Read this: Local Radio Fallout, Record Review and Michael Spicer

BBC sounds music Radio podcasts hello and welcome to this week we are on picking the Fallout from the cuts to BBC local radio Services to respond to listeners deep concerns a little bit like I come into your living room and I've rearranged the furniture and I need to make you feel comfortable and the controller of radio 3 sounds explains the changes he's made to the station schedule.

That's a programme that has been in that slots for over 40 years and we didn't make that change like and then said the social media has made people a lot more contemptuous, but I said to him.

That's crap your garbage Burn in Hell I'll be talking to comedian.

Michael Spicer about his new Radio 4 series.

And the art of satire becoming a satirist this is a purely accidental thing for me.

I just happened to find comedic ideas that chime with people now 18 months since the BBC first tonight's sweeping changes to local radio the decision to dramatically reduce its local I put immediately led to hold a protest from staff politicians feedback listeners.

It's been an ever-present issue in our inbox ever since who's changes were made in order to divert more money to local content online as part of the BBC digital first policy have local programs from 6 in the morning till 14 as before but from then the vast regional and the national programming of these changes have provoked a passionate angry and sustained response from feedback listeners, my name is Wendy Russell

Daventry Northamptonshire I work from home most of the time and local radio keeps me connected with what is going on locally at 14.

We change to a syndicated program minutes past to Roberto Peroni radio and go to Greatest Hits I really want to support local radio, but I feel it doesn't support me Hillary Baker from Hereford why have you taken so much of the local out of BBC local radio apart from weekly mornings and some of Saturday radio Hereford and Worcester has been wiped from the schedule for BBC news for Hereford and Worcester my name is Peter crumpler and I'm a Church of England Minister in St Albans in Hertfordshire was it worth losing so many trusted familiar local voices.

Losing the local knowledge that they developed over 70 years was it worth losing the focus on specific Geographic areas only to create regions that made sense only in the mind BBC corporate planners radio but mainly in the mornings when it is truly local so after 14.

I'm often not tending to listen.

I have not engaged in digital content anymore since that the person has been responsible for the strategy and implementation of these changes is Chris Burns the controller of BBC local audios commissioning and she joins me now right from the outset 18 months ago in the BBC and I'm these changes to local radio the rationale given was at the BBC needed to improve its digital output.

So can you explain what?

New booster digital I put looks like and what people are actually seeing or hearing differently ok, so I think the first thing to say if we still have 39 radio stations across England it's now on sounds.

We previously had there's a local rail.

That's their you will also see on sounds that we are doing much more the digital space so at the moment.

We've been running a series called in court.

That's been following the Martin trial.

That's been available on sound it's also been promoted on Radio Show with a journalism is based and that's been downloaded 800000 times today with actually giving I think local storytellers and much bigger platform through sounds in addition to that we been investing in digital services and Times of news online and if you look at on news online figures they've increased by 20% So hopefully what people will see.

They will see their lives represented much more across all BBC platforms and they were previously because at the heart of what local is and always has been it was the image of Frank grillo when you set it up in 1967.

It's about actually giving local storytellers a platform to tell their stories clearly not everybody wants to or is able to consume use digitally and some of them have lost what they relied on most and they often are the most vulnerable within our community who are actually the most underserved in other types of Media Trevor roads from the Wirral has written in to say your mum for being a very difficult time for both local radio listen and the local radios against kindness and generosity over the past week.

I am truly overwhelmed.

Thank you for being my friend still angry about the lack of consultation and the way many lawyer.

Serving staff with treated whilst I understand need for investment in digital digital investment should not have been funded by coastal what the BBC now just Mrs referred to as linear audio look I am absolutely passionate about radio if you come in the middle you would find those words blaze and the cross when I was growing up my radio was a window on the world for me, but I have to also acknowledge that there are many other areas where we can access material now and people are using all the windows.

Have you like you not 66% of adults now use online services to accept their news consumption and I'm not saying that local radio is just about news.

It's not it is about but we have to think about the changing audience habits in 2003 local radio had an audience of over 8 million what we seen.

Since then is local radio audiences have declined now.

I believe we should have really long strong local radio Services and I'm actually committed to that but we also have the offers that you know he just mention 66% that means for the third of people don't get the news digitally and those that third of people are not being well served by by local radio but we are still very much there.

You know we are there but not as much as you know I I would say that because we are there when people need is most breakfast without meds which is the time when most people will consume local radio and indeed radio listening.

We're also there in the afternoon.

It's not local East Midlands the East Midlands so the show there it goes Leicester Derby and Nottingham there are very often synergies within communities the bread.

Sorry, the loss of local radio programmes of the last to eat 18 months as I think be much greater than feedback by listeners and Westminster MPs across the highest route to the BBC asking them to reconsider.

They called local radio the Crown Jewels a Public Service Broadcasting the government is Express concern and here earlier this year on front.

I don't think you could simply replicate on a website.

What is available through life is not a substitute for local radio.

No, I don't think it is constraints, but there's a big difference between clicking on this actually hearing live an interview and covering local issues because I wonder did you for see the scale of the concern about these changes to local radio.

Anyone looking at this which years in a way the passion that people feel for local radio is very confident for me because shows why it's still incredibly important, but did you foresee the scale of the sadness and anger people are going to contact you unhappy? It's been all over the place.

It's been all over Westminster I think sometimes we have been misunderstood in terms of what we doing because people are almost the same turning off or local radio stations at the certain out of the day and that's not the case.

I think we knew that people would be they would worry about the relationship with the radio station because I think there is a strong bond between the listener and their present it's on to me that perhaps the level of anger with something you didn't understand I think.

Always anticipated that people were passionate and I would describe it as being passion rather than anger.

I met some listeners in Worcester who was chatting to you yesterday.

I said I understand how you feel because it's a little bit by I coming to your living room and I've rearranged the furniture and I need to make you feel comfortable again and some of that is about signposting what we doing honoré also moving people to where they can see their lines represented to I know why passionate you are about local radio and you've been a champion of it and the sum of money so small on TV entertainment or big-budget dramas are even some of the foreign news coverage at the BBC so did you try to say to the BBC please? Please take this money from somewhere else and save local radio.

I am part of the Nations and BBC locals management team and some of the amount of money.

I feel very small but we're doing it 39 times over it soon adds up.

Nothing compares Strictly Come Dancing it is something that actually millions of people love and I believe the people of local radio do love local radio and I love local radio, but I also I think as part of the BBC management team as a whole I have to look across the whole business collectible for those change it not about me trying to your question.

I genuinely believe that what BBC local is doing at the moment.

It's the right thing to maintain its relevance for us and you know I think being able to tell stories in that digital space is really important and also I sometimes feel that in local radio with almost your light under a bushel if you like, we've got fantastic storytellers.

Look at the series Undercover Spy cops that Andy Whittaker dead in Nottingham that wouldn't be told without those local storytellers.

And I think they should be heard across the whole of the BBC not just on their local radio station.

I want to personally that how do you feel about this and the BBC website itself says that use the local radio as the to walk to the BBC imagine that means that you think it's a welcoming in listeners old and new but with hearing from so many people that feel that the doors being slammed in their face just wondering what the last 18 months have been like for you.

I'm sure there are things that I on a personal basis could have done better and that Saturday I think sometimes you know maybe I could have took two people more and that's always something and I've tried really hard to talk to listeners.

Lots of listeners have contacted me and I've always try to engage them correspondence, but you always know if you reach the end of a change programme and you said yes, I got everything right.

That's just completely arrogant and that's not me.

Going to gauge.

Hi, this is working Richard Jackson from Hampshire asks to the 10 p.m.

To 1 a.m.

Local radio 4 in last autumn.

How have the listening figures changed the presenters of both of Monday to Thursday and Friday to Sunday shows on my local radio Solent will legendary and had a large personal following get you were prepared to dish up.

Who are you serving the last listening figures that we have a lot of the end of 2023 and their down 14% year-on-year audience figures for radiator water so that will be in the next few weeks.

Are you bracing yourself or something similar as I said earlier on what we've seen in terms of local radio listening.

Not all radio listing but specific local radio listening is the husband of downward trajectory since 2003.

I think these changes are still very new in lots of areas and we probably.

Be able to judge them until we've got a full 12 that are you saying that when will you think we will be able to take a proper view of what's happened in September so can you give a short answers to our listeners that local radio is nicer from any further changes there will be no more local programs replaced by regional ones that local sport.

Is there any local program which is currently local is going to remain that way I can't predict the future because I don't know what the outcome is going to be the next licence fee.

We've got to let these changes their down and we've got to give our program teams are presenters and everybody works in local a chance to kind of letting settle I believe we have the creativity to create something.

That's unique that is different from everybody else plus.

I believe that.

We will have a much bigger presents on digital platforms you mentioned Frank Gillard at the

Interview of 2027 sees the 60th anniversary of the launch of local radio that was his vision.

Can you guarantee what radios do look like local radio will look Pioneer the technology at his disposal in order to serve local audiences and I think if you was around today.

I think he would be doing digital.

I think he's also have local radio Services I am absolutely as indeed the whole of the BBC local team commit to BBC local radio and BBC local services and that's why we seen the Investment investigation so we can do more around the original journalism.

That's why I was seeing the Investment digital this about trying to strengthen our services and ensure their relevant, but no assurances that there won't be any more changes we can never say anything is set in stone and it would be irresponsible.

Take me to say that Chris Brown thank you for coming onto feedback.

This is the last in the current series of feedback, but I just want to show you that we will still be listening.

So please do you get in touch with your thoughts or comments on anything to do with BBC audio? We do read or listen to Every comment you send us you can leave us a WhatsApp voice note on 0334 304 4544 you can also ring that number directly and leave a voice message or email is feedback at bbc.co.uk and it's at BBC our feedback on social media last week.

I interviewed the controller of radio 3 and Sam Jackson explain the rationale behind his recent changes to the station schedule is reasoning didn't convince all of you from Oxfordshire going to Mr Jackson

On feedback, I'm a rare person in listings Radio 3 for the majority of monthly listeners Radio 3 until majority of the day here and weeks with sunny took from Petroc please Chopin next on Radio 3 prematurely from North Wales audience as he says he does as everyone.

I know listen to Radio 3 full time and knows everything about the programs and presenters.

We don't dip in and out.

We are working artists writers and musicians.

I feel the Radio 3 cupboard has been stripped bare to try to bring in a younger interactive audience and the treasure programs and presenters who got the top of a double string orchestra.

It's a little Mariner conducting the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields for em BBC Radio 2.

Failed again, but not picked up and discussion.

It's a flagship broadcast deserving a prominent slot.

It's a program during the listener with personable and knowledgeable presented in figure out and account in rossini the Barber of Seville from Canterbury there was no specific address to the move and truncation of Record Review and hopeful regarding a switchback for Record Review well, David and Sally I actually had us some about that but the full interview was just too long to fit into last week's program, but as you here.

It is we doing something else with trying to draw in that audience who listens to us during the week but for whatever reason are choosing to not start their weekend with Radio 3 Record Review understandably for a lot of people is significant.

That's a program has been in that slot for over 40 years and we didn't make that change lightly and I personally.

Of the list of feedback that would come I understand the strength of feeling that that people have but it does come back in the end to the fact that with wanting to do right by and we haven't got rid of Record Review far from it is 2 hours long is on a Saturday afternoon.

Just after lunch and of course if people don't want to listen to it, then they can still listen on a Saturday morning to the station on BBC sounds, how much will you considering younger listeners when you made the changes that you have done is it possible to attract a new perhaps a younger audience antagonising your existing loyal listeners.

I think the older audience is arguably even more important.

So I love the idea of younger listen is coming in I want anybody who has an interesting classical music or other genres have to feel that Radio 3 is somewhere where they are welcome and they will discover fantastic music interesting content.

But I'm in nowhere obsessed with younger audiences in the same way that my colleagues at Radio 1 on trying to chase after 55 year olds.

I'm certainly not saying we need to go younger actually if you look at some of my decisions, whether it by Jools Holland who's in his 60s or finding a new home for Friday night is music night anybody could claim that Friday night is music night is Love by younger listen.

It was all of my dad's favourites.

Are you there? And I would love people of your dad's generation to listen as well as other courses as anybody else, but they're there is not a focus on your listeners.

I am though really interested in the audience at dinner in the 40s and 50s typically not always typically people discover classical music a little bit later in life and again.

I want those people who pay for us to try radiator and discovered that actually there's lots of Fantastic programming on this network Dan Jackson the controller of Radio 3 now the comedian Michael Spicer became an online hit with this.

He called the room next door.

He played the role of an exasperated advisor desperately trying to keep Aaron politicians real life interviews from going off the rails of those online video over 100 million views.

He told the story of how he finds internet Fame in a Radio 4 sitcom before next door which finished last year and now he's back on satirical sketch show called no room where he takes a swipe at everything from nonsensical football punditry to misguided male bigotry well at the moment to programs are nothing on BBC signs each week and we'll be on Radio 4 from mid-may.

So far at least it seems to have gone down well with most feedback listen.

I'm Michael Spice this is no room and John Cox from Felixstowe overall and particularly the Taylor Swift war correspondent sketch.

Excellent from the front line as the bombing campaign begins in Earnest more news on that later, but first sour Taylor Swift new album has today.

I'm joined by some big fan of Michael's work.

Especially room next door.

He's a most insightful comic my friend said that social media has made people a lot more contemptuous said to him.

That's crap your garbage Bernard health and a combination of comedy and satire some of the short sketches have literally had me in tears of laughter the first attempt at sending a dog into space was by a Russian astrophysicist who just threw a stick really hard into the air hi and Scorpio from Paisley I'm all for a comedy show The Devil's in the bizarre, but some of the sketch is Justin quite get the right balance with no nonsense in Cuba in particular.

Interview technique at this point in the interview.

I sent some Tension Jack was moody restless perhaps even vengeful Michael Spicer many people hear your name.

They immediately think of the viral hit the room next door that was social media and it was very innovative.

This is a sketch show on radio much more traditional imagine the it is possibly more of a challenge.

Yes, it is more of a challenge.

There's more to come in.

There's 10 episodes, so there's quite a lot of lights and quite a lot to think about where is before on social media.

It was my platform and I was able to do what I wanted when I wanted in if something sorted tickle my fancy then I would just do it this feels like there's there's more structure to it.

There's more there's more creativity hello.

I'm from Farnborough in Hampshire I think no room is.

Best antidote to the cereal post truth and worthy of psychiatric classification reality for listening to this level of laser cutter is now the only way to absorb digested cope with that reality.

Yeah.

I do find myself finding humour in everything and I see myself as a comedian first and a satirist second becoming a satirist.

This is a purely accidental thing for me.

I just happened to find comedic ideas That Shine with people got bad from the is enjoying the room but he doesn't criticism to make little I don't know hanging fruit and setting Skechers Taylor Swift the album bigger news and full-scale Wars and the princess dramatisation deck.

Low hanging fruit is is interesting because I I remember mentioning the term low hanging fruit in my life show because I was explaining Powell the room next door started and it was to do with a particularly terrible Boris Johnson interview and I remember saying to myself.

I'm not going to do that sketch in the room next door because that's low hanging fruit.

He he was just wondering about trying to look for a suitable answer to a fairly mundane question and I thought well no I won't do it.

What can I bring to this? It's a comedy sketch in its own right but because I thought it was funny and I think of the comedian that really is the most important thing is this funny.

What is not funny and Boris Johnson was the Prime Minister I mean? I don't know what height hanging fruit is in in in this case.

Michael were used to seeing you broadcast from home and of course we actually see you.

This is audio only I wonder if you can give us an idea of how it works on this program.

Are you in the Studio with people or is it the low-key affair that were used to locate? It's so it's me.

I basically I write everything.

I then run it past you say hello and we agree.

What episode is going to contain and then I just record it as much as I can at home around my house in streets in my car and then composer augustin bousfield, but some incredible sense soundscapes some music over and we had Steve punt and Dennis on the programme last week saying farewell to the night show so you know you're doing a new satirical comedy.

What do you think no room? Will do for Sata

Comedy on the station goodness what a great question if I could leave the kind of Legacy that the Now Show has left my goodness me that would be amazing.

I hope that people enjoy the show and I hope that they appreciate that were trying to do something a little bit different.

I I really want to make Mrs feel like consumer getting in a different way essentially Michael Spicer thank you so much and that's all for this week and indeed for this series of feedback.

I'll be back with you on the 20th June and do keep your nominations for interview of the Year coming in any interview anywhere on BBC audio that you think is worthy of that Accolade the winner will be chosen at the end of the year until June from me and from Alderton thank you for listening and for giving us your feedback goodbye.

Hello Dr Michael Mosley

Radio 4 podcast just one thing I'm investigating some quick simple and surprising ways to improve your health and life so which will you try a musical instrument? How about doing some volunteering your immune system so the benefit your brain the body in ways you might not expect his just one thing you can do right now subscribe to the podcast on BBC sounds.