What perceptions of local radio by its journalists and listeners tell us about its role and future

Abstract

Local news coverage in the UK is in decline with radio moving away from its focus on the ‘local’, and local newspapers in decline. The present study focuses on local radio in England and Scotland, the two UK nations characterised by the presence of local BBC radio, although in significantly different ways, as well as local commercial radio run either by large media groups – which increasingly move away from local content - or a handful of small independent companies whose stations often struggle to provide substantial local news coverage. Does local news still matter to the people in an increasingly globalised and digital world where people move home more often and their links with the local area are weaker than in the past? And how does the decline in localness affect those working in local radio in Scotland and England and their sense of purpose? Using the theoretical frameworks of the public sphere and localism, the present study aims to answer these questions by speaking to those who work in local radio and those who listen to it. The main aim of the study is to provide a better understanding of how radio professionals perceive their role in today’s media environment and juxtapose those against the perceptions of radio by the listeners. In doing so the present study aims to address gaps in research on local radio and contribute to a limited body of knowledge on the role of local radio as seen by both those who make it and those who listen to it. Ultimately, the present study aims to provide a better understanding of the local radio setup in the UK and the challenges it faces.