It's time Dorset had its own BBC Local Radio Station & local news/events reporting on TV

By KenPett | Sunday, August 09, 2009, 11:20

As many will know, there was once has a Dorset BBC Radio Station - but sadly not anymore. We are supposedly serviced by BBC Radio Solent from Southampton, which doesn't reach much of the west of the county, and it is mostly Hampshire based material anyway. However, as a start, Chris Carnegie, the new Editor of BBC Radio Solent has recently launched the "Big Breakfast Brunch" on Saturdays mornings only on 103.8Mhz dedicated to Dorset. Could this be a beginning of what we aim to eventually be a full Dorset service on radio & TV for the whole county? It would be interesting to hear peoples' reaction to this new programme presented by local, Dorchester based BBC Radio Solent reporter, Harry Crawford. Also, just how many people know about & listen to BBC Radio Solent?

For terrestrial TV, Dorset is split 3 ways - for the west of the county from BBC Spotlight in Plymouth, for the south from BBC South in Southampton & for some in the north from BBC West in Bristol.

This disgraceful state of affairs means that Dorset, as a county, is largely overlooked by both BBC media. However, there is a BBC Dorset web site which has just been given a new look, but as there are only four BBC staff in the Dorchester studio, of which two work on the web site, they obviously can do so much. DorBAG is in full support of these staff and wish them well, but without the infrastructure in place to broadcast right across the county, and the additional staff to provide complete services, we still have a long way to go.

The Dorset Broadcasting Action Group (DorBAG), which is co-chaired by Oliver Letwin MP & Jim Knight MP, is fighting for justice for Dorset. This group is actively supported by Dorset County Council, many District and Town Councils and some technical experts. DorBAG is in contact with BBC Management, right up to the top and has now been pressing the BBC for a proper service as outlined above. In a survey of approx. 40,000 households, carried out some time ago, some 95% of the 4,000 respondents demanded a BBC Dorset Radio and Dorset news on TV - & importantly received by everyone in the county - not just one third due to the prresernt broadcast infrastructure. A large number said that they should withhold our licence fee until they got justice! Our main aim is to get the BBC to fold Dorset under one BBC Region Manager so that person is fully responsible for the county and all its BBC Services. We think this will be the catalyst to start the process of giving justice to the county.

The BBC repeatedly acknowledges that "Dorset is under-served", but consistently cancels any budget plans to improve things - usually at the last minute. If you can help DorBAG to get the BBC to give Dorset what we demand, and deserve, please let us hear your views and also contact DorBAG via the web site (www.dorbag.org.uk).

Ken Pett - co-founder - The Dorset Broadcasting Action Group

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Comments

What's wrong with Wassocks FM? My friend wins competition prizes from there all the time.

By FlatStanley at 13:21 on 27/01/11
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DEAR ALL
JUST IN CASE YOU HAVE NOT SEEN BBC RADIO SOLENTS PRESS RELEASE, RICHARD CARTRIDGE IS BACK ON THE 20 FEBRUARY SUNDAY AFTERNOONS STARTING AT 2PM AND FINISHING AT 5PM. A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORTED THE PETITION.

VERY BEST WISHES FROM ERIC AND THE PETITION TEAM.

The Richard Cartridge Band http://tinyurl.com/6kct7w6

By Eric4400 at 08:43 on 21/01/11
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It's true that "The Big Dorset Brunch" only serves a small area of South Dorset, but it's better than nothing at all. Harry Crawford is an excellent young reporter who grew up in the area and is very passionate about Dorset. We listen every week and enjoy all the local reports and details of What's on" in the area.
We also enjoy Peter Foster's slot of delving into the Radio Times archives with reference to Dorset in the past.

By Dorstransport at 19:04 on 28/08/10
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Bring Richard Cartridge Back To BBC Radio Solent Petition Solent in the past have operated a ageist policy not wanting older people on the station
We are campaigning to get the BBC to bring Richard Cartridge back to BBC Radio Solent which is based in Southampton. Richard was one of the long serving presenters axed by the previous Managing Editor Mia Costello at the time when she sent a memo containing the comment that she "didn't want to hear old voices on the radio."

Richard was and still is very popular with the listeners and has had some of the station's highest listener figures so why has he not been re-engaged to help revive the station and also to help regain the massive loss of listeners that happened after his show was axed in favour of younger presenters. Are the BBC and Radio Solent still operating an ageism policy? I have added the article from the Southampton Echo which covers the main details.
Hampshire fans urge BBC Radio Solent to bring back Richard Cartridge
7:42am Thursday 5th August 2010

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HIS silky smooth delivery made him a housewives favourite and one of the most popular voices on Hampshire’s airwaves.

Now his loyal fanbase are demanding he is put back on air at BBC Radio Solent to save the station from a slide in listeners.

A growing petition is urging station bosses to bring back chocolate voiced presenter Richard Cartridge before its too late.

Mr Cartridge was a victim of a cull of presenters by former station boss Mia Costello which coincided with a dramatic slump in listener figures.

John Christopher, one of those behind the petition which now has over 150 signatures, said: “When Richard left the station management said they didn’t want to hear older presenters on air.

“Ever since then they’ve continued to lose listeners. Local radio is very important but If they don’t do something to rescue the station we could lose it.”

The petition has been backed by New Forest councillor Les Puttock, PR chief Gill Gould of Carswell Gould and West End councillor Tony Noyce who says he switched off listening to Radio Solent after Mr Cartridge’s departure. He called him the “best presenter Radio Solent has had.”

Mr Cartridge, who has described Radio Solent as his “spiritual home,” briefly returned to the airwaves for a week-long stint over Christmas.

He said he was aware of the petition and would jump at the chance to return full-time.

“It would be wonderful to be able to consider going back to Solent full time. We’re on friendly terms but there doesn’t seem to be a position there for me at the moment,” he said.

A BBC spokeswoman said: “We are delighted to be able to call Richard a friend of BBC Solent, and we know listeners loved his shows during last Christmas.

“We remain in touch with Richard but there are no immediate plans for him to take on a more permanent role."

Latest quarterly figures show the station slumped to its lowest-ever share of the listening audience despite Nick Girdler returning to Solent after a three-year absence, Katie Martin replacing Charlie Crocker on the weekday early afternoon slot, and former Meridian newsreader Debbie Thrower being drafted in for a temporary role. New figures are due out next week.

To sign the Cartridge petition visit: http://tinyurl.com/376uqtl

By Eric4400 at 13:19 on 17/08/10
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I think it would be a good idea to remind people that there has already been - once upon a time - a BBC Radio Dorset. It began on 26th April 1993 - and if we'd have known what was coming (ie the station's very short life), you'd have been surprised the BBC didn't launch it on April 1st! Who were the fools? Us the Dorset licence payer, for thinking we'd got our own station!

And what did we get in those halcyon days of a "local" station"? From 6.30 to 9am each weekday, we had "Good Morning Dorest"; and then from 12-1pm, The Dorset News hour. There was three hours of Radio Dorset on Saturday, and two hours on Sunday. The rest of the output was relayed from Radio Devon.

So it wasn't much - but after the plug was pulled in 1996, I dare say we'd be happy if we only got a breakfast show again! How can the BBC justify THIRTEEN years of subsequent Radio Dorset silence?

By Abacus Business Solutions at 02:14 on 15/08/09
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