Reports in the Media...?

Be aware of reports in the media especially newspapers informing you and I that the cuts to bbc local radio are to be reversed.

The bbc is consulting with you and I and the consultation ends on the 21st of December 2011. Early in 2012 around February, the latest March we will here from the bbc trust, the fate of bbc London 94.9 fm and local radio throughout the UK is in the hands of Lord Patten and his fellow trustees.

We demonstrate on the 1st of December 2011 at 6pm outside Broadcasting House, Portland Place W1. We need a good turnout and we need you the listener to turn up and support the campaign to save bbc London 94.9 fm and bbc local radio.

Ladies and Gentlemen it is up to you, I can do no more other than to urge you to turn up and fight for something you love dearly.

Thank you,

John...

Broadcasting House 6pm 1.12.2011...

Next Demonstration is at

6pm on 

Thursday the 1st of December 2011

outside

Broadcasting House

Portland Place

London

W1...

If you choose to sit back and do nothing don't be surprised after the Olympics in 2012 when you tune into 94.9fm if you don't hear the likes of Robert Elms, Danny Baker, Jo Good, Nikki Beddi, the Sports team, Caroline Feraday, Gary Crowley, Tony Blackburn to name but a few. Delivering Quality First (name of the cost cutting programme) will Put the Listener Last (PLL).

Many of the overnight family lost a good friend in 'BiG George Webley' and I remember only to well pledging to many of you that I would fight any cuts to our bbc local radio station...

The time has come for each of us to step up to the plate, so turn up on Thursday and send a clear message to the Director General of the bbc that the proposed cuts to bbc local radio are unacceptable. Ring fence local radio like Radio 4 and 3, protect local radio has if it was the proms and reverse the decision before the new year and give local communities the length and breadth of the nation something to cheer about in these oh so turbulent times.

Please Mark Thompson do the right thing for the ordinary, the elderly, the infirm, the lonely, the non-league football fan, the cricket fan and our legacy after 2012. 

'In Patten we Trust' but you Mark can prove us all wrong and reverse the cuts to the crown that holds the jewels of the British Broadcasting Corporation. 

John.

www.savelocalradio.co.uk

PS due to cuts Santa cancelled on Thursday, please note 'Scrooge' will be in attendance instead along with many of you hopefully and the odd Christmas Carol...!

Save BBC Radio London 94.9 fm...

In life you have many choices but when someone or some group or institution wishes to take something away from you you have two choices. Stand up for what you love and believe in or sit down and let others dictate how your life will be run.

Many listeners to bbc radio London 94.9fm cannot believe what the Director General and the board of management wish to do with bbc Local radio. It is FACT that the bbc pays daft sums of money to people under the  veil of 'talent' that will go elsewhere eg ITV or maybe even SKY. Well considering all this talent had to start somewhere and I'm sure they weren't paid excessively in the first place, so let this pool of overpaid 'talent' seek overpaid contracts elsewhere and spend the money saved on bbc local radio, radio 5 live and other excellent programmes the bbc manages to make for a fraction of the money paid to this 'talent' pool bleeding the corporation dry.

A big thank you to Nigel Howard 'Fleet Streets' finest photographer for kindly providing us with a number of pictures of our 1st Demonstration on the 28th of October.

Please note we have a new national website created by other great people who care about local radio and their communities at www.savelocalradio.co.uk this links nearly all the campaigns and is the hub. We need to unite to save ALL bbc local radio.

Next Demonstration on

Thursday 6pm

1st of Decemeber 2011

Broadcasting House

Portland Place

London

W1.

'In Patten we Trust'

Cross Party Support...

On Tuesday evening a number of individuals from the world of Cricket along with others from the campaign to save bbc local radio met with the Shadow Minister for Sport Clive Efford MP at Portcullis House to discuss the bbc's 'Delivering Quality First' strategy that will destroy the excellent local sports coverage that bbc local radio provides across the nation.

Cricket, Football, non league Football, Rugby league/union & all other sports coverage is under threat due the average 20% cut to local radio & the mind boggling 25% cut to bbc radio London.

The United Kingdom is to host the Olympics next year, followed by the Rugby World Cup 2015 & World Athletics Championship in 2017 & we have to ask the question what sort of legacy will we leave if local radio is unable to provide that vital link between the listener & grass roots sports ?

I must say we are heartened to know that the campaign to save bbc local radio is receiving cross party political support which we must harness & use to our advantage. The campaign now moves to another demonstration at 6pm on Thursday the 1st of December 2011 at Broadcasting House, Portland Place W1 on a day that has been labelled 'listen to local radio day' !

All listeners and lovers of bbc local sport coverage need to get involved in the consultation at www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust and attend if possible the demonstration on the 1st December or get involved in 2012 when our political campaign will be launched with the sole aim to reverse the cuts in full & ensure the bbc trust asks the Director General to ring fence local radio in a similar fashion to bbc radio 4 & 3.

John.

'In Patten we Trust'
------------------

Christmas Demonstration...!

Hello again,

The time has come for our second demonstration with a Christmas 'carol singing' theme with alternate lyrics.

Therefore I kindly request that you attend at 6pm on Thursday the 1st December 2011 outside Broadcasting House, Portland Place, W1.

We must ensure a turnout of at least 100 & hope that each of you can bring a friend or supporter of bbc London 94.9 fm along.

Please call/text/tweet/email the station and let them know every time you get the chance of our second demonstration at 6pm on Thursday the 1st December 2011 at Broadcasting House, Portland Place W1.

Please log onto the blog www.savebbclondon949.blogspot.com follow @savelocalradio or @johnthecabby on twitter & join the facebook groups that our supporting this campaign.

All the links can be found on the blog/website & I'll bring the mince pies on the 1st December if you bring yourself & others along for a protest, a sing song & the chance to save bbc radio London 94.9 fm.

Thank you for attending last demonstration.

John Kennedy.

'In Patten we Trust'

PS if you have a Christmas Carol you'd like us all to sing let me know & please print off at least 100 copies of lyrics in plain clear type of a reasonable size.
------------------

5...

We often hear people moan and groan in London or the United Kingdom when they lose something they love or like well you have a chance to change things when it comes to the proposed cuts to bbc local radio.

Many of you have already filled out the consultation document online at www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust and many of you love your local radio. So Why don't we all encourage those people who love to talk about the loss of many of the shows we all love and make sure they fill out the form online and have their say.

So I'm going to ask you to find 5 other people who love bbc London 94.9 fm and bbc local radio as much as you and I do and help them fill out the consultation online which takes less then 5 minutes.

The power of the number 5.

John.

'In Patten we Trust'

Radio 4 Feedback...

You are the most important person to any radio station in the world for without you stations do not exist. Across the United Kingdom bbc local radio is under threat like never before, they haven't chosen to close stations down and offer the frequency to Ofcom and the private/commercial sector instead the Director General along with his board of management team have chosen to cuts services, change the service level agreement and effectively turn bbc local radio into a 6am to 12pm and a 5pm to 7pm service.

Here in London we will lose our much loved overnight slot presently hosted by the wonderful Nikki Bedi. Shows like Robert elms that are unique to London are under threat along with Danny Baker (what's coming next radio, you never know). The bbc London sports team cover all sports held within the capital and produce sports coverage of a quality that far surpasses the £1.5 million paid to a part time 'Match of the Day' presenter and finally Joanne Good the lady that introduces bands,barking and opinions on the airwaves on the late show.

Last week some of us (well over 120) turned up at Broadcasting House, Portland Place W1 at 6pm and held our first protest against these cuts. Nigel Howard (Evening Standard) took some pictures so please do take a look at www.nigelhowardmedia.com we were also featured today on the bbc radio 4 programme feedback at 1.30pm which will be broadcast again on Sunday at 8pm.

I/we are emailing all of you who left an address and we will announce our next demonstration to be held early December the theme will be 'carol singing' with the odd alternate lyric. In the meantime can you ensure at least 5 other people you know fill out the consultation regarding local radio and ask those five people to send a letter/email to your MP, London Assembly member or local councillor. You may wish to help your neighbour or friend do this and use templates on previous posts on this blog or other save local radio site linked to us here.

Thank you all once again...

John.

Service Level Agreement(s)...

The bbc is managed by a Director and board but answers to a board of Trustees who work on our behalf to ensure we receive value for money and levels of service.

I've taken a look at the service level agreement for bbc local radio and I must say was shocked to see no mention of sports or the fact that London is a capital city and operates on a 24/7 basis. Therefore it is important that we ask the bbc trust to ensure that the service level agreement reflects more accurately the city we live and work within. Can you therefore consider using the template email below and forward to the bbc trust by way email/letter, it may be an idea also to write to your Member of Parliament and/or London Assembly member and ask them to contact the bbc trust on your behalf.

Dear Lord Patten,


At present a consultation is taking place regarding bbc local radio however I've noticed that the service level agreement for bbc London 94.9 fm is a little vague and appears to fail to reflect the capital city that I live and work in. 


I would like to see the service level agreement reflect the extensive sports that are played on a professional and amateur basis here in the capital ranging from  football, rugby, cricket, hockey, running, athletics to name but a few. 


London is a 24 hour city with a vibrant night-time economy and therefore an extensive wide ranging night-time work force that crosses all trades/professions who deserve a dedicated late night/through the night radio service. I might like to add that the cost of providing late night and through the night radio is very small when compared to other output across the bbc local network. 


I would therefore like to ask the trust to alter the service level agreement so that it better reflects London's status and reach of listeners. 


Thank you for the taking the time to read this email/letter.


A Listener.


Please consider sending this email/letter to the trust and get your friends/family to do the same remember to copy in your MP and/or London Assembly Member too. The email address for the trust is trust.enquiries@bbc.co.uk or you can write to BBC TRUST UNIT 180 Great Portland Street, London W1W 5QZ.

John.

'In Patten we Trust'.

PS to all of you who attended the demonstration last Friday you'll be receiving an email from us (thank you) with links to this site.