Why has it taken me until June to write about the BBC's death-wish strategy for its Local Radio network that has been ruffling feathers and leaving staff in distress for months now?
In November, shortly after plans for further regionalisation were announced, I outlined my frustrations that it is always programming that bears the brunt of changes as opposed to other inefficiencies such as multiple layers of handsomely paid managers.
Since then, David Lloyd, Liam McCarthy and Nicky Horne have been covering the painful process which has included veteran presenters reportedly being given "sixty seconds to save (their) job" among other questionable practices.
I've been closely following their informed commentary and I recommend reading the many David Lloyd blogposts on this subject - a man who gets truly radio like few others and knows exactly what BBC Local should be doing to serve its loyal older audience.
Let's cut to the chase: if the BBC cannot sustain its full Local Radio service with a guaranteed £117m content budget, it should redistribute these public finances to another operator who can.
If a local commercial station - or any business looking to grow - had access to £3m, the current average cost of delivering a single BBC LR service, think of the consumer benefit.
Mismanagement and inefficiency isn't exclusive to the broadcaster - while I deplore government cuts and the chronic underfunding of healthcare, as with the BBC, what investment there is in the NHS can land in the wrong areas through a bureaucracy. You have managers on big salaries while patients are being let down and the average public sector worker is not getting the sufficient pay rise they deserve.
Under the plans being implemented, it will cost £2.7m per annum to provide local news & sport and 20 hours of local programming per week yet a saving of just £300k loses 55 hours of local programming - which doesn't stack up at all.
Another factor in all of this is the BBC's internal marketplace, similar to what goes on with NHS trusts, which is not fit for purpose. "You work in radio and I work in digital" is backward and inefficient. One major staff complaint is the ineffectiveness of Local Radio online.
It all needs to be joined up and integrating these divisions would be a gamechanger, resulting in a strong multi-platform operation - fit for the digital age - with authentic, warm and friendly local radio stations targeted at older audiences as part of that overall package.
There is an argument to say "the licence fee is for broadcasting" but if the BBC - or any broadcaster - is to remain relevant long-term it must be able to embrace digital. That said, it shouldn't be an either/or.
Radio is valued for being the voice of a helpful friend and a comfort blanket - more so than it is as a news source. It's in good health, continuing to reach 88% of the 15+ population and more than 90% of over 50s.
Any decent programmer is constantly looking to grow audience and takes responsibility for any declines, but the mindset of BBC Local management seems to be "we're losing listeners and there's no way back" - inspiring stuff.
"Radio 2 Extra"
BBC Local Radio presenter Mark Punter reportedly met with Radio 2’s Head of Music, Jeff Smith, to pitch his vision for a brand extension targeted at disenfranchised older listeners.
However, especially a time where the corporation is having to make savings, it's not clear where the money would come from - and it would not be a good look for the BBC to launch a new service that A) the commercial sector is providing and B) targets a demographic that an existing one, BBC Local Radio, should already be serving.
Frankly, with what the BBC is sadly whittling the local network down to, it would make more sense than the current strategy for a national service of this ilk to get the investment and occupy the spectrum instead.
Is it possible, as has been suggested, that the BBC is deliberately decimating Local Radio to the point where audiences are so low they can justify axing it altogether?
It's devastating and annoying when I can think of countless professionals, many within the BBC, who understand local radio and the qualities aside from news - connection, friendship, entertainment and reassurance - which are the main reasons for tuning in.
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