Another Statement from Steve Barker and the On the Wire team
Oh, you are well tuned now,
But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music,
As honest as I am
Iago in Act 2, Scene 1 of Othello
A week is a long time in radio. Since last weekend Matthew Jones from Lancaster launched a change.org petition (https://www.change.org/p/save-on-the-wire-bbc-radio-lancashire) now with signatures past the 1,000 mark and increasing daily. Many friends and listeners, from Lancashire, the U.K. and worldwide have contributed to an incredibly supportive, and sometimes moving, set of comments which will be sent on to BBC managers and trustees.
Also, I’ve done interviews with The Guardian and the Lancashire Evening Post but neither have yet appeared at time of writing. During the week BBC Radio4’s Feedback programme devoted their first half to BBC cuts and On the Wire was raised by Ian Stevens, from Wrexham, followed by some commentary by Jim Waterson the Guardian’s Media Editor - the fact that Ian Stevens listens from outside Lancashire references the increased listenership and capacity to access radio via the internet and latterly BBB Sounds, the hierarchical monstrosity that zaps out everything below its celebrity-laden top layers - whereas the real answers could lay within its redesign.
It seems that everyone who wrote in with letters of support for On the Wire has received a standard reply from John Clayton, station manager at BBC Radio Lancashire. In his reply John now says “On The Wire remains ‘rested’ but not ‘axed’.” This is the first time I have heard this and no one has spoken to me about the programme’s status and possible future. He goes on to say “the challenge is to work out if and how the programme can still be accommodated within our reduced schedule” then raises further questions about competition amongst specialist shows for schedule space and funding.
If friends of On the Wire wish to continue their support us then best extend to other dimensions, such as your councillor or MP if you are in Lancashire or the wider North West and anywhere else to the BBC Trustees who are open and available to listeners views on the services the Corporation provides and can be found https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whoweare/bbcboard/ contact at where you can find the email address, twitter handle and phone number. In the meantime if you wish contact me direct then please use stephenjbarker@gmail.com
Forward Ever!
Steve
But I’ll set down the pegs that make this music,
As honest as I am
Iago in Act 2, Scene 1 of Othello
A week is a long time in radio. Since last weekend Matthew Jones from Lancaster launched a change.org petition (https://www.change.org/p/save-on-the-wire-bbc-radio-lancashire) now with signatures past the 1,000 mark and increasing daily. Many friends and listeners, from Lancashire, the U.K. and worldwide have contributed to an incredibly supportive, and sometimes moving, set of comments which will be sent on to BBC managers and trustees.
Also, I’ve done interviews with The Guardian and the Lancashire Evening Post but neither have yet appeared at time of writing. During the week BBC Radio4’s Feedback programme devoted their first half to BBC cuts and On the Wire was raised by Ian Stevens, from Wrexham, followed by some commentary by Jim Waterson the Guardian’s Media Editor - the fact that Ian Stevens listens from outside Lancashire references the increased listenership and capacity to access radio via the internet and latterly BBB Sounds, the hierarchical monstrosity that zaps out everything below its celebrity-laden top layers - whereas the real answers could lay within its redesign.
It seems that everyone who wrote in with letters of support for On the Wire has received a standard reply from John Clayton, station manager at BBC Radio Lancashire. In his reply John now says “On The Wire remains ‘rested’ but not ‘axed’.” This is the first time I have heard this and no one has spoken to me about the programme’s status and possible future. He goes on to say “the challenge is to work out if and how the programme can still be accommodated within our reduced schedule” then raises further questions about competition amongst specialist shows for schedule space and funding.
If friends of On the Wire wish to continue their support us then best extend to other dimensions, such as your councillor or MP if you are in Lancashire or the wider North West and anywhere else to the BBC Trustees who are open and available to listeners views on the services the Corporation provides and can be found https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whoweare/bbcboard/ contact at where you can find the email address, twitter handle and phone number. In the meantime if you wish contact me direct then please use stephenjbarker@gmail.com
Forward Ever!
Steve
posted by On the Wire at 11:14 AM
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