Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to take steps to ensure that taxpayer-funded local radio stations continue to produce content that is tailored to local audiences, rather than shifting towards increased national programming; and what steps she has taken to help protect the distinct local character and public service value of such stations.

Local radio continues to bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

The BBC is the only public radio broadcaster and is funded by the licence fee. It is for the BBC to decide how it delivers its services, given it is operationally independent from the Government. However, the BBC is required under the terms of its Charter and its Framework to continue to provide distinctive and genuinely local radio services, with content that reflects and represents people and communities from all corners of the UK.

Local commercial radio stations, which are not tax payer funded, that broadcast on AM or FM are subject to requirements to provide local news and information and these requirements were recently revised by the Media Act 2024. The implementation of the revised local news requirements is currently being reviewed by Ofcom, following the closure of a consultation on 22 September 2025.

Community radio stations - such as Gateway 97.8 which covers the Basildon area - provide an essential contribution to local audiences with tailored content of a distinct local character. Whilst community radio stations are mostly funded by advertising and community support, DCMS does provide financial support to community radio stations through the Community Radio Fund. This is operated by Ofcom, and provides grant funding to to support the sustainability and growth of the sector.