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Trust launches review of BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle

The BBC Trust has today begun its service review of BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle.

This will form part of a wider review that will also cover BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal. A 12-week period of consultation begins today, with licence fee payers and industry in Northern Ireland being given the opportunity to give their views on these services. The Trust will use this consultation, alongside a range of other data and audience research, to decide whether it needs to make changes to improve the radio stations.

The Trust will look at the quality, distinctiveness and value for money of Radio Ulster/Foyle and ask whether the BBC’s future plans for the stations are robust and deliverable. A final report setting out the conclusions and any necessary changes the Trust will be making will be published in 2011.

To ensure licence fee payers are getting the best out of the BBC, the Trust reviews every BBC service at least every five years.

BBC Trustee for Northern Ireland, Rotha Johnston, said:

“Over half a million people tune into BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle each week, making it the most listened to radio station in Northern Ireland. Our work with audiences in Northern Ireland shows that the station has an important role to play. People look to Radio Ulster/Foyle for coverage of local issues, interests and events as well as national and international developments. It is our job at the Trust to ensure that the BBC is serving audiences, with high quality, genuinely distinctive content, so we want to hear from as many listeners as possible with their thoughts on the service.”

BBC Radio Ulster is a speech-led service which sets out to cover life and culture within Northern Ireland. Radio Foyle, also a speech-led service, broadcasts in the North West of Northern Ireland and broadcasts some of the same programmes as Radio Ulster, with opt outs at certain times of the day.

The public consultation will run until 12 January 2011. It is available on the Trust’s website (www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust) or by calling 0800 0680 116 (textphone 0800 0153 350).

Getting the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers

NEWS RELEASE / Trust launches review of BBC Radio Ulster and Radio Foyle

Notes to Editors

· This is the Trust’s eighth service review. The seventh, on BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7, is scheduled to report soon. Previously the Trust has published service reviews of bbc.co.uk, the BBC’s services for children, the BBC’s services for young people and Radio 2 and 6 Music. · Full terms of reference are available from the Trust’s website. · The consultation will be promoted on BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru; and on their respective BBC websites. · Listeners can take part in the consultation online; by post, or by e-mail. · Rotha Johnston is the National Trustee for Northern Ireland. She is also Chair of the Audience Council Northern Ireland which advises the Trust on the BBC’s performance in promoting its Public Purposes, and reporting to the Trust on the BBC’s performance in Northern Ireland.

Timetable

October 2010 Start of review and opening of public consultation January 2011 Consultation ends Spring 2011 Trust Unit analyses data and prepares report Summer 2011 Report finalised and published by the Trust

Getting the best out of the BBC for licence fee payers