BBC Local Radio Debate

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Richard Graham

Main Page: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

BBC Local Radio

Richard Graham Excerpts
Wednesday 26th October 2011

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Jason McCartney Portrait Jason McCartney
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My hon. Friend makes a good point. Outside broadcasts are important, as we have heard, at times of emergency—floods, major job losses and, in my part of Yorkshire, heavy snow. The reading out by BBC Radio Leeds in the morning of the list of school closures was very valuable and useful to parents.

Richard Graham Portrait Richard Graham (Gloucester) (Con)
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My hon. Friend is making a passionate case for the continuance of rugby league coverage on BBC Radio Leeds. I am sure he agrees that, in my part of the world, in Gloucester, it is important to continue to have coverage of rugby union, especially so that the roar from the Shed when we score tries against the team in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr Walker)—the Worcester Warriors—can be heard across the county.

Jason McCartney Portrait Jason McCartney
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I hope the players are not out nightclubbing the night before.

Whether the local coverage is of football, rugby league or basketball, the BBC must revisit its decision. It should think again about priorities—instead of big exec salaries, having hundreds at Glastonbury and copy-cat programming that is produced by other broadcasters—and focus on local output and on local sport.