BBC to backtrack on £15m local radio cuts
The BBC is reversing about half of the planned £15m cuts to the budget of 40 BBC local radio stations across England after thousands of listeners complained.
MPs and councillors had also protested about the planned cuts and potential loss of 280 jobs.
BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten has now told the corporation to re-examine the plans, saying that the cuts would have a "disproportionate impact" on the BBC's output and reputation.
The BBC has been asked to review certain areas of the plans, in order to scale back plans for local radio to share programmes in the afternoon, and to make sure that local stations have an ‘adequately staffed’ newsroom.
The revisions could also mean that weekly current events show BBC 5 live could be saved from cancellation.