Peers and broadcasters demand Review of BBC Children’s Radio cuts…
A meeting held by the Sound Start Group at the House of Lords on Monday [09/15/2011] has called for a review of the cuts to BBC Children’s Radio.
Speakers included Baroness Warnock, Baroness [Floella] Benjamin, with Baroness Howe, in the chair. Former ‘Magpie’ presenters, Susan Stranks and Mick Robertson, joined the meeting which also hosted authors, educators, musicians and child-care specialists.
The BBC’s Strategy for Children’s Audio was approved by the BBC Trust in February. It reduced children’s radio hours by 75% and moved 50% of funding to adult programmes. This has left £1m for children from the £460m p.a. licence-funded radio budget, in contrast to average cuts of 16% to 20% across other BBC departments.
