BBC’S SECOND BEST WEST MIDLANDS

28-02-2008

The Stirrer’s revelation that BBC WM’s late show is being switched from the Mailbox to Nottingham was another blow to Birmingham’s broadcasting pride. Thomas Smith listens to how our local station handled the breaking overnight story of an earthquake and wonders why Second City will soon mean second best.

I suppose the night before last, I wasn’t the only one to be woken by the sound of what I thought was the world coming to an end.

Obviously concerned, I - like many in these times of crisis turn to my local BBC radio station to find out what the hell was going on. It turned out it wasn’t an impending Armageddon but an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the rector scale with its epicentre at Lincoln.

As I listened to Danny Kelly reassuring listeners that all was well, and taking calls from people, some of who were quite distressed, it occurred to me how ludicrous it was that by the end of April there won’t be a live night time show from Birmingham.

Then, where will I go for information on a local scale? What if there was a terrorist attack on the scale of the pub bombings again? Or another riot like those in Lozells?

I know I’m picking on the extreme cases here but these things happen all the time. A couple of years ago, there was the evacuation of the city centre, and the shootings at that New Years party in Aston.

How will we find out what’s going on when after ten o’clock all our radio programming comes from Five Live in London or from Nottingham or whatever.

As it transpired, Wm decided to keep the show on the air for an extra hour. As I listened I heard obviously vulnerable elderly people, some of who were crying, and thanking the presenter for information. Where will these people turn to in the future?

Not only that thought its a matter of pride in our town. I don’t want to hear what someone from London or the East Midlands has to say about it, I want to hear the opinions and views of someone who lives here and understands its people.

Some years ago Jeremy Clarkson upset everyone in Brum by suggesting that the place closed at 10pm. Well, here we are, it turns out he was right - and no one seems too bothered about it.

Every major metropolitan hub in the western world has a night-time show to tune to, but it seems yet again Birmingham has come second in the race. Perhaps that’s why they call it the second city.

I pay my licence fee not only for TV but for good quality local radio too.