wrong.”
You can watch Bob’s speech in the Commons below:
Finger on the pulse as usual. Can we just get rid of this waste of oxygen at the next election? Please.
Typical MP’s, strangle the BBC’s income then complain about cuts to the service that may mean less airtime for MP’s. You would think the MP’s would understand basic economics.
While the good old BBC with its South Today 1/2 hour programme just regurgitates what we have just seen on the main news with no real local news reporting its like watching groundhog day everyday.
The principle of a state sponsored/paid for news corporation such as the BBC in a so called democracy is outmoded in the extreme and has too many similarities with communist countries, if you take the salary of one of the so called BBC talents, a certain football commentator called lineker,and you use it for local television you could treble the news staff and output of south today.
Why would you want to do that? Three times as much uninteresting drivel. We are deluged with too much news from so many sources and the vast majority is of no interest to anyone. Less would be much better.
Social housing Bob .how about a real post office Bob.more dentists Bob..and cheaper ferries Bob.i could go on and on Bob .Real local issues and concerns. Please
Good to see this bloke is on top of all the important issues on the island(NOT)
Scrap the BBC entirely.
You can’t believe a thing they broadcast and has proved to be totally corrupt and biased.
Who cares about local radio
I would rather Seely concentrate in lowering Ferry Fares
Don’t worry Bob it will soon be Barbeque season
You couldn’t make this up if you tried.
Freeze the licence fee and plan to abolish it, then complain when the BBC make cuts because of this.
The real irony is that the same Daily Mail types who cheered at the plans to abolish TV licence will now be bleating at the loss of Radio Solent.
Wrong on so many levels, BBC cuts are to regional news and staff, not the big earners, lineker over a million a year, strictly presenters,for some reason it takes 2 of them to present a show, 600 thousand each, any number of news presenters on over 300K a year, and you could go on and on identiftying those on crazy salaries that are bleeding the regions dry, the BBC in their lame and only defence argue these are their talent that are easily poached by other channels,really, do you watch the news for who is presenting it or what the content is.
We don’t need any BBC local radio,we have already 3 for Isle of Wight ( Angel,Vectis and IOW radio )and about 12 on South Coast.
He should be more concerned with his own future…..
Scrap the BBC licence fee .
Here Here, BBC not needed
Thing is, I agree with him. How else will we get to hear about sewage discharges into our sea. Ryde seaside was full of floating excrement on Sunday.
I thought that was the gang working at the bottom of George Street,
Will the unnessecary Interchange works ever get finished.
Who would trust a guy who broke Lockdown Rules and attended a
Barbeque in Seaview whilst families could not visit dying loved ones in
Hospital!
Never trust a Politician, majority of them are L iars!
“Ryde seaside was full of floating excrement on Sunday’.
Ohhhh, the irony…
Go swimming in the sea for a bit. Watch out for the floating turds.
Bob … shut up .. do something of benefit to the island before there are two of you .
Old Bob has suddenly become very active and vocal. Anyone would think there’s an election looming.
A must see
https://youtu.be/9dxROW5ImRkf
I’d be more concerned about the islands roads then radio sink holes pot holes nearly come off my motor bike on more then 1 occasion while holes in road in the dark my road I live in barely has any road surface any more and all they do is patch the same holes time and time again