Local Commercial Radio Content

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Local commercial radio content

Qualitative Research Report

Prepared for Ofcom by Kantar Media

Contents

Contents ...... 2 1 Executive summary ...... 5 1.1 Background ...... 5

1.2 Summary of key findings ...... 5

2 Background and objectives ...... 10 2.1 Background ...... 10

2.2 Research objectives ...... 10

2.3 Research approach and sample ...... 11

2.3.1 Overview ...... 11

2.3.2 Workshop groups: approach and sample ...... 11

2.3.3 Research flow summary ...... 12

3 Setting a local context ...... 14 3.1 Introduction ...... 14

3.2 Summary of key findings ...... 14

3.3 Existing perceptions of ‘local’ ...... 14

3.3.1 Items symbolising local areas ...... 14

3.3.2 Visualising local areas ...... 16

4 The role of radio ...... 18 4.1 Introduction ...... 18

4.2 Summary of key findings ...... 18

4.3 Radio as an accessible and universally available medium ...... 19

4.3.1 The accessibility of radio ...... 19

4.3.2 The universal availability of radio ...... 19

4.3.2 Listening diary excerpts ...... 20

4.3.3 Living without radio ...... 22

4.4 The personal and social benefits of radio ...... 24

4.4.1 Personal benefits of radio ...... 25

4.4.2 Social benefits of radio ...... 26

5 Perceptions of the local media landscape ...... 28 5.1 Introduction ...... 28

5.2 Summary of key findings ...... 28

5.3 Perceptions of the radio market ...... 30

5.4 Understanding of and attitudes towards local radio ...... 33

5.4.1 Geographical expectations of local radio ...... 33

5.4.2 Perceptions of non-networked and networked local commercial stations ...... 34

5.5 The role of local radio compared to other media sources ...... 36

5.5.1 Broadcast sources of local content ...... 37

5.5.2 Print sources of local content ...... 40

5.5.3 Digital sources of local content ...... 41

5.5.4 Summarising the role of local radio versus other media sources ...... 43

6 Local radio content ...... 44 6.1 Introduction ...... 44

6.2 Summary of key findings ...... 44

6.3 Spontaneous importance of local radio content types ...... 46

6.4 Relative importance of locally made content: Individual responses ...... 48

6.4.1 Personal and societal perspectives: Pre- and post-discussion responses ...... 49

6.4.2 Prompted personal and societal importance allocations ...... 50

6.4.3 Forced future trade-offs of content types ...... 52

6.5 Local news bulletins ...... 54

6.6 Local information updates ...... 55

6.7 Locally based presenters ...... 57

6.8 Music on local radio ...... 58

6.8.1 Perceptions of the regulatory requirements for music on local radio ...... 60

Appendices ...... 62 Appendix A: Individual perceptions of the local media landscape ...... 62 Appendix B: Sample details and logistics ...... 65 Appendix C: Local media sources by location ...... 67 Appendix D: Pre-task diary excerpts ...... 68 Appendix E: Brand mapping examples ...... 69 Appendix F: Workshop groups discussion guide ...... 74 Appendix G: Recruitment screener questionnaire ...... 80 Appendix H: Self-completion questionnaire A ...... 91

Appendix I: Self-completion questionnaire – Importance of content categories ...... 97 Appendix J: Self-completion questionnaire – Local commercial radio station future trade-offs 99 Appendix K: Self-completion questionnaire B ...... 100

1 Executive summary

1.1 Background

Ofcom commissioned Kantar Media to conduct research into listeners’ perceptions of the local material and locally made programmes on local radio, and the extent to which this content is delivered uniquely compared to other media sources. The research also explored listeners’ expectations of the music provided by local commercial radio stations.

The research focused on local commercial stations broadcast on analogue radio (FM and AM) and also considered digital radio. While participants discussed other types of radio stations – such as national, digital-only, and community radio services – as other sources of content, these were not a principal focus of the research.

This report is based on qualitative research findings drawn from 24 workshop groups conducted across 12 UK locations, covering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. To enable discussion about local commercial radio, the research sample comprised those who listened to the medium and was not designed to be nationally representative. There were 151 research participants in total, aged from 18 to 81, with fieldwork conducted in September and October 2015.

1.2 Summary of key findings

The role of radio

Radio is synonymous with being an accessible, universally available and dependable medium

Radio is seen as a highly accessible medium, especially when participants discussed the wide variety of devices used to listen. Although younger and more tech-engaged participants were more likely to listen via digital or connected devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) analogue radios are still used by the majority at home or in the car. The devices used to listen did not affect participants’ perceptions of the role of radio and the importance of content types.

The accessible nature of radio means it is also perceived as a universally available medium, with participants observing use both in and out of home, at various times of day, and covering a range of active and more passive listening occasions.

Radio was also seen as a dependable medium, particularly among those living in more rural or isolated areas, as it does not rely on mobile or fixed internet connections.

Radio offers both personal and social benefits including serving as a companion and allowing effortless consumption of local information

Overall, participants alluded to a range of benefits of radio, which spanned (often overlapping) personal and social dimensions.

The personal benefits of radio included:

• A ‘companion’ role, bringing background noise to otherwise quiet environments; • Helping lighten moods amidst everyday routines; • Providing relationships with favourite presenters and personalities; and • Allowing effortless consumption of local information.

The social benefits included:

• Enabling connections with the outside world; • Creating an ambience; and • Encouraging discussions.

Perceptions of the local media landscape

Listeners can readily differentiate between local radio stations according to music and content or perceived target audience

When considering the range of radio stations available in their area, the majority of participants generally differentiated them by the type of content broadcast and the perceived age of audiences. Local commercial stations were most often compared to national and digital-only services that played similar types of music, with participants frequently distinguishing between those catering to ‘younger’ and ‘older’ tastes.

Listeners are familiar with the concept of networked stations and welcome the continued provision of local news and travel updates, regardless of where the output originates

Many participants were familiar with the concept of ‘networked’ stations (i.e. radio stations that are part of a wider network of stations that may have the same name and share some programming, but broadcast in different parts of the UK) versus non-networked local commercial stations. Most participants perceived non-networked local stations as more local than networked brands that mixed local and wider shared programming. The majority of participants – with the exception of some residing in areas where networked brands had recently started broadcasting – had few reservations regarding networked services, noting that they still provided regular local news bulletins and traffic updates at key times. Participants were prompted to consider how critical it was that local output was broadcast from the local area including, for example, local news bulletins in a networked programme. Again, few expressed any concerns about where local content was made so long as it was relevant and accurate.

Radio is seen to play an important role in meeting local content needs in relation to other media sources especially in its immediacy and effortless consumption

Ø Local radio

The vast majority of participants spontaneously perceived local commercial radio as being an important source of local content. They recognised non-networked local stations and, to a lesser extent, networked services as delivering content on a local level (i.e. where they lived and the surrounding area) rather than a regional or national level. Most participants associated local radio

with effortlessly helping them learn about breaking news and providing regular short updates, rather than delivering a high level of detail.

Although BBC local radio stations were also highly valued by the majority of their listeners, they were seen to provide content predominantly focused on a wider regional or – in relation to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – a more national level. Most participants familiar with BBC services observed that truly local stories tended to be covered only when major events had occurred, in relation to news, or traffic and travel information.

Ø Regional/ local TV

Participants also assigned high importance to regional TV news bulletins as a source of local content (i.e. BBC, ITV / STV / UTV bulletins) though they were seen to primarily cover a regional rather than local level. They used regional TV news for a broader overview of news and events in the wider area, with its coverage of their local areas perceived to be mainly reserved for major stories.

Only a minority of participants had used local TV services and, while the concept of locally targeted TV was not dismissed, they had reservations regarding the current quality of coverage provided.

Ø Print sources

The majority of participants reported declining use of paid-for and free local newspapers as sources of local content. They were increasingly using online sources as alternatives to paid newspapers, with free newspapers closing in several areas. Most participants did associate local newspapers with truly ‘local’ coverage, reflecting the geographies associated with non-networked local radio stations. While they mainly associated local newspapers with more detailed coverage of local news and events, participants describe them as requiring more effort than listening to the radio or watching TV and not providing as up-to-the-minute coverage as radio.

A minority of participants used local magazines, with free versions often delivered to their homes and others picked up at local supermarkets. They were more linked to specific communities and interest groups, and were seen to deliver updates on local causes, events and initiatives rather than breaking news stories.

Ø Digital sources

Most participants, and especially the younger and more ‘tech-engaged’, were increasingly using online sources of local content. In many cases, their usage focused on the digital properties of established local broadcast and newspaper brands. They valued these sources for fast up-to-the- minute and detailed coverage of local news and events. Nevertheless, the online sources did require more effort to search for and consume content, than broadcast sources like TV and, in particular, local radio.

A minority of participants used community websites, and these were mainly associated with coverage of their immediate neighbourhoods rather than wider surrounding areas. They were predominantly used by younger and more tech-engaged participants, and offered a means of keeping abreast of news, events and associated discussions centred on their immediate surroundings.

Around half of the participants, especially the younger and more tech-engaged, used social media as a source of local content. Many considered social media to be an ideal platform for learning about breaking local news stories, whether through comments from friends, or by following local media brands. Nonetheless, some participants – particularly the older and those with children – expressed concerns about the tone of discussions that could accompany stories, and the veracity of reports that emanated from individuals rather than trusted news brands.

Importance of different types of local radio content

Although music is the key driver for listening, participants also spontaneously highlighted local news and traffic updates as important content for them on local radio

Participants were asked to spontaneously identify types of content they personally considered to be important on local radio. They mentioned a variety of content types which spanned needs to be entertained, informed and to engage with others in their area.

With regards to entertainment needs, the vast majority of participants considered music to be highly important. In particular, they sought a variety of music that matched their tastes. The vast majority of participants mainly listened to local radio for the music played. They identified local radio as an effortless way to discover new music, and to rediscover old favourites.

Most participants also thought that presenters were important, but this related to their perceived quality and entertainment value more than whether they were from or based in the local area.

A majority of participants also assigned high value to informative content, such as local news, traffic and travel updates, and weather reports. These aspects were seen as being critical to defining a station as ‘local’ and were valued for the role they play in keeping listeners informed about local issues across the day as necessary.

Most participants assigned slightly lower importance to content that allowed them to engage with presenters and others in their area, such as quizzes, competitions and phone-ins. These were most likely to be mentioned by participants who mainly used local radio to fulfil entertainment rather than information needs.

Local news bulletins and local information updates are widely perceived as more important than locally based presenters

Participants were prompted to weigh-up the relative importance of specific local radio content – local news bulletins, local information updates and locally based presenters – and, ultimately, compelled to make decisions regarding future provision.

While all three categories were deemed to be important when prompted, local news bulletins and local information updates were considered to be more important than locally based presenters.

Local news bulletins emerged as participants’ most important type of local content. For the majority of participants, the provision of regular locally focused news bulletins helped set local stations apart from more regional and national services. They valued being able to learn about breaking news on local

radio, and to be kept up to date throughout the day. The importance of local news was ranked even higher when considered from a societal perspective.

Local information updates were valued by the vast majority of participants, and achieved similar importance ratings to news content. Participants who travelled regularly by car and those living in more rural or isolated areas placed highest importance on local information updates.

Locally based presenters were also seen as important by most participants, yet were seen as less important than the integral elements of local news and local information updates. Most participants thought that it was more important that presenters were entertaining and/or well-informed rather than simply being based in the local area.

Participants’ perceptions of the role of local radio and the importance of different content types were consistent across the nations and regions covered in the research. In relation to sub-group differences, usage of and attitudes towards local radio were most likely to vary by those who regularly travel by car compared to those who don’t and rural versus urban/suburban perspectives, rather than regional or national identities.

Participants expect local stations to offer a range of music genres that appeal broadly to both younger and older listeners with national or digital sources used for more niche interests

The research also explored perceptions of the types of music played on local commercial radio. There was very low awareness of licence requirements for different local radio stations to play different types of music from each other (particularly in locales with only one or two local radio services).

While most participants recognised value in a variety of music genres being available to listeners, they expected local services to provide content that reflected general tastes in the local area. They principally associated this with a mix of ‘younger’ and ‘older’ popular music, rather than coverage of more niche genres. Indeed, participants mainly used national, digital and streaming services where they had more niche music interests.

Several participants, and particularly the younger and more tech engaged, used streaming music services. They valued streaming services for the wide choice and personalisation offered, yet identified shortcomings such as subscription fees, and issues around device battery life and internet coverage when using services out of home.

2 Background and objectives

2.1 Background

Ofcom is responsible for granting local commercial radio licences, which have conditions attached to ensure that local audiences receive some local output from these services. There are two key elements for Ofcom when considering ‘local’1, with legislation requiring Ofcom to ensure that local commercial stations provide an appropriate amount of:

• programmes including local material; and • locally made programmes

Local material is defined as “material which is of particular interest to those living or working within (or within part of) the area or locality for which the service is provided or to particular communities living or working within that area or locality (or a part of it)”. In summary, local material can include items such as: local journalism (e.g. news, investigative reporting, and local emergencies); local information (e.g. weather, travel, local sports, and local events); local classified (e.g. jobs, items for sale, and property); and other locally made content such as phone-ins.

Locally made programmes are those made within a station’s licensed area or within a wider approved area shared with other stations.

There have been some recent changes to the local media ecology include the decline of local and regional newspapers, the emergence of local TV in some areas, and the development of digital communications platforms by organisations (such as local councils) and advertisers who previously relied on local media to reach local audiences.

Within this context, Ofcom sought to explore listeners’ views on local material and locally made programmes on local commercial radio, and the extent to which this content is delivered uniquely compared to other local sources.

2.2 Research objectives

Specific objectives:

• To understand the extent to which listeners believe particular content should be locally made • To explore and understand local content consumption across different sources, including local news versus non-news content • To explore future scenarios for local commercial radio and local content in the evolving digital world of platforms and sources

In addition, Ofcom wanted to probe radio listeners on their perceptions and expectations of music provision by local commercial radio stations.

1 Ofcom’s localness guidelines: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/radio/localness/localnessguidelines

2.3 Research approach and sample

2.3.1 Overview

A programme of qualitative research centred on extended workshop groups was devised to best meet the objectives of the study.

Figure 1: Research design overview

The fieldwork centred on the development of a range of research materials, which allowed participants’ individual and societal perspectives to be captured, while informing them about the local radio landscape.

Pre-tasking was included before the workshop groups to help sensitise participants to their actual radio listening habits and motivations, and the role played by local radio. The pre-task included a radio-listening diary to build participants’ awareness of content consumed; the services, platforms and devices used; and the balance between active and passive listening. In addition, a deprivation exercise required participants to live without radio for a day to help uncover listening motivations by disrupting their often habitual behaviours. The final element of the pre-task asked participants to bring along an item (e.g. an object or image) to the workshop groups that represented their local area to them. The object task helped uncover perceptions of local areas, and established context for exploration of expectations regarding the area covered by local media services.

2.3.2 Workshop groups: approach and sample

Twenty-four workshop groups lasting two-and-a-half-hours each were conducted in 12 locations across the UK. Each workshop group comprised of around seven participants, with ‘younger’ (c.18 to 39 years’ old) and ‘older’ (c.40+) sessions conducted in each location. Overall, the research encompassed the views of 151 participants across the UK, with the locations and key sample criteria summarised below:

Figure 2: Map of workshop group locations

The workshops were principally split by age, with an even gender mix to encourage positive group dynamics. Quotas were set on age bands and life stages within each session, to ensure that a sufficient range of views were captured. Individual sessions encompassed a mix of social grades, and were inclusive of ethnic minority groups with compositions reflecting the locales covered. The broad demographic profiles of the workshops were consistent between locations to facilitate reliable comparisons.

The qualitative research sample was comprised of those who listened to local commercial radio, and was not designed to be nationally representative. Within regular listening to local commercial services, each workshop included a mix of those listening several times a day to most days of the week, and those listening a few times a week to at least once a week. The sample also encompassed a mix of other variables that may influence engagement with local radio, such as: varying categories of working status (including commuters and non-commuters); length of time lived in area; and those living in urban/ suburban and rural locales. A more detailed outline of the sample specifications, including the geographical definitions of each location and the age splits within the younger and older groups, is provided in Appendix B.

2.3.3 Research flow summary

The diagram below outlines how key themes were explored across the research process, stemming from the initial pre-tasking and continuing through the workshop groups. The pre-task helped build participants’ awareness of existing habits and motivations, while the workshops allowed exploration of individual and societal perspectives relating to the key research objectives. The flow of the sessions

ensured that participants’ spontaneous mentions of important local radio content categories were captured, before progressing to specific examination of items such as local news bulletins, local information updates, and locally based presenters.

• 3-day radio-listening diary to sensitise participants to existing habits & motivations • 1-day radio deprivation exercise to disrupt often-habitual behaviours & uncover the role of radio • Object task to uncover perceptions of local areas Pre-tasking

• Self-completion at start of workshops: capturing unprompted individual views of local content on radio & platform comparisons • Local map exercise and discussion of pre-task objects to explore perceptions of local areas 1. Exploring local

• Reflections on pre-task diaries and deprivation exercises to examine the role of radio • Brand mapping: Sort-card exercise with radio brands (tailored to each location) to uncover market understanding and perceptions of local stations 2. Radio • Local radio perceptions & preferences, and map exercise to gauge expectations of geographical coverage consumption & • Comparative discussion of local radio and other local media sources perceptions

• Spontaneous exploration of participants' most important types of local radio content • Informing participants about the current situaton surrounding local radio • Discussion focused on three cateogries of local radio content: local news bulletins; local information updates; and locally based presenters 3. Local radio content: News • Self-completion capturing participants' individual & societal views of the relative importance of the three versus content categories, followed by group discussion non-news

• Spontaneous exploration of perceived future habits • Participants informed about potential future issues surrounding local radio • Trade-off exercise: Participants rank future scenarios involving the provision of local content; self- 4. Future local completion followed by group discussion content • Self-completion to gauge any shifts in participants' perceptions of content categories requirements

Figure 3: Overview of research flow2

2 Please see Appendix F for a full version of the workshop groups discussion guide

3 Setting a local context

3.1 Introduction

This chapter explores what ‘local’ meant to participants to provide valuable context for subsequent investigation of local radio and other local media sources. The examination of participants’ perceptions of ‘local’ is principally based on analysis of discussions around their pre-task objects and the maps drawn to illustrate their local areas.

3.2 Summary of key findings

• The majority of participants had a strong sense of pride in their local areas, and brought along items that symbolised personal experiences and associations, and more external representations of the historical and cultural identities of their areas.

• When tasked with drawing maps of their local areas, the majority of participants visualised the geographical areas immediately surrounding their homes. Most participants’ maps included their homes, along with key neighbouring places of interest and amenities e.g. shops, bars, parks, places of worship, and the homes of friends and family members.

• Younger participants, commuters and those driving frequently were more likely to visualise a wider local area, including roads to neighbouring areas and places of interest that were further afield.

3.3 Existing perceptions of ‘local’

3.3.1 Items symbolising local areas

As part of the pre-task, participants were invited to bring along an object or image to the workshops that represented what their local area meant to them and how they felt about living there. The task helped uncover participants’ existing perceptions of their local areas, and provided context for ensuing exploration of the role of local radio and other media sources. For the vast majority of participants, the items conveyed a sense of pride and belonging in their local areas. The diagram below summarises the type of items typically used to symbolise local areas, ranging from those relating to personal experiences to more external symbols, and a mix of items that embodied personal belonging through to a wider sense of civic pride.

Figure 4: Mapping of participants’ items that symbolised local areas

Several participants brought along iconic images of monuments and historical scenes, which emphasised the traditions and origins of their local areas. These images often related to a wider geography and cultural heritage, which went beyond the areas immediately surrounding participants’ homes. In Salisbury, for example, several participants identified Stonehenge as symbolising the area, whereas in Newcastle and Stoke items often highlighted the industrial heritage of the area.

“I brought this because Stonehenge is a beautiful place and we’re really lucky to have heritage in and around Salisbury…our cathedral, Stonehenge, Old Sarum, places where we can go with our children, our dogs. I love the fact I live in Laverstock, the dales are literally just behind me, beautiful nature reserve so that was kind of like the start really so that’s my Salisbury.” (Female, older, Salisbury)

In addition to historical origins, several participants – especially those living in or close to rural areas – brought along items that emphasised pride in the natural beauty of their surrounding areas. For example, participants in Brighton often emphasised the proximity to the South Downs as a defining aspect of an area, which was also valued for lively nightlife and cultural pursuits. In more remote areas, such as those surrounding Inverness, the majority of participants brought along items that highlighted how the outdoors helped define and set their area apart from other regions.

In urban settings, such as Liverpool and Newcastle, several participants chose items relating to sports teams to capture their local areas. Following sports teams balanced a sense of belonging and shared experiences which, in some cases, were also reflected in pride in the achievements of clubs from their area.

“I’ve lived away a few times in the past and this is just something that is recognisable whether you’re in Spain or whether you’re in London. People seem to know the colours of Newcastle. It’s got the Tyne Bridge on which is another iconic symbol of where we live. Yes, I mean football, the passion of the North East and the passion of our fans is probably something that stands out in terms of compared to other regions in the UK.” (Male, younger, Newcastle)

Several participants, across both urban and rural locations, brought along more personal items that emphasised belonging to their local areas. These included membership cards for local clubs and materials relating to community groups, and even photos of cherished pets who were companions in exploring the areas close to their homes. In addition, a few participants pointed to local newspapers as reflecting their local area by providing a means of keeping up to date with news, information and events. Of course, unlike most other local media, newspapers could easily be brought along by participants as a physical object.

The task highlighted how participants understood their local areas both in terms of items relating to their immediate surroundings and personal experiences, and those that embodied the cultural heritage and traditions of wider areas.

3.3.2 Visualising local areas

Following discussion of the items brought along, participants were asked to draw maps of their local areas to further explore their existing perceptions. A definition of ‘local area’ was not imposed on participants, and they were free to visually represent whatever they individually understood this to encompass.

The majority of participants, particularly the older and non-commuters, understood ‘local’ in fairly narrow geographical terms, and drew maps of the area immediately surrounding their homes. Indeed, they frequently placed their homes at the centre of maps, and highlighted important features of their surroundings and daily lives, such as shops, bars, community centres, and places of worship. The areas also typically encompassed where participants commonly socialised, and where friends and family members lived nearby. Participants’ relatively narrow illustrations of their local areas were consistent across urban and rural locales although, by their nature, rural maps were more sparsely populated with fewer amenities and places of interest in the immediate vicinity.

Figure 5: Examples of participants’ maps of their local areas

By contrast, a minority of participants drew more broad-ranging maps, which set their homes in context with neighbouring areas and routes further afield. These participants were most likely to be younger, travelling frequently for work, and, in a few cases, more recent movers to the area. In particular, those who commuted to work were more likely to highlight adjacent roads that they used frequently. In addition, some younger participants, particularly those aged 18 to 24, included town centres and neighbouring areas where they would travel to socialise with friends.

Figure 6: Examples of participants’ maps of their local area

4 The role of radio

4.1 Introduction

This chapter explores the role of radio, with reference to participants’ current habits and preferences. The analysis draws on participants’ observations of their actual listening habits captured in pre-task diaries, and their reflections on having to live without radio for a day. The chapter highlights key aspects of participants’ existing habits before summarising the personal and social needs met by radio.

4.2 Summary of key findings

Ø Radio is synonymous with being an accessible, universally available and dependable medium

• The vast majority of participants recognised the highly accessible nature of radio. Reflecting on listening diaries, they observed the wide variety of devices used to listen to radio.

• Although younger and more tech-engaged participants were more likely to listen via digital or connected devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) analogue radios are still used by the majority at home or in the car.

• Several participants – particularly those in more rural or isolated areas – observed the dependability of radio, which did not rely on mobile or fixed internet connections.

• The accessibility of radio means it was also perceived as a universally available medium, with participants observing use both in an out of home, at various times of day, and covering a variety of active and more passive listening occasions.

Ø Depriving listeners of radio uncovers what they value about the medium including its companion role and effortless consumption of local information

• By living without radio for a day, participants became more aware of the what they valued about the medium, with key benefits including:

o A ‘companion’ role, bringing background noise to otherwise quiet environments;

o Helping lighten moods amidst everyday routines;

o Providing relationships with favourite presenters and personalities; and

o Allowing effortless consumption of local information.

• Overall, participants alluded to a range of benefits of radio, which spanned (often overlapping) personal and social dimensions:

o The personal benefits of radio included: providing structure in daily lives; companionship; entertainment and escapism; lifting moods and helping achieve focus; and educating and aiding understanding.

o The social benefits included: connecting with the outside world; creating an ambience; facilitating learning and social currency; and providing opportunities for individuals and organisations.

4.3 Radio as an accessible and universally available medium

4.3.1 The accessibility of radio

The listening diaries delivered a rich snapshot of participants’ radio habits, and heightened their awareness of current behaviours, preferences and associated needs. Radio emerged as a particularly accessible medium for the vast majority of participants, regardless of their age, location, and level of tech aptitude. Indeed, the listening diaries highlighted that participants were using a range of devices to consume radio content, from traditional analogue radios through to DAB radios and connected devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, and laptops). The younger participants, especially those aged under 35, were most likely to be using mobile connected devices for listening to radio while on the move. While participants’ analogue and digital listening varied in relation to their age and levels of tech engagement, the devices used did not affect their perceptions of the role of radio and the importance of content types.

Several participants in more rural areas emphasised the benefits of the accessibility of radio compared to media that require internet connections. Indeed, they saw radio as a dependable means of receiving news and information in more isolated areas that could be affected by severe weather, and disruption to internet, telephone, and electricity services. In the most rural location covered in this research, Inverness, a few participants mentioned the benefits of the ‘always-available’ nature of local radio (both BBC and commercial) compared with alternative sources of news, information and entertainment that depended on often patchy internet and mobile coverage.

4.3.2 The universal availability of radio

In addition to its accessibility, the omnipresent nature of radio was demonstrated by the wide variety of locations noted in participants’ listening diaries. Radio listening was evident both in and out of home, including both private and more public and shared consumption.

Figure 7: Radio listening locations – in and out of home

The majority of participants were surprised at how much radio they listened to, with the pre-task diaries shedding light on consumption that was often habitual and effortless. In particular, they frequently noted a high volume of passive consumption, with radio often on in the background while they were undertaking other activities. While programmes involving more active listening-choices (e.g. breakfast and drive time shows) were more readily recalled, participants often had periods where their interest was stimulated and attention focused while otherwise listening more passively.

The highest levels of radio consumption were generally observed among the older participants, particularly those aged over 55, and those regularly travelling by car for work and/or over long distances. For the older participants, radio was a very familiar and accessible medium, and it was often on in the background at home or in the car, alongside more active listening to favourite programmes. Indeed, across the research sample, most participants recognised the role of radio in providing companionship and bringing noise to otherwise quiet spaces.

Several participants noted a role for radio at work, in addition to use at home and during the daily commute. The use of radio while working included those listening privately through headphones, and instances where the radio was on in the background in offices and construction sites, etc. Those listening at work appreciated the flexibility of dipping in and out of radio content as their interest was piqued, and the conversations it fuelled with colleagues.

4.3.2 Listening diary excerpts

The following excerpts from the radio listening diaries, drawn from across the age range, help illustrate the role of radio. In the first example, a female ‘empty nester’ from Inverness listens to radio in a range of locations throughout the daytime – including at home, in the car, and at work – with a mix of more active and passive consumption. Her listening focuses on networked and non-networked local stations, which she values for entertainment and companionship, as well as keeping up to date with local news and information.

Figure 8: Diary case study – Female, older, Inverness

In the example below, Guy, a lorry driver from Falkirk, tunes into radio over a 12-hour period, including times where he is paying attention to radio content and others where it plays a background role. A promiscuous listener, he often switches between stations until content (music or speech) grabs his attention. However, given his work as a lorry driver and other time spent in the car, he will often default to local radio for local traffic updates and other information.

Figure 9 Diary case study – Male, older, Falkirk

The final diary excerpt further illustrates the role radio plays across the age spectrum. Kelly, in her twenties, uses local radio for entertainment and to keep abreast of local DJs and the club scene in Brighton. Reflecting the habits of many younger listeners, Kelly uses digital and connected devices to listen to content, both in and out of home. The example also emphasises the social value of radio, with Kelly using it to keep up to date with local events and for listening with friends.

Figure 10: Diary case study – Female, younger, Brighton

4.3.3 Living without radio

The role of radio was further explored in relation to participants’ observations on the experience of living without radio for a day. With radio listening often a habitual activity, participants became more attuned to behaviours and motivations when their existing routines were disrupted by the task.

Several participants, particularly in the older groups, missed the companionship provided by radio. They often habitually switched on the radio when at home or on the move, and missed the background noise even when they mainly listened more passively while undertaking other tasks. Furthermore, across the age range, many participants recognised that radio’s companion role may be even more important for the elderly and those living alone. By living without radio, some participants also became aware of the role it plays in daily rituals and routines. For example, they missed the role of radio in lifting moods in the morning, providing information throughout the day, and helping them relax in the evening.

Figure 11: Deprivation exercise excerpts

The companion role of radio extended to relationships with presenters, with some participants missing the personalities to which they were accustomed to listening. Missing presenters was most keenly felt by participants who principally listened to radio for entertainment, and this again related to the role of radio in helping lift moods.

For many participants, across the age range, the deprivation task highlighted the value of radio, and particularly local radio, in providing regular information updates, such as traffic reports. They observed the easy and effortless nature of information updates on radio, compared with alternative sources. Participants who commuted to work, and particularly those who drove, were most likely to observe the value of radio in delivering regular information updates.

Figure 12: Deprivation exercise excerpts

The deprivation exercise also helped participants identify the strengths of radio when compared to alternatives sources. For example, some participants recognised the value of radio in providing more up-to-the minute local content than more regionally or nationally focused alternatives such as newspapers and TV news bulletins. In relation to music, several participants missed the role of radio in serving them content that they otherwise may not have listened to. Indeed, with alternatives such as CDs and personal digital collections, the listening experience was more predictable and offered less chance of discovering new music or re-discovering old favourites.

However, a few participants – especially the younger and more tech-engaged – drew some positives from living without radio and recognised the variety of alternatives available. Those engaged with streaming music services (e.g. Spotify, SoundCloud) saw them as fulfilling some of the same roles as radio. Similarly, they recognised various online sources as providing alternatives for keeping abreast of news and information. Nevertheless, the online alternatives were generally seen to require more effort than radio to actively seek out content, and were often contingent on internet connections, data allowances, and battery life, etc.

Figure 13: Deprivation exercise excerpts

4.4 The personal and social benefits of radio

Participants discussed a variety of benefits associated with radio, when reflecting on their current habits, listening diaries and experiences of living without radio. The benefits of radio spanned both personal and social dimensions, and are summarised in the diagram below. These ranged from personal benefits such as radio’s role in offering companionship and lightening moods, through to the more social aspects like providing connections with the outside world and creating an ambience when with others.

Figure 14: The personal and social benefits of radio

4.4.1 Personal benefits of radio

The diagram below summarises participants’ personal benefits of listening to radio. The personal benefits of radio alluded to by participants included: providing structure in daily lives; companionship; escapism and entertainment; altering mood and helping achieve focus, and educating and aiding understanding. There was no clear rank order in terms of participants’ perceived importance of the personal benefits observed.

Figure 15: The personal benefits of radio

With regards to providing structure, several participants cited the value of radio in delivering time- checks, with programmes, bulletins and information items helping to signpost key dayparts. As mentioned in the analysis of the deprivation exercise, many participants valued radio for providing companionship. The companion role was particularly important for older participants and those spending time at home alone, but it was also valued by those driving to and from, and for, work.

“Well I live on my own as you already know about now; therefore if I am going to spend a few days not going out or when I haven’t been well I find that it is really necessary to have something on in the background.” (Female, older, Brighton)

“Bit of company in the car. Like I always drive to work alone so just having the radio on kind of makes your journeys go a little bit quicker.” (Female, older, Brighton)

“When it’s dark it makes me feel like there’s someone with me, and then I’m not so scared.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

Several participants described a role for radio in delivering entertainment and escapism, often when they were engaged in routine tasks at home or at work. In particular, they valued radio for providing distractions from more mundane activities such as housework, and enjoyed dipping in and out of content and discovering new and old music favourites. By extension, some participants highlighted the role of radio in lifting moods through entertaining content, and even providing a background for them to focus on specific tasks at work or at home.

“Well I live alone and because I’m so used to having kind of my little set routine, when I turned it off it was like the silence. I just didn’t enjoy it. For me music and the radio keeps us quite upbeat and it can, like you said, you know when a good tune comes on you sing along. It can kind of bring you up. And when it wasn’t there it was like I’d lost something.” (Male, younger, Newcastle)

“I think it depends what you're doing as well. When I go running I like listening to Juice because you know it's all going to be like fast and upbeat. But at home I listen to Heart or Radio City.” (Female, younger, Liverpool)

The final personal benefit of radio emerging from participants’ discussions was its role in educating and providing greater understanding of issues on a local and national level. In particular, they appreciated the relatively effortless experience of keeping abreast of information and issues through radio, compared with other media sources where content had to be more proactively sought out.

“I guess what radio does is that you are getting the information even if you don't realise you are because it's on in the background. So you're listening to it. With [other sources] you actually have to physically go and get the information. So certain groups in society wouldn’t do that. So the radio is maybe influencing more people because the information is going in even if you're not a hundred percent tuned into it. Whereas if you choose not to access these sites then you wouldn’t otherwise get that information.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

4.4.2 Social benefits of radio

Participants also observed several more outwardly focused social benefits of radio. These social benefits are outlined below, and encompass: connecting with the outside world; creating an ambience; facilitating learning and building social currency, and providing opportunities for individuals and organisations (especially on a local level).

Figure 16: The social benefits of radio

There is more of a hierarchy among the social than personal benefits, with radio’s roles in connecting people with the outside world, fuelling learning and providing social currency, and creating ambiences, all more widely cited by participants than its role in creating opportunities. Indeed, the role of radio in opportunity creation was more readily observed on a local level, where a few participants noted that stations provided a platform for promoting local events and businesses, and for jobs opportunities.

Among the more prominent social benefits, several participants valued radio’s role in providing connections with the outside world. In particular, radio allowed them to keep up-to-date with events, news, and information with key windows of consumption including breakfast, lunch and, particularly for commuters, drive time in the afternoon. By helping participants keep abreast of wider events, radio also provided social currency with the information acquired feeding into people’s daily conversations and interactions, and even helping cultivate identities and building self-awareness.

“It gives you that feeling that even though you are not working and you are not meeting people you are still keeping in touch with the community.” (Male, older, Swansea)

Several participants also appreciated radio’s ability to help generate positive atmospheres, whether at home or at work. They described using radio to create a soundtrack to social events, and to provide a backdrop to working situations. The benefit of radio in creating appropriate ambiences also fits with participants’ perceptions of its prominent role in more passive consumption.

5 Perceptions of the local media landscape

5.1 Introduction

This chapter examines participants’ perceptions of the local media landscape and builds on the broader contextual understanding of the role of radio. Firstly, participants’ perceptions of the radio landscape are explored, with reference to the position of local brands within the wider market. Participants’ attitudes towards and understanding of local radio are then investigated, before progressing to comparative consideration of the role of local radio alongside other local media sources.

5.2 Summary of key findings

Ø Listeners can readily differentiate between local radio stations according to music and content or perceived target audience

• The majority of participants generally distinguished the radio stations available in their area by the type of content broadcast and the perceived age of audiences.

• Local commercial stations were most often associated with national and digital-only services that played similar types of music content, with participants frequently distinguishing between those catering to ‘younger’ and ‘older’ tastes.

Ø Participants want local content to cover a broader area than their initial micro definition of local

• The majority of participants expected and wanted local content (esp. news and information) to cover a broader geographical area than the maps drawn earlier to represent ‘local areas’.

• They associated the wider areas as being sufficient to cover a broad enough range of content, including news and information.

• Participants who drove and those living in more rural or isolated areas were most likely to envision wide coverage areas, reflecting the wider geographies they frequently covered.

Ø Listeners are familiar with the concept of networked stations and welcomed the continued provision of local news and travel updates, regardless of where the output originates

• Many participants were familiar with the concept of ‘networked’ stations (i.e. radio stations that are part of a wider network of stations that have the same name and many of the same presenters, but broadcast in different parts of the UK) versus non-networked local commercial stations. • Most perceived non-networked stations local stations as more local than networked brands that mixed local and wider shared programming. • The majority of participants – with the exception of some residing in areas where networked brands had recently started broadcasting – had few reservations regarding network services, noting that they still provided regular local news bulletins and traffic updates at key times.

• Participants were prompted to consider how critical it was that local output was broadcast from the local area including, for example, local news bulletins included in a networked programme. Few expressed any concerns about where the local content was made so long as it was relevant and accurate. Ø Radio is seen to play an important role in meeting local content needs in relation to other media sources especially in its immediacy and effortless consumption • Local radio o The vast majority of participants spontaneously perceived local commercial radio as being an important source of local content. They recognised non-networked local stations and, to a lesser extent, networked services as delivering content on a local level (i.e. where they lived and the surrounding area) rather than a regional or national level. o Most participants associated local radio with effortlessly helping them learn about breaking news and providing regular short updates, rather than delivering a high level of detail. o Although BBC local radio stations were also highly valued by its listeners, they were seen to provide content predominantly focused on a more regional or – in relation to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – more national level. o Most participants observed that truly local stories were only usually covered by BBC services when major events had occurred, in relation to news, or traffic and travel information. • Regional/ local TV o Participants also assigned high importance to regional TV news (i.e. BBC, ITV/ STV/ UTV bulletins) yet they were seen to primarily cover a regional rather than local level. They used regional TV news for a broader overview of news and events in the wider area, with its coverage of their local areas perceived to be mainly reserved for major stories. o Only a minority of participants had used local TV services and, while the concept of locally targeted TV was not dismissed, they had reservations regarding the current quality of coverage provided. • Print sources o The majority of participants reported declining use of paid-for and free local newspapers as sources of local content. They were increasingly using online sources as alternatives to paid newspapers, with free newspapers closing in several areas. Most participants did associate local newspapers with truly ‘local’ coverage, reflecting the geographies associated with individual local radio stations. o While they mainly associated newspapers with more detailed coverage of local news and events, participants describe them as requiring more effort than listening to the radio or watching TV and do not provide as up-to-the-minute coverage as radio. o A minority of participants used local magazines, with free versions often delivered to

their homes and others picked up at local supermarkets. They were more linked to specific communities and interest groups, and were seen to deliver updates on local causes, events and initiatives rather than breaking news stories. • Digital sources o Most participants, and especially the younger and more ‘tech-engaged’, were increasingly using online sources of local content. In many cases, their usage focused on the digital properties of established local broadcast and newspaper brands. They valued these sources for fast up-to-the-minute and detailed coverage of local news and events. Nevertheless, the online sources did require more effort to search for and consume content, than broadcast sources like TV and, in particular, local radio. o A minority of participants used community websites, and these were mainly associated with coverage of their immediate neighbourhoods rather than wider surrounding areas. They were predominantly used by younger and more tech- engaged participants, and offered a means of keeping abreast of news, events and associated discussions centred on their immediate surroundings. o Around half of the participants, especially the younger and more tech-engaged, used social media as a source of local content. Many considered social media to be an ideal platform for learning about breaking local news stories, whether through comments from friends, or by following local media brands. Nonetheless, some participants – particularly the older and those with children – expressed concerns about the tone of discussions that could accompany stories, and the veracity of reports that emanated from individuals rather than trusted news brands.

5.3 Perceptions of the radio market

To establish perceptions of local stations within the broader radio landscape, participants undertook a group card-sort exercise where radio brands available in their area were grouped together based on their similarity to one another. Participants were asked to group together brands they considered similar for reasons of their choosing, rather than having criteria imposed. The brand cards for each session included a variety of national BBC and commercial brands, individual and network local stations and, where relevant to the area, community radio stations.

In the majority of groups brands were grouped together principally in relation to content. For example, in most sessions, participants grouped BBC Radio 5 live and talkSport together because of their common focus on speech content and sports. Similarly, brands such as BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4, and Classic FM were often grouped together due to the perceived ‘highbrow’ nature of their content.

In most sessions, participants grouped local commercial stations alongside national brands in relation to the type of music they played. In particular, stations perceived as predominantly focused on music were often split between those playing more youth-orientated, current content, and those

broadcasting more general music aimed at a slightly older audience. Indeed, participants often mapped local stations in relation to their similarity to BBC Radio 1, which emerged as the benchmark for youth-oriented music. Furthermore, several of the older participants reflected on how they had previously listened to BBC Radio 1 before progressing to other stations (such as BBC Radio 2 and local commercial services) that played less current or chart music.

The older groups, in particular, often included a ‘miscellaneous’ group of brands that they were less familiar with. These brands often included digital-only stations and, where available in the location, community radio stations, which generally had fairly low levels of awareness and usage.

The vast majority of participants identified the non-networked local commercial stations as being ‘most local’, due to the relatively condensed geographical area they covered and the local presenters and content provided. They particularly associated non-networked local stations with providing news and information content tailored to and produced in the areas they covered. Most participants perceived local non-networked stations as broadly covering the areas immediately surrounding the towns or cities in which they were based, rather than delivering more general regional or national coverage. Where locations were covered by networked brands (e.g. Heart, Smooth Radio), regular listeners readily perceived them as being somewhat less local due to the mix of local content and programmes that were broadcast across the network. The majority of participants perceived BBC local radio services (e.g. BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Radio Stoke, etc.) as being less local as they had broader regional coverage. Indeed, in a few groups, participants likened regional BBC stations with BBC Radio 2 due to the similar mixture of music and speech content delivered.

Example images from the group brand mapping tasks are provided below, drawn from a ‘younger’ workshop in Exeter and an ‘older’ session in Falkirk.

Figure 17: Brand mapping example – younger group, Exeter3

Figure 18: Brand mapping example – older group, Falkirk

3 Please see Appendix E for additional images from the brand mapping exercise

5.4 Understanding of and attitudes towards local radio

5.4.1 Geographical expectations of local radio

To further explore participants’ perceptions and expectations of local radio, they were provided with maps of their broad geographical locales and asked to circle the area that news and information on local stations should cover. While participants were asked to identify the area that news and information content on local stations should ideally cover, their responses were influenced in part by the areas they perceived as currently being covered by their local radio services.

Nearly all of the participants circled a significantly wider geographical area than the one covered by the maps drawn of their personal ‘local areas’ earlier in the research workshops. They envisioned the wider areas as covering a sufficient range of news and information content to be of interest to listeners. Several participants circled areas that extended to the geographical borders of neighbouring larger towns and cities that were expected to have their own local radio stations. The areas covered by the maps did not vary significantly in relation to participants’ demographics, but there were differences between drivers and non-drivers and those living in urban and rural areas.

Participants commuting to work by car, or driving as part of their job, were more likely to draw a broader coverage area. They often valued information updates, such as traffic and weather reports, and the broader areas reflected the geographies covered by their daily commutes and work. The example below, from Exeter, shows the differences in coverage areas drawn by two participants of similar ages, with the broader area circled by the participant driving more widely for work.

Figure 19: Coverage area task examples from Exeter, with the broader area circled in the second image by a participant travelling more widely by car for work

The example below, drawn from the workshops in Inverness, highlights the generally broader news and information areas sought in more rural and isolated areas. Indeed, several participants in Inverness were keen for local content to cover the whole of the Northern Highlands and Islands, broadly stretching halfway to Aberdeen in the east. In this respect, they mirrored other locations, where nearby larger towns and cities marked natural boundary points in their news and information coverage areas. While several participants sketched a wide geographical area encompassing the whole of the Northern Highlands, they did not express dissatisfaction with the area currently covered by local radio news and information. In addition, while the areas identified by participants in areas such as Inverness were generally broader, they were significantly less densely populated than more urban and suburban locales elsewhere.

Figure 20: Coverage area task – Inverness example

5.4.2 Perceptions of non-networked and networked local commercial stations

The majority of participants were able to draw distinctions between non-networked local commercial stations and those that were part of a wider network (e.g. local/ regional variants of Heart, Smooth Radio, Capital, etc.). As one would expect, the differences between non-networked and networked stations were most apparent to participants residing in locations covered by both individual and network brands. In addition, even in locales not covered by networked brands, participants who drove more widely had often came into contact with such services, and were able to distinguish them from individual local stations.

Most participants associated local radio in its purest sense with non-networked local commercial stations. They characterised such stations as offering content produced in the area and, in the majority of cases, featuring locally based presenters often originating from the area. Indeed, while a local presenter was not seen as essential, several participants valued having presenters who understood the local cultural and geographical nuances, and even the particular sense of humour of the area. Across the locations covered, several participants also observed that presenters’ correct pronunciation of local place names helped add credibility to local services.

“They know the area and they know what they are talking about, the districts and that is important.” (Male, older, Bristol)

“I personally think that a local person in the local area can bring a little more life to it if they know where exactly things are and where they are taking place.” (Female, older, Brighton)

“Well Radio Newcastle is very good. You think they’re part of the family compared to television you know it seems to be too far away really.” (Male, older, Newcastle)

“My in-laws live miles away in West Sussex and I know when I get back towards Bristol I tune in then to local stations. Sometimes I go, oh I can’t get Kiss, I can’t get Heart or whatever and then you realise when you are getting closer to home because you can then pick up those stations. It is like, oh I am not getting Kiss, you know, and my kids are going, where is Kiss dad?” (Male, older, Bristol)

With participants’ expectations of local radio largely grounded in experiences of individual commercial stations, networked services were perceived by the majority as somewhat less local. Several participants, and particularly regular listeners to networked brands, observed that such stations only had locally based programmes at certain times of day. In addition, they generally perceived networked services as more regional than local, with their premises often based in the county if not always the nearest major town or city.

However, for most, this was offset by the welcome provision of local news bulletins and information updates throughout the day. Participants were prompted to consider how critical it was that local output was broadcast from the local area including, for example, local news bulletins included in a networked programme. Few expressed any concerns about where the local content was made so long as it was relevant and accurate. Several participants – particularly motorists – engaged most with local radio at dayparts when networked services were often more likely to have locally based programmes (e.g. breakfast and drive time).

“You don’t seem to get that localised atmosphere with Heart radio, but Heart is a national one anyway, isn’t it?” (Male, older, Exeter)

“You can get Heart in Yorkshire, you can get Heart in London but it’s a different programme I think, there are some programmes within it which are national programmes which are played around the whole country at the same time, but within that I believe there are regional programmes.” (Male, older, Newcastle)

For a few participants, there were slightly more negative perceptions of networked services in areas where they had recently replaced individual commercial services (e.g. where Heart network services had replaced Radio Broadland in Norwich and Real Radio in Falkirk). Indeed, where participants had a long-standing relationship with an individual local brand (including its presenters and tone), they were most likely to identify relative shortcomings of the network service succeeding it.

“When it was Radio Broadlands, I think it was really important for the community…you would go to watch the Christmas lights being turned on and Rob and Chrissie would be there…that was proper local radio…it was swallowed up by Heart…but now that is a regional thing, there isn’t that sense so much of local radio anymore.” (Female, older, Norwich)

5.5 The role of local radio compared to other media sources

Participants discussed the relative strengths and weaknesses of a variety of broadcast, print and digital sources in delivering local content.4 This comparative process helped uncover the specific role played by local radio in context with the other local content sources available. The discussions uncovered participants’ associations between various media sources and broad geographical areas, ranging from a hyperlocal community level through to national coverage. The diagram below summarises the perceived positioning of prominent broadcast and print sources across this spectrum, with their equivalent websites and social media not as bound by geography.

Figure 21: Media sources by geographical classification

For reporting purposes, participants’ perceptions of the various media sources will be split into three broad categories: broadcast sources; print sources; and digital sources.

4 In addition to group discussion, individual self-completion questionnaires were used to capture participants’ existing usage of and attitudes towards various local media sources. The questionnaires helped crystallise participants’ individual views before progressing to group discussion around the comparative roles – and the perceived strengths and weaknesses – of various local media sources. Appendix A provides a summary of the individual self-completion findings.

5.5.1 Broadcast sources of local content

Ø Radio seen to deliver effortless consumption of truly local content

The vast majority of participants valued the role of local radio in providing for local needs. Non- networked local radio stations and, to a slightly lesser extent, networked commercial stations, stood apart from several other media sources by principally focusing on local, rather than regional or national coverage. Most participants appreciated the effortless nature of local radio, with content served to listeners rather than them having to actively seek out local entertainment, news and information content. They also considered local radio to be an ideal platform for learning about breaking news, information and events in their area, and for receiving regular updates throughout the day. In addition, participants from across the age range placed value in the news and information updates provided by local radio, with short ‘bite-size’ items not requiring a particularly strong level of existing engagement with news content. Where participants’ interest had been piqued by a specific item, they would often use other media sources for more detailed immersion.

“I think that's the difference between radio and other channels as radio is quite passive. You can put it on and you come back into the room and it's still on. And you might be sitting there and you might accidentally learn all the news for the day. With other channels it's active, you pick up a newspaper or like you scroll through the Echo website or something and you pick what stories that you want to read. But with the radio you just get told things. So whether it's interesting to you or not, like it's good and it's bad because obviously some stuff you might find boring. But there'd be stuff that you never would have thought to look up that people will tell you on the radio.” (Female, younger, Liverpool)

“Local radio can give you the seed…I usually hear it on the radio first and then look on the BBC website or something.” (Female, older, Falkirk)

“Local radio will give you that little snippet even before the internet. It’ll give you that snippet then you would go out and search the actual story either on TV or get The Chronicle that night, whereas now you obviously jump onto social media.” (Male, younger, Newcastle)

Some participants also advocated the role of local radio in delivering content from local presenters based in the area. They recognised a greater emotional connection and understanding of local issues stemming from the station being anchored in and being of the local area. Nevertheless, when considering the role of presenters, the vast majority of participants considered it more important that they were talented, entertaining and well informed, rather than simply being from and/ or based in the local area. A few participants even expressed frustrations with some local presenters, who were seen as pandering to local stereotypes and, in some cases, of lower quality than national broadcasters.

“It feels more intimate, it feels like they really know and understand what’s going on, I guess you know when you get kind of the local news on the TV they give much more of a broad feel to what’s going on whereas your local radio, it is just a little bit more intimate I would say, you know more specific you know they might talk about a cow that’s left a field in Laverstock and causing traffic chaos and you know we know what that means, they get it, they understand particularly with their, I know I keep going on about traffic reports, you know they will say because they’ll hook into the CCTV you know there’s queuing traffic on a specific road and there is queuing traffic on that specific road and that’s really important.” (Female, older, Salisbury)

“It's not just about music and news; it's also about developing a relationship.” (Female, older, Liverpool)

“This sounds awful but I just think BBC sounds more professional you know, you don’t get the very broad accents.” (Female, older, Newcastle)

As mentioned in the previous chapter, participants valued the accessible and ubiquitous nature of radio, and this was reflected in the ease with which local radio could serve local needs throughout the day, both in and out of home. Indeed, for most participants, local radio emerged as the primary source for news and information around specifically local issues, such as school closures, traffic problems, and extreme weather. Several of them – and particularly those living in more rural and isolated areas – valued the reliability and dependability of local radio in contrast with other sources that required mobile or fixed internet connections, etc. Some participants in more rural areas also observed the more reliable nature of local commercial radio (and BBC regional radio stations) coverage, when compared with national services.

“In the winter for school closures as well. I used to live in Aviemore, first thing you did every morning when it was snowing was put the radio on.” (Female, younger, Inverness)

“The problem with the whole internet thing in Devon is a lot of places you don't get signal. Like in some parts - so my village you cannot get signal and it's not even the middle of nowhere, so God knows for the people that live in the middle of the moors how they are going to get any signal and stuff like. Like there are people who can't even get Wi-Fi in their house so it will be a bit of a nightmare for them.” (Female, younger, Exeter)

“Because I live in the country the [3G] connection’s not there.” (Female, younger, Newcastle)

“If you are ten miles to the nearest town maybe you are not getting the newspaper whereas the radio station you know that in half an hour’s time there is going to be a news bulletin or there is going to be something on…I know for a fact that they don’t have the same internet quality and the same phone signal. So you might have to wait for the radio station.” (Male, younger, Derry-Londonderry)

While BBC local radio stations were used by many participants, they were widely recognised to cover a broader area than non-networked commercial stations. As a result, while participants recognised a role in providing regional news and information updates, these were not seen as locally focused as those on non-networked local stations. It should be noted, however, that the majority of participants did not expect BBC radio services to deliver such targeted coverage of their local area, given that the stations were seen to serve broader geographies. Some participants observed that only more major news and traffic information regarding their local area would be covered on BBC regional services.

Participants’ perceptions of the role of local radio in providing for local needs were generally consistent across the nations and regions covered in the study. Indeed, participants in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were just as likely to perceive individual local stations as providing more locally focused content than their dedicated BBC radio services. Again, participants in the nations did not see this as a shortcoming of the national BBC services, which were expected to provide content of interest to people across a much wider geographical area.

Ø TV valued for providing effortless consumption of more regional than local content

The majority of participants placed high levels of importance in regional TV news services on BBC and ITV, and this was reflected in their high levels of satisfaction. Similarly to radio, they perceived regional TV as offering a relatively easy way of keeping up to date, with content served to them. However, the vast majority of participants recognised that regional TV services spanned a greater geographical area than their local radio stations. As a result, their local areas were sometimes only included as a result of a serious incident or major news item.

“But that would go back to the argument of what we’re classing as local these days, I know BBC North East news is from York, the Borders and across to Cumbria. It’s like three different nations.” (Male, older, Newcastle)

In addition, while regional news offered participants greater depth of coverage, it is not seen to offer the same level of accessibility or mobility as local radio. Indeed, many participants valued local radio’s ability to keep them up to date out of home, and TV services did not match this flexibility. Some participants also noted that where local radio delivered regular local news and information updates, regional TV services were more associated with lunchtime, early and late evening roundups.

“Can I just say that if it is [regional] TV you will only get the news at maybe six o’clock or one o’clock or something like that? Whereas with the radio you will get it highlighted in the headlines every half hour and a full news bulletin every hour. So you are going to get the news quicker on the radio.” (Male, younger, Derry-Londonderry)

Perceptions of regional TV news were consistent across the locations covered in the study. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it was also understood that regional TV services would cover a broader and, often, ‘national’ rather than local level. As a result, in the nations, participants associated regional BBC and ITV services as delivering more ‘national’ news, rather than having a specifically ‘local’ focus.

Ø Limited viewing of local TV with reservations regarding content quality

The research covered several areas with local TV services: Brighton, Bristol, Falkirk, Liverpool, Newcastle, Norwich, and Swansea. Across these locations, only a very small minority of participants watched local TV services regularly, although most had tuned in at least briefly in the past. At this stage, participants did not consider local TV services to be a particularly important source of local content, and this reflected their low levels of usage. Most participants expressed misgivings regarding the current quality and production values of local TV services, rather than the general concept of more locally targeted TV.

5.5.2 Print sources of local content

Ø Newspapers perceived as providing detailed rather than up-to-the-minute local news and information

The majority of participants described use of paid and free local and regional newspapers that had declined in recent years. Readership was highest among the older groups, yet a few participants in the younger groups were also occasionally reading local newspapers (often when they had picked up someone else’s copy). Reflecting the role played by local radio, local newspapers were seen to cover a geographical area mirroring participants’ broad perceptions of ‘local’. Several regular readers also appreciated the way in which local newspapers broke content down into summaries of local towns and villages.

“I’m not going to stereotype everybody but people of an older generation probably wouldn’t use social media, but would very much use local free newspapers you know.” (Male, older, Newcastle)

Most participants perceived newspapers as requiring more effort than local radio, especially as in most cases they had to actively go out and purchase them. Indeed, across several of the research locations, there had been closures of free newspapers which, in many cases, were seen as dominated by advertising rather than particularly detailed local news and information content. Several participants, across the age range, occasionally used local newspaper websites or followed brands on social media. They considered the online versions as being generally more up to date than print copies, which typically provided more of a roundup of news from the last week. Indeed, rather than being a source of breaking news, most participants associated newspapers with delivering detailed accounts of local news stories, listings of local events, and local gossip.

“It’s because it’s online and stuff like that. I think probably every house in Liverpool used to have an Echo in the house. And now, no one has got the Echo, no one buys it because they’re online.” (Male, younger, Liverpool)

“I like newspapers but…it’s kind of yesterday’s news. It’s not current, it’s not in the moment and it’s not really helpful for the likes of you who are travelling.” (Female, older, Liverpool)

“I don’t have a morning paper delivered in our area; I can’t get the morning paper only the Evening Post and obviously I try and go out for the paper. But sometimes I don’t so I need the radio to know the news, to know what’s going on.” (Female, older, Swansea)

Ø Local magazines associated with more niche audiences and content

There were generally lower levels of usage of local magazines (and newsletters) than newspapers, and this was reflected in lower levels of perceived importance. For most participants who read local magazines, they had often been delivered free to their homes or picked up from local supermarkets, etc. Participants described local magazines as often providing relatively niche content, targeted at specific groups and/ or on more of a community or hyperlocal level. In addition, they mainly used local magazines as a source of summaries or updates of recent community events and initiatives, rather than relying on them to learn of forthcoming events or ‘breaking’ stories.

5.5.3 Digital sources of local content

Ø Local news websites and apps valued for providing up-to-the-minute local content coverage

Most participants, and especially the younger and more tech engaged, were using online sources of local content. In the majority of cases, the online sources used were digital properties (e.g. websites and apps) of established local broadcast and newspaper brands. Participants accessed the information through websites, apps, and also via social media – whether following brands or by clicking on links shared by friends.

Participants appreciated the up to date and even instant nature of online sources, especially when compared to print versions and scheduled TV news bulletins. In addition, some online sources, such as newspaper and broadcaster websites, were recognised as delivering detailed coverage of stories and frequently updated information items. These sources were cited by several participants as ideal for following-up on items that had captured their interest when heard on the radio, noticed on social media, or been mentioned by a friend, colleague or family member. However, unlike local radio and, to a lesser extent, broadcast TV, online sources required participants to more actively seek out content items, rather than having content served to them. The perceived effort involved was most keenly felt by participants who listened to radio while doing other activities such as driving or working, which precluded them from using other devices and more actively sourcing content.

Ø Community websites mainly associated with serving the needs of neighbourhoods rather than wider local areas

Community websites were used by a minority of participants who, reflecting usage profiles of all online sources, were most likely to be younger and more tech engaged. Participants who used community websites more readily associated them with micro coverage of their local areas, rather than delivering broader regional content. In more rural areas, this typically involved coverage of a particular town or village, whereas in urban settings it often covered a city, town or borough, rather than a whole county. Most community website users valued them as a source of news and

discussion around neighbourhood events and issues, rather than seeing them as a source of professionally produced news content. Indeed, participants generally linked community websites with a more interactive and involved form of engagement, compared with broadcast sources that delivered content to them and afforded more passive consumption.

Ø Social media fuels local content discovery and interaction, but some have concerns regarding the accuracy of content and the tone of discussions

Reflecting the role of local radio, several participants reported learning about local news, information and events through comments and links posted on social media. Some participants actively followed local brands and services, while others discovered local content through links posted by friends and contacts.

Most participants saw social media as requiring a little more effort, and tech aptitude, than simply tuning into local radio. In addition, several questioned the veracity of local content when it was posted by other social media users, rather than established and trusted brands (such as local radio, TV, and newspaper brands). Some participants – particularly the older and those with children – also expressed concerns at the often aggressive and personal nature of the discussions that and accompany stories posted on social media. Nonetheless, the more active users of social media valued such services for providing forums for learning about, discussing and debating local issues.

“I’m a Facebook girl, and things happen on my Facebook before it gets on the radio or in the local Evening Post. And I think, ‘that was three days ago when I heard about that’.” (Female, older, Bristol)

“It’s good to go onto the social networks to see everyone’s kind of perception of it. Because obviously you hear about it on the radio and then you go onto social media and you can see what the locals think about it. And you get one or two people on the radio giving their perspective, but you get a lot broader on the internet places.” (Male, younger, Exeter)

5.5.4 Summarising the role of local radio versus other media sources

The diagram below summarises participants’ perceptions of local content sources, by mapping them across dimensions covering the level of effort required and the level of detail provided. Participants identified clear benefits of local radio, which grants it a relatively unique position within the local media landscape. The benefits of local radio noted by participants included: the effortless way in which local content was provided (fuelling passive consumption alongside other activities); a role in breaking news and information, and discovery of local events; and bite-size and regularly updated news and information providing a foundation for following up via other sources.

Figure 22: Mapping sources of local content – perceived effort and detail

6 Local radio content

6.1 Introduction

This chapter explores participants’ usage of, attitudes towards, and preferences relating to the various types of content provided by local commercial radio stations. In the research sessions, this built on examination of participants’ existing habits, their understanding of the wider role of radio, and the position of local radio within the broader local media landscape. Firstly, the chapter examines participants’ spontaneous mentions of the types of local radio content that they considered to be important, and their individual self-completion responses. This is followed by detailed investigation of key aspects of local radio content including: local news bulletins, local information updates, locally based presenters, and music.

6.2 Summary of key findings

Ø Although music is the key driver for listening, participants also spontaneously highlighted local news and traffic updates as important content for them on local radio

• With regards to entertainment needs, the vast majority of participants considered music to be highly important. In particular, they sought a variety of music that matched their tastes. The vast majority of participants mainly listened to local radio for the music played. They identified local radio as an effortless way to discover new music, and to rediscover old favourites.

• Most participants also thought that presenters were important, but this related to their perceived quality and entertainment value more than whether they were from or based in the local area.

• A majority of participants also assigned high value to informative content, such as local news, traffic and travel, and weather reports. They valued local radio as a source of truly local content, with news and information updates central to defining stations as local and setting them apart from more regional and national radio services.

• Most participants assigned slightly lower importance to content that allowed them to engage with presenters and others in their area, such as quizzes, competitions and phone-ins. These were most likely to be mentioned by participants who mainly used local radio to meet entertainment rather than information needs.

Ø Local news bulletins and local information updates are widely perceived as more important than locally based presenters

• Participants were prompted to weigh-up the relative importance of specific local radio content – local news bulletins, local information updates and locally based presenters – and, ultimately, compelled to make decisions regarding future provision.

• While all three categories were deemed to be important when prompted, local news bulletins and local information updates were considered to be more important than locally based

presenters.

• Local news bulletins narrowly emerged as participants’ most important type of local content. For the majority of participants, the provision of regular locally focused news bulletins helped set local stations apart from more regional and national services. They valued being able to learn about breaking news on local radio, and to be kept up to date throughout the day. The importance of local news was ranked even higher when considered from a societal perspective.

• were valued by the vast majority of participants, and achieved similar importance ratings to news content. Participants who travelled regularly by car and those living in more rural or isolated areas placed highest importance on local information updates.

• presenters were also seen as important by most participants, yet were seen as less important than the integral elements of local news and local information updates. Most participants thought that it was more important that presenters were entertaining and/or well- informed rather than simply being based in the local area.

• Participants’ perceptions of the role of local radio and the importance of different content types were consistent across the nations and regions covered in the research. In relation to sub-group differences, usage of and attitudes towards local radio were most likely to vary by those who regularly travel by car compared to those who don’t and rural versus urban/suburban perspectives, rather than regional or national identities.

Ø Participants expect local stations to offer a range of music genres that appeal broadly to both younger and older listeners with national or digital sources used for more niche interests

• The research also explored perceptions of the types of music played on local commercial radio. There was very low awareness of licence requirements for different local radio stations to play different types of music from each other (particularly in locales with only one or two local radio services).

• While most participants recognised value in a variety of music genres being available to listeners, they expected local services to provide content that reflected general tastes in the local area. They principally associated this with a mix of ‘younger’ and ‘older’ popular music, rather than coverage of more niche genres. Indeed, participants mainly used national, digital and streaming services where they had more niche music interests.

• Several participants, and particularly the younger and more tech engaged, used streaming music services. They valued streaming services for the wide choice and personalisation offered, yet identified shortcomings such as subscription fees, and issues around device battery life and internet coverage when using services out of home.

6.3 Spontaneous importance of local radio content types

Having uncovered participants’ perceptions of the role of radio and, specifically, local radio in context with other sources, they were invited to identify their most important aspects of local radio content. This process allowed the research to capture a spontaneous view of the relative importance of various types of content before focusing on more prompted investigation of key aspects of local content, in line with the project objectives.

The diagram below broadly summarises participants’ spontaneous mentions of the types of content that should be on local radio, from the least to most important. The types of content are also split into three general categories – ‘entertainment’, ‘information’, and ‘participation’ – relating to participants’ associated needs.

Figure 23: Importance of types of content on local radio – spontaneous responses

The following section explores – broadly in descending order of importance – participants’ initial reasons for identifying each content type.

Across the age range and locations, the vast majority of participants identified music as a key content area for local (and particularly local commercial) radio. With most participants primarily, if not exclusively, tuning in for entertainment purposes, music was the key driver for listening.

“I realised that I mainly tune into the music, I realised how much I use that as a kind of mood enhancer to get me up I suppose. I like the music.” (Female, older, Norwich)

The majority of participants also assigned high importance to content that met information needs, such as local news, traffic, travel and weather updates. They recognised the ease of consuming information via local radio, and the local nature of these types of content helped define stations as ‘local’.

“You want to rush out in the morning, get in your car, you haven’t time to stop and go through your phone that much. So you just turn the radio on, it’s there right away for you. It’s instant. You don’t have to go looking for it. It’s going to give you the information that you need.” (Male, younger, Liverpool)

Man participants placed high importance in local radio having engaging and well-informed presenters. While their listening decisions were predominantly guided by music preferences, talented and likeable presenters also boosted the entertainment value, while others could prompt them to retune to a different station.

“The presenter can make the show or not…phone-ins and that they are talking to people and they can bring them out, like Gerry Anderson, you know, is interesting in the mornings and the guy is on a phone-in, you know, Ken Bruce, they will entertain you and you want to keep on listening to the station.” (Male, older, Derry-Londonderry)

“It’s nice to have a broadcaster that kind of knows where you are and is familiar with your area, but the news is more important to me.” (Female, younger, Exeter)

“The presenters could be local but if they are really irritating and they don’t present it properly I would just turn it off, they would drive me mad.” (Female, younger, Brighton)

Events information and sport were seen as somewhat less important by most participants. As one would expect, those with existing interests in participating in local events and following local sports were most likely to place high value in such content. In relation to local events, several participants noted that listings were also available online and via print sources. Male participants were generally more likely to express an interest in sports content, including local sports news updates and, to a lesser extent, match and event commentaries. While frequent updates on local sports clubs and events were less prevalent elsewhere, those following more national competitions generally used a variety of other sources.

“The good thing about the radio especially seeing as we are talking about local radio is if you are putting an event on they will advertise it on local radio. Some people will phone it in to say that there is a charity or whatever. They will advertise Bristol Balloon Fiesta and they advertise what is going on, and summer school fetes.” (Male, older, Bristol)

“What I did write about Radio Exe was the fact that they dealt with very local stuff; not in terms of the news but what’s happening, like St. David’s got a church fete on Saturday or something like that.” (Female, older, Exeter)

Several participants, and particularly those listening mainly for entertainment purposes, placed fairly high importance in content that facilitated participation for listeners within the local area. For example, they enjoyed phone-ins and quizzes, which were particularly entertaining when they knew those participating. Furthermore, several participants valued the competitions on local radio, with the chances of winning perceived as higher than national stations due to lower audiences.

“I think they need something other than just like music. I think they need to have interaction with the public rather than just them talk at you all the time. So call-ins and stuff and games and stuff.” (Female, younger, Exeter)

“Even like the phone-ins there’s like Scousers on it all the time, and you can relate to some things that they’re talking about, clubs that they used to go to and you used to go there yourself, so you can relate more to it.” (Female, younger, Liverpool)

“Yes I listen to all sorts of different things. And going back to the local stations when they're doing like the quizzes and stuff like that I try to listen to them at those times. So I swap all over the place. But nothing will massively keep me on one station unless I need the traffic or I am interested in local news.” (Male, younger, Salisbury)

For the majority of participants, advertising was perceived to be of less importance to them personally. However, on a broader local community level, some participants appreciated the opportunities advertising provided to local business, and the key role it played in raising revenues for local stations. A few participants mentioned that local commercial radio advertising could be irritating, especially when they wanted to hear music or where advertising jingles were particularly catchy or repeated heavily.

“As soon as the advert comes on I will punch the thing and move on. So I can’t stand adverts.” (Male, older, Norwich)

6.4 Relative importance of locally made content: Individual responses

Having explored participants’ spontaneous mentions in group discussions of important types of local radio content, the focus now turns to their individual self-completion responses. The particular aspects of local radio content explored in the self-completions were:

• Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly); • Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports); and • A presenter broadcasting from the local area (e.g. what events are happening in the area, local phone-ins and competitions)

Identical questionnaires were served to participants at the beginning and end of the workshops, to capture a spontaneous view of the importance of local content types at the outset and considered responses at the end of the sessions. Participants were also prompted to weigh-up the relative

importance of local content categories in relation to each other and, ultimately, ‘forced’ to make decisions regarding future provision.

6.4.1 Personal and societal perspectives: Pre- and post-discussion responses

This section explores participants’ individual importance ratings for each of the content categories, drawing on questionnaires completed at the outset of the workshops (‘pre-discussion’) and at the end of the sessions (‘post-discussion’). In each questionnaire, participants were asked to rate the importance of the content categories to them personally, and to society as a whole. The content categories evaluated included local news bulletins, local information updates, locally based presenters, and also specific requirements for local stations to play different types of music from each other.

Ø Personal importance of content categories

The chart below summarises participants’ personal importance ratings for each content category, comparing pre- and post-discussion responses.

Figure 24: Pre- and post-discussion personal importance of content types

At the outset of the workshops (‘pre-discussion’), the four aspects of local radio content were considered to be personally important to a majority of participants. They assigned particularly high levels of importance to local news and information updates, with 9 in 10 considering them to be important. There were slightly lower importance scores for locally based presenters and ‘different music’, with around three quarters of participants perceiving them to be important.

With the exception of locally based presenters, all of the content categories achieved slightly higher personal importance scores at the conclusion of the research workshops following discussion and deliberation. Local news and information updates continued to be perceived as most important, with ‘different music’ emerging as slightly more important than locally based presenters following the workshops.

Ø Societal importance of content categories

The chart below summarises participants’ societal importance ratings for each content category – again comparing pre- and post-discussion responses.

Figure 25: Pre- and post-discussion societal importance of content types

With the exception of ‘different music’, participants initially (‘pre-discussion’) gave slightly higher importance ratings to the content types when considered from a broader societal rather than personal standpoint. Mirroring the personal importance ratings, participants also perceived local news and information updates to be most important from a societal perspective. Locally based presenters achieved the biggest difference between the personal and societal importance ratings assigned before the workshops (74% personal importance versus 81% societal importance). Indeed, while some participants did not consider locally based presenters to be important to them personally, they did appreciate that they may be more important to others living in their area.

The societal importance scores for local news and information updates actually show slight increases from the already very high importance levels assigned at the outset. However, the societal importance rating of locally based presenters drops from 81% to 71% between the start and the end of the workshops, with the importance of ‘different music’ remaining constant.

6.4.2 Prompted personal and societal importance allocations

Participants were also tasked with allocating ten points across the content categories (local news bulletins; local information updates; and locally based presenters) in terms of their relative importance. Participants were asked to undertake the allocation from a personal and then societal standpoint, with the average importance allocations for each of the three content categories summarised in the chart below.

Figure 26: Mean importance scores (0-10) from points allocation task

In general, participants’ allocations reflected their importance ratings for the content categories in the self-completion questionnaires served at the beginning and end of the workshops. Most participants considered each of the three content categories to be important, with most placing slightly higher value in the defining aspects of local news bulletins and local information updates, than locally based presenters. However, while locally based presenters were widely considered to be more readily dispensable than local news and information updates, most participants were relatively loss averse and spread their points fairly evenly across the three content areas.

Overall, the average importance scores were relatively consistent between the personal and societal perspectives. Indeed, participants’ perceived importance of news bulletins was reinforced from a societal perspective, closely followed by information updates, with locally based presenters of lower importance.

However, several participants did adjust their importance allocations when adopting more citizen perspectives when evaluating the content categories from a societal standpoint. For example, several of those who personally assigned little importance to locally based presenters, rated the category higher from a societal viewpoint. They recognised that while locally based presenters were not essential to them personally, they may be more important to those listening mainly for entertainment and for older listeners valuing the companionship and familiarity offered by a local presenter. Similarly, those not travelling regularly by car appreciated that others may place greater value in local information such as traffic updates, and accordingly allocated more importance to local information updates when rated from a societal standpoint. At an overall level, the shifts in importance allocations broadly offset each other and resulted in similar personal and societal average importance ratings.

6.4.3 Forced future trade-offs of content types

Finally, participants were required to evaluate the relative importance of the three local content categories within the context of technological change and business pressures facing local commercial radio stations. The changes included the rise of connected devices, and digital and streaming services, with resulting business pressures for local stations relating to greater competition for advertising revenue. Within this context, participants were asked to assume the role of decision- makers at local radio stations, and were presented with a choice between three future scenarios:

1. Local news bulletins and local information updates throughout the day, but no locally based presenters 2. Locally based presenter at a certain time of day, but no local news bulletins or local information updates outside of these times 3. Locally based presenters, but no local news bulletins or local information updates

(Please note that the scenarios have been numbered here for reporting purposes, but they were not numbered in the research workshops, with the order in which they were presented to participants rotated across the sessions.) Participants were tasked with ranking the scenarios from 1 to 3, where 1 was the future course they ‘most preferred’ and 3 the one they ‘least preferred’. The results of participants’ future trade-offs are summarised in the chart below, with a clear preference for the first scenario.

Figure 27: Participants’ future scenario trade-offs

The introduction of the broader context of pressures facing local commercial stations, helped further delineate participants’ relative levels of importance placed in the three content categories. Indeed, three quarters of participants chose the first scenario whereby local news and information updates would be provided throughout the day. With the overwhelming majority of participants favouring the

first scenario, this adds further weight to the emerging view of local news and information being integral to local commercial stations, with locally based presenters being ‘nice to have’ but, ultimately, somewhat more dispensable.

Reflecting scenario one’s status as clear first choice, the second scenario captured the clear majority of second preferences. The second scenario appealed to the more loss-averse participants by retaining some level of each of the three types of content. In addition, by retaining local news and information updates at a certain time of day, it was a clear second choice for the majority of participants who primarily valued these content areas. While most participants preferred to have local news and information throughout the day (reflecting their current usage habits and expectations), under scenario two they would prefer news and information at key dayparts such as breakfast or drive time.

Scenario three was the least preferred option for the vast majority of participants, given that it dispenses completely with the defining content categories of local news and information. The minority who did prefer the scenario focused on retaining locally based presenters were more likely to be listening predominantly for entertainment needs, and to be non-drivers and not traveling for work. While the scenario garnered a very small share of first and second preferences, several participants did appreciate the value of locally based presenters from a societal perspective, particularly for older and more isolated listeners who relied on radio for companionship.

“I do quite like having a local presenter but it’s not essential. It’s quite nice to have it but I think local news and information updates is a bit more important.” (Male, younger, Inverness)

“Well because the local news and the local information updates throughout the day is important but I am not bothered where the DJ or the presenter is broadcasting from. The second one, yeah, if I can’t have number one well at least let’s have it at certain times of the day which you know you can tune in to…And the third one, well, I mean if that did happen they wouldn’t have me as a listener.” (Male, older, Brighton)

“Uhm, personally what's most important for me with local radio is having local information. So that's local travel, local events, what's on, the local weather so to me having something that's based in the community is very important. However, if it was a choice between having a presenter that isn't based locally or having that local information, the local information would definitely be a priority.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

With the individual self-completion results indicating the overall importance of the local content categories, participants’ perceptions of each will now be explored in more detail.

6.5 Local news bulletins

As shown in the self-completion responses, local news bulletins very marginally emerged as participants’ most important type of local content. Indeed, while music was a key driver in listening decisions, the majority of participants highlighted the provision of local news bulletins as being integral to ‘local’ radio. They recognised the delivery of truly local news updates as distinguishing local services from national alternatives with otherwise similar entertainment content focuses.

“Well I think ‘local news bulletins’ and ‘information updates’ they share the same importance. That is the sole purpose that you would probably listen to a radio apart from the music which is completely separate because you are listening to a tune that is broadcast a million times across every radio station. But local is what; local traffic for example and local news is what you would listen to. The only reason I would say you would listen to local radio.” (Older, Male, Brighton)

“On the national [radio] obviously you have everything that’s covered, national and world-wide. Whereas local you hear about Bob the farmer down the way and his sheep or what’s happening at Durham River, you know what I mean.” (Male, younger, Newcastle)

Most participants particularly appreciated the short news bulletins that were served on local radio, which helped them keep abreast of local and national news throughout the day. Indeed, rather than having to actively seek out news updates, local radio provided short updates that could be consumed while undertaking other activities. As a result, local news bulletins were particularly valued by those listening to radio while engaged in other tasks, such as driving, commuting, and working.

“I can't really go on my phone when I'm stuck in traffic either, so I can't like sit and look at the news on my phone if I'm driving. So it's quite nice to be able to listen to that while I'm driving at the same time.” (Younger, Female, Exeter)

Participants across the age range considered local news bulletins to be important, and the short nature of the updates generally did not require an existing high interest in news and current affairs. Several participants also mentioned that when their interest was piqued by a particular item, they often subsequently went to other media sources (e.g. news websites, newspapers, TV) for more detailed coverage at a time convenient to them. In addition, the majority of participants described a role for local radio in breaking news and helping them keep abreast of items as they developed through the day.

“Well anything that happens in the city or just outside the city if there is a big crash or pile up it is first on the news. You will first hear it on the radio before it even hits the television. As to playing they have stopped the music and if there has just been a major accident or something’s happened they'll stop the music and just tell you what is going on.” (Male, older, Liverpool)

In addition, some participants associated local radio more with lighter news content than comparatively ‘serious’ sources such as TV and newspapers. They often referred to local radio’s coverage of local-interest stories, which were frequently lighter in tone and would not necessarily appeal to a broader, less ‘local’ audience. In terms of specifically local news stories, the vast majority of participants recognised the role of local radio in breaking stories quicker than alternative sources such as local or regional newspapers. While social media was also considered to be a valuable source for learning about local news stories, local radio was perceived as being more credible and trustworthy.

Several participants described the social value of local radio news bulletins, which helped fuel conversations around local issues and events with friends, family and colleagues. In addition to stimulating social interactions, most participants valued local radio as a familiar and trusted means of keeping up to date with local news, which did not rely on subscription payments or high levels of tech aptitude.

“So you know what is going on in your area isn’t it really; so you can say ‘oh yeah I heard that on the radio’ or ‘yeah someone was talking about that’ because it just keeps your conversation going half the time knowing what is going on around you.” (Female, older, Swansea)

The perceived importance of local news bulletins was consistent across the nations and regions covered. Indeed, regardless of the nation, participants’ main focus was on the provision of local news updates, along with a summary of major regional or national items.

6.6 Local information updates

The vast majority of participants’ perceived local information updates, such as travel and weather reports, as being an integral and defining feature of local radio. Their perceived importance of local information updates is reflected in similarly high ratings to those assigned to news bulletins. For the majority of participants, local radio was seen to deliver truly local-level information, including traffic and travel information that would not be covered by more national or even regional services.

“I think it’s important for local radio to have its own personality that reflects the area it’s being broadcast to and hopefully from. I think it’s important for a lot of people to have local news, local travel, local weather because for some people it’s their only, probably the fastest and one of their only routes to finding out this information in a timely fashion.” (Female, older, Falkirk)

As shown earlier in participants’ spontaneous mentions of important local radio content types, information such as traffic and travel, and weather updates were particularly crucial. Participants who drove to work and/ or worked outdoors were particularly reliant on the information updates provided by local radio. They valued the effortless nature of information updates that were served to them, especially when they were engaged in other activities like driving or working. Most participants

dismissed potential alternatives such as satnavs or smart devices, as they were perceived as requiring more effort, tech aptitude, and could divert attention while driving or undertaking work tasks.

“I never listened to the radio but then when I started driving that’s when I would listen to the radio more…updates and you’ve got the radio right there. It’s just easy.” (Male, younger, Inverness)

“Travel [is important] because the roads are often piled high here and if you haven’t got to go out at a specific time, okay, you let the roads calm down a little before you need to go anywhere.” (Older, female, Brighton)

“I think if I’m stuck in traffic I’m more inclined to then seek out a local radio station to try and figure out what’s going on and how long I’m going to be stuck there sort of thing.” (Female, younger, Newcastle)

“You can find out what's going on if you're in a traffic jam or something. And that's the only way you can do it when you're driving. You can't go and like check your phone. But I think for everything else, for local events and stuff, you can just look at, I get that information from Facebook and what everyone is sharing on Twitter and stuff like that.” (Female, younger, Liverpool)

In addition, participants residing in more rural areas placed particularly high importance in local radio information updates. Indeed, for more rurally based participants, local radio represented a dependable source of information amidst periods of bad weather, which did not rely on internet access or even household electricity connections. Several participants, in rural and urban/ suburban locales, highlighted the benefit of truly local updates amidst severe weather conditions with information including school closures.

“I think the weather too especially winter time it’s quite important for people who are involved maybe in agriculture, the weather is very important.” (Male, older, Inverness)

“I think the more remote you are the more important the local radio is because you go to the west coast and they’re listening to that all the time to find out about ferries and all that.” (Male, older, Inverness)

“Going back to what has been said about how important a station is; Radio Bristol when we have had the floods they kept everything going in the city. They were on there when we had the bad floods and when we had bad weather they gave up to the minute broadcasts which can be of great assistance to people.” (Male, older, Bristol)

Conversely, local information updates were generally perceived as somewhat less important by non- drivers and those listening almost exclusively for entertainment purposes. Nonetheless, even where

participants did not consider local information updates to be of personal relevance, the majority recognised the broader societal benefit of such information.

6.7 Locally based presenters

While the majority of participants considered locally based presenters to be important, they were not considered to be as integral to local radio services as local news bulletins or information updates. Indeed, for most participants, it was significantly more important that presenters were entertaining and/ or well-informed rather than simply being based in the local area. Similarly, they placed more importance in local content being accurate, informative and entertaining, rather than simply being produced in their local area.

“To call it a local radio I think it needs to be local. Like I listen to iRadio and that is people down in Galway or Dublin and they are a good craic and all but I wouldn’t say it is a local radio. If I want to listen to a local radio I would want local presenters.” (Male, younger, Derry-Londonderry)

“I think you don't necessarily need locally based presenters. I think they are not as important as finding out what is happening in your local area. I think it's nice to have but it's not a necessity I think.” (Female, younger, Exeter)

“As long as what he says is correct, it doesn’t matter if he’s sitting in London, Carlisle or wherever.” (Female, older, Newcastle)

However, most participants also recognised that it was ‘nice to have’ locally based presenters, and that they helped establish emotional connections, reflected the humour of the area and provided informed comment on local events and stories. Some participants struggled to fully disentangle locally based presenters from local news and information items, given their current expectations that presenters would be able to comment on and provide updates on developing stories between bulletins. Among those placing value in locally based presenters, breakfast and drive-time slots were seen as most important as key traffic updates, etc., could be given between bulletins.

“Yes and I think, yes like the Scouse sense of humour is like quite different I think. Like some people don't quite like get it and understand it. If someone didn't quite understand, even like the way we talk...stuff like that, I think it's important on our local radio to hear people talk. You don't want it like sanitised and like you go to the BBC for that don’t you?” (Female, younger, Liverpool)

“If you have a locally based presenter they will talk about stuff during the show that could be local. So you could get little snippets of information about what's going on.” (Male, younger, Norwich)

In general, presenters were polarising, with some participants enjoying the conversation and banter between songs, while others considered them to represent an unwanted interruption to the music. In

relation to locally based presenters, local accents also proved divisive, with some appreciating a local voice, and others feeling that local presenters often over-emphasised local accents and risked channelling a stereotypical image of the area. In particular, a few participants who favoured national and BBC stations thought that local presenters often sounded less professional than those broadcasting on national services. Despite this, several participants thought that presenters who were able to correctly pronounce local place names added credibility to services.

“It’s not so much the accent, it’s just the pronunciation of the various place names like for the whole UK…England, Wales, Ireland I suppose and Scotland have all got different names, I can’t pronounce half of them either but they’re professional, you expect them to get it right and if they don’t get it right then you feel there’s less credibility to the whole thing.” (Male, older, Inverness)

“No, I’m not worried about accents. You can come and present on the radio station with an Irish accent, so long as you know the local area. I’d be quite happy with that.” (Female, older, Exeter)

6.8 Music on local radio

This section explores participants’ usage of and attitudes towards music on local radio. As summarised in the discussion of participants’ spontaneous mentions of important content types, the majority identified music as the key entertainment driver for listening to local commercial radio. The diagram below maps music against the specifically ‘local’ content aspects of local news bulletins, local information updates, and locally based presenters.

Within entertainment-based content, when considering local commercial stations nearly all participants assigned higher importance to the quality and variety of music played than the presenters and, particularly, whether or not the presenters were locally based.

Figure 28: Relative importance of music versus locally based content categories

The vast majority of participants listened to local commercial radio mainly for the entertainment value of the music broadcast, whether they were actively listening to the content or if it was played in the background. Indeed, most primarily chose stations based on whether or not the selection of music played matched their tastes. Several participants appreciated the ease of listening to music on local commercial radio, as it did not require them to choose which tracks to listen to. By extension, they valued the role of radio in helping them discover new music, or in rediscovering old favourites that they would not otherwise have chosen to listen to.

“I like listening to Wave because they play songs that I would never think of, at work I would never know, but I’m like ‘ah, I like this’. So you actually hear a variety of music that you do like.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

“If you’re sat in a car where you’re driving along and then a song comes on you haven’t heard for ages, you’re dead excited and start singing and dancing and everybody is laughing at you, you won’t get that off a CD because you know what’s coming next or how many times have you listened to your playlist, you know what’s coming.” (Male, younger, Stoke)

“I guess that's the other thing, if you didn't listen to the radio you'd never hear the new music to know what music to listen to.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

Several participants, particularly the younger and more tech engaged, also used streaming services (e.g. Spotify, SoundCloud) to listen to music. Those expressing the benefits of such services appreciated the level of choice and personalisation offered. Nonetheless, streaming services were not considered as effortless as listening to music on the radio, and several shortcomings were noted. For example, some participants identified barriers to wider use of streaming services, such as requirements to subscribe to certain services to avoid advertising and to offer a full choice of content. They also cited the relatively high level of tech aptitude required to use such services, and issues surrounding data allowances and device battery life when used out of home. When compared to the music content served on radio, streaming services were less readily associated with the effortless discovery of new music and the rediscovering of old favourites. Similarly, while many participants enjoyed listening to their own music collections (whether digital or physical), such occasions tended to focus on specific artists and tracks, rather than consuming something new or unexpected.

“I like the variety of the music that comes on the radio…I do get bored if I’m just listening to one particular band…On the iPod I’m fed up listening after a minute. Click, I’m onto the next song. Where if you’ve got to listen to the radio you’ve got to listen to the song. You do get a big variety of music.” (Male, older, Falkirk)

“I mean I can listen to music all day long on Spotify or whatever but I still would sometimes prefer to listen to the radio because it’s kind of a more a shared thing than just a me thing. You know you’re hearing about what’s going on in the world or your local area rather than just music.” (Female, older, Falkirk)

“My commute is pretty boring but you have got that you can play music on your phone and listen to it but it is nice listening to somebody else’s music rather than just your own.” (Female, older, Swansea)

6.8.1 Perceptions of the regulatory requirements for music on local radio

Despite participants’ high levels of engagement with music content, there was extremely low awareness of the licence requirements for local commercial stations to play different types of music to each other. In particular, in areas where there were only one or two local stations, participants were less likely to have noticed differences in the types of music content played. Nonetheless, as shown in the brand mapping exercise, most participants did distinguish radio stations mainly in relation to the type of music played, including local services. However, they were most likely to identify differences between current and older popular music, rather than more niche genres.

“Yeah and that’s the thing about it all, Radio 1 is all contemporary, it’s all sort of pop and chart music, from what I gather anyway, not sure if that is actually the case but it seems to be every time I turn it on and Sam FM and Breeze and Heart always play a lot of, a nice mix, they play some new songs but they play a lot of the classics and that’s what I listen to it for.” (Male, younger, Bristol)

The vast majority of participants thought that local commercial stations should play a range of music that reflected the tastes of the area covered. Again, they pointed to a mix of ‘younger’ (i.e. chart, current) and ‘older’ (i.e. favourites from previous years/ decades) popular music rather than associating local stations with niche music genres.

“But then the local radio station should be catering for the wider demographic. It shouldn’t be focusing on one stream of music, like one genre of music. It should be something for everyone, which is why everyone in this room has said that by default they've ended up listening predominantly to Spire FM. And then people who have a real specific music preference would choose to listen to that station, it shouldn’t come from your local station.” (Female, younger, Salisbury)

Several participants did have an interest in less mainstream genres (e.g. classical, rock), but their needs were mainly served by national and digital services, such as BBC Radio 6 Music, Classic FM, and Planet Rock. While most participants recognised value in a variety of music genres being available to listeners, they expected local services to provide content that reflected more general tastes. Several participants, particularly the younger, advocated a role for local commercial stations in championing local bands and artists, whether by showcasing their music or by promoting local music events.

“I think that’s good [local stations playing different types of music from each other] because everyone’s into different things. So you need to kind of cater for everyone. So I think if they played the same type of music all the time a lot of people wouldn’t listen to it.” (Male, younger, Inverness)

“If you like a specific type of music there are apps and programmes already out there that you can do that with. So that is not why you put the radio on unless it's to listen to one specific show.” (Male, younger, Exeter)

Appendices

Appendix A: Individual perceptions of the local media landscape

Participants were asked to individually consider the role of local radio in relation to a range of other local media sources including television, print and digital. They completed questionnaires at the start of the workshops to capture their current usage and satisfaction levels across a range of local sources of news and information.5 In addition, they rated a selection of local media sources in terms of importance, with the exercise repeated at the end of the sessions to gauge any shifts as a result of deliberation and discussion.

Use of local media sources

Given that the research sample was comprised of regular local commercial radio station listeners, the vast majority used such services for local content including news and information updates. However, the majority of participants also used other local sources, with around three quarters consuming local and regional news on television and in local newspapers. Older participants were more likely than younger ones to use print and broadcast services to keep abreast of local news.

Figure: Sources used for local news and information – self-completion responses6

5 Examples of the self-completion questionnaires used in the workshops are provided in Appendices H and K 6 Please note that self-completion findings are based on a qualitative research sample of 151 regular local radio listeners. The self-completion findings should therefore be treated as indicative and considered along with analysis of participants’ contributions to the associated discussions and tasks.

Around half of all participants used social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.) to keep up to date with local news and information. The younger participants, particularly those aged under 40, were most likely to use online sources, with around a third of participants using websites and apps for local news and information. A minority of participants, around a quarter, used local magazines and community websites, and these were generally associated with more concentrated hyper-local coverage.

Satisfaction with local media sources

Participants’ satisfaction with sources of local news and information broadly reflected their levels of use. Indeed, satisfaction levels were generally highest for the more established sources, such as BBC and ITV regional news bulletins, BBC and commercial local radio, and paid-for local newspapers. Again, reflecting the profile of users, satisfaction with the more established print and broadcast sources was generally highest among the older participants. Participants’ satisfaction with online sources of local news and information (e.g. websites, apps, and social media) mirrored the levels of usage among the sample. Younger participants, who were most likely to use online sources, were also the most satisfied with the services provided.

Figure: Satisfaction with local news and information sources – self-completion responses

Importance of local media sources

BBC and ITV regional news broadcasts were considered to be important by the vast majority of participants. A clear majority also considered BBC and local commercial radio, internet browsing, and paid local newspapers as providing important sources of local news and information. In line with use and satisfaction levels, older participants were slightly more likely to assign importance to more established print and broadcast sources. Conversely, younger participants assigned more importance to online sources of local news and information, such as social media, community websites, and user-generated content such as blogs.

Participants’ importance assigned to local radio increased between the start and end of the research sessions. The increase was fuelled by their increased awareness of their use of local radio and the role that it played. However, it should be noted that while there was an increase following the workshops, a high level of importance was spontaneously placed in local radio at the outset of the sessions.

Figure: Importance of local news and information sources – self-completion responses (pre and post discussion)

Appendix B: Sample details and logistics

Sample specifications in detail:

• All regular listeners to at least one local commercial radio station

• Half ‘high’ frequency (several times a day to most days of the week)

• Half ‘mid/low’ frequency (a few times a week to at least once a week)

• Even gender mix within each group

• Spread of ages and life stages

• Younger groups aged 18-39 (2x 18-24, 2x 25-29, 3x 20-39)

• Older groups aged 40-80+ (2x 40-49, 2x 50-59, 3x 60+)

• Mix of social grade within each workshop

• Mix of working statuses within each group (working full time, part time; full-time education; retired; unemployed; looking after home/family); inclusive of those with disabilities/impairments

• Inclusive of minority ethnic groups, reflective of each location

• Mix of rural and urban/ suburban within each location reflecting profile of each area

• Mix of time lived in area, and amount of time spent in area

• Minimum thresholds in each group of those commuting (with mix of modes), and those listening to radio in car

• Mix of tech devices used to consume content

Logistics:

• Workshop groups run in parallel in each location

• About 7 respondents per group

• About 2½ hours’ duration each

• All audio recorded

• All held in hotel venues with client viewing

• Fieldwork conducted Monday 14th September – Monday 5th October, 2015

Local area definitions:

• Brighton: north to Burgess Hill, west to Worthing, east to Seaford

• Bristol: as far west as Clevedon, north to Almondsbury, east to Bath, south to Shepton Mallet

• Exeter: north to Tiverton, south to Salcombe, east to Bridport, west to Launceston

• Falkirk: north to Alloa, east to Linlithgow, south to Whitburn, west to Castle Cary, (exclude Dunfermline, Glasgow and Stirling)

• Inverness: north to Culbokie, east to Nairn, south to Kinveachy, west to Eskadale

• Liverpool: north to Southport, east to Warrington, south to Chester, west to Prestatyn

• Derry-Londonderry: east to Draperstown

• Newcastle: south to Chester-Le-Street, east to South Shields, north to Morpeth, west to Corbridge

• Norwich: east to Great Yarmouth, north to Cromer, west to Swaffham, south to Scole

• Salisbury: north to Tidworth, east to Winchester, south to Ringwood, west to Shaftesbury (exclude Southampton)

• Stoke: south to Stone, east to Alton, north to Kidsgrove, west to Market Drayton

• Swansea: east to Merthyr Tydfil, north to Llandovery, west to Carmarthen, south to Porthcawl (exclude Bridgend, Cardiff)

Appendix C: Local media sources by location

Location Local sources Location Local sources

Brighton Community radio: Radio Reverb, Derry- Community radio: Drive 105 FM Radio Free, Brighton FM Londonderry Local commercial: Q102.9, Q97.2, Local radio: Juice 107.2, Bright FM, Downtown Radio Heart, Smooth Radio, BBC local: BBC Radio Ulster, BBC BBC local: BBC Radio Sussex Radio Foyle Local TV: Latest TV Local press: Derry Journal, Derry Local press: Brighton and Hove News, Derry Sunday Journal, Independent, Brighton and Hove Londonderry Sentinel Series Leader

Bristol Community radio: BCFM Newcastle Community radio: NE1 FM 102.5, Local commercial: Heart, Smooth, Spice FM Sam FM, The Breeze Local commercial: Sun FM, Star BBC local: BBC Radio Bristol Radio, Metro Radio, Capital, Heart Local TV: Made in Bristol BBC local: BBC Radio Newcastle Local press: Bristol Post, Bristol Local TV: Made in Tyne and Wear Western Daily Press, The Bristol Local press: Newcastle Sunday Sun, Observer The Chronicle

Exeter Community radio: Phonic FM, Norwich Community radio: Future Radio Xpression FM Norwich Local commercial: Radio Exe, Heart, Local commercial: Norwich 99.9, Smooth Radio North Norfolk Radio, Smooth Radio, BBC local: BBC Radio Devon Heart Local press: Express and Echo, BBC local: BBC Radio Norfolk Exeter Flying Post, Mid Devon Star Local TV: Archant/ Mustard TV News, Western Morning News Local press: Norwich Advertiser, Norwich Eastern Daily Press, Norwich Evening News

Falkirk Local commercial: Central FM, Forth Salisbury Local commercial: Spire FM, Wave One, Clyde 1, Heart, Capital 105FM Scotland BBC local: BBC Radio Wiltshire/ BBC local: BBC Radio Scotland Swindon Local TV: ETV Local press: Salisbury Journal, Local press: Falkirk Herald Salisbury and Andover Avon Advertiser

Inverness Local commercial: Moray Firth Radio Stoke Community radio: Cross Rhythms BBC local: BBC Radio Scotland City Radio Local press: Inverness Courier, Local commercial: Signal 1 Inverness Scene BBC local: BBC Radio Stoke Local press: Sentinel Advertiser, The Sentinel, South Cheshire Advertiser

Liverpool Community radio: KCC Live Swansea Community radio: Radio Tircoed Local commercial: City Talk 105.90, Local commercial: The Wave, Nation Radio City 1, 107.6 Juice FM, Heart Hits! Radio Carmarthenshire, Scarlet BBC local: BBC Radio Merseyside FM, Nation Radio, Heart Local TV: Bay TV Liverpool BBC local: BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Local press: Liverpool Echo Radio Wales Local TV: Bay TV Swansea Local press: South Wales Evening Post

Appendix D: Pre-task diary excerpts

Figure: Diary case study – Female, younger, Swansea

Figure: Diary case study – Male, younger, Derry-Londonderry

Appendix E: Brand mapping examples

Appendix F: Workshop groups discussion guide

Objectives • Overall, to assess the extent to which listeners perceive local commercial radio to be delivering local and locally made content and the extent to which it is delivered uniquely compared to other local sources • For context, to determine what audiences consider local to be in the context of media services • To understand which kinds of content, if any, audiences believe should be locally made • To explore and understand local content consumption across different sources, including local news vs non-news content • To explore the future for local commercial radio and local content in the evolving digital world of platforms and sources

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKSHOP (10 mins) • Arrival & registration; participants receive name badge and breakout group number • While waiting, administer self-completion questionnaire A (device ownership, current unprompted views of local content on radio, and platform comparisons) • Welcome to the workshop, introduce KM & observers (disclose Ofcom only at the end) • Opinions, no right/wrong • Recording, confidential, talk one at a time, mobiles off/silenced • 2½h, refreshments, toilets, emergency exits • Short introduction to the project – “We’re doing some research about radio and your local area. We’re going to be discussing the topic and we’ve also got some tasks…”

Move into two rooms for parallel sessions

2. WARM UP AND EXPLORING LOCAL (20 mins) Aim: establish the group dynamic, and explore what local means to provide a context for subsequent exploration of local radio and other media

• Introductions in pairs: name, family, occupation, interests

• I’d like to find out something about what it’s like to live here o What are the good things about this area o What would you like to change • Refer to pre-task object – what did you bring to represent your area, tell me about it o Take photos now or at the end • If someone from another part of the country were considering moving here what advice would you give them • How do you define local, what makes your area local • Local map exercise – hand out paper/pens o Please draw a local map to help explain what you mean by local o Explore what defines local o How far does local extend, what’s the area covered • Is there anything else (not just geography) that defines local

3. UNDERSTANDING RADIO CONSUMPTION & PERCEPTIONS (40 mins) Aim: explore radio in broad terms before focusing on local radio and making comparisons with other platforms

• Introduce topic of radio – tell me about what you enjoy about listening to the radio o When do you tend to listen to radio o Explore listening while travelling/in car vs home/other environment • Refer to pre-task – what did you notice about your listening when you completed your diary, what if anything surprised you o Probe on active consumption – what do you choose to listen to, why o Probe on passive consumption – what do you listen to without really choosing as its on in background, or someone else put it on o Probe on emotional aspects – how does radio make you feel; what’s special about it [comparatively] – e.g. companionship, familiarity/ routine, content serendipity • How did you feel on your day without radio, what did you miss about it, what did you do instead for the things you choose to listen to • What’s important to you about radio, what role does it play o Explore types of content: entertainment/music, news, information, advertising o Explore importance of presenter – for breakfast/drivetime shows (local) and other times (often not local) o Explore importance of the ‘live’ and ‘present’ nature of radio

• Mapping exercise – here’s a range of radio stations – please group them in any way you feel they go together o Explore groupings and dimensions – perceived audience/age, national/local, types of content, information, type of music etc o What if any are the differences o To which do you feel closest/which is favourite, why o When/why would you listen to this, what makes it distinctive o Where would you turn for local content, why, if not any of these why (probe for local stations) o Photograph mapping

• Let’s focus on local radio (refer to local stations)… o What local radio do you listen to, why (refer to diary) o What makes local radio feel local o What would you miss about local radio if it ceased to exist o Explore types of content – news, information, advertising, entertainment/music – how distinctive is it from other radio and other media/sources, can you get similar elsewhere o How much attention do you pay to the news, have you ever relied on local radio news, ever learn about something first on local radio news o Explore importance of presenter, knowledge of local area o Ever learnt about events from the presenter, how valuable is that, how does it compare with sources such as social media/word of mouth o Explore importance of presenter & studio being locally based, if it matters why, what about journalists being present in the area o Explore role of local radio – companionship, importance in community life – can you get similar elsewhere o What area do you think should be covered by news and information on local radio – hand out map to draw local coverage area o If relevant, explore a network station that has local content in morning but London simulcast at other times – awareness of this, does it matter

• How well do other media/sources provide for local needs – probe on the range of content & topics covered by each source o Probe: local radio, local paid newspaper, local free newspaper, local news website/app, community websites, local magazines, social media, regional news on TV, local TV (if applicable in location) – showcard for each o Social media – sites used, brands followed, any alerts o Radio – how does radio compare in terms of local, what does it do better, how is it weaker • Which media/sources do you… o …use passively/without choosing/in background o …use actively/seek out content o …prefer for local content, why – probe for news, entertainment/music, advertising o …go to for breaking news/ if something is happening in the local area, why

• If required, prompt with examples: o e.g. local traffic or transport alert, a local gig by a band, an investigation of a spate of local crimes, views of other local residents o Where do you normally first find out about these o Where do you turn to find out about in detail

• Timelines exercise (past) o What radio were you listening to 5 years ago, what was different (probe: differences in choice of radio, different needs) o What if anything do you do differently now (probe: amount of listening, stations/brands of other local and national radio, TV viewing – national, regional and local, use technology/internet/apps for information, for music streaming services e.g. Spotify, etc) o What are the first sources you turn to during the day, has this changed o Explore cross-media value – how are needs for local news evolving as cross- platform consumption habits change, what consuming more/less, where are the substitutions occurring

4. LOCAL RADIO CONTENT: NEWS VS NON-NEWS (30 mins) Aim: delve further into local radio content, exploring both what is important and how well local radio delivers that content & relative value compared to other sources

• Spontaneous discussion – let’s think about the different types of content/aspects of local radio – what are the important things to have – note on flipchart

• Explain the current situation…

• Local radio stations are broadcast on FM or AM (analogue), with some also available on DAB (digital radio). • Some are individual stations in your area only [insert local examples]. Others are part of a wider network of stations that have the same name and many of the same presenters, but broadcast in different parts of the UK [insert local examples]. • Most local radio stations include local news bulletins (usually hourly) and local information updates (e.g. traffic reports). Some stations make this content in the local area, while others may use reporters in the area but make it elsewhere. • Many local stations also have studios and premises based in the local area: o For individual stations, most of their shows are made by a presenter based locally. o Network stations may have a presenter based locally at some times (e.g. breakfast show), but otherwise have the same presenter as the rest of the network. Even when using the same presenter they are able to slot in local news bulletins and information updates.

o Reactions to briefing, check comprehension, any surprises

• Let’s focus on local news bulletins, local information updates, and having a presenter broadcasting from the local area – use showcards:

1/ Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly) 2/ Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports) 3/ A presenter broadcasting from the local area (e.g. what events are happening in the area, local phone-ins and competitions)

o Provide self-completion (personal & societal) and explain – assign 10 points across the 3 categories to show how important they are to you personally and for society (i.e. for other people in your local area) o Open up to group discussion, reach consensus if possible; explore any changed views between personal and societal levels

• Are these influenced by performance, how well they are delivered • Or is that you can get them elsewhere (probe: local newspaper, websites, community/ local websites, social media, regional news on TV, local TV) • Probe expectations of presenter – local by provenance vs geography, or doesn’t matter

Break for 5 mins

5. FUTURE LOCAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS (30 mins) Aim: shift from exploring behaviour and perceptions to considering future provision of local commercial radio and the policy implications

• Timelines exercise (future) – imagine local radio in 5 years’ time… o What will exist, what will you want, what will have changed o Explore whether other sources might substitute for what local radio gives you o Which local media sources (probe as required: local paid newspaper, local free newspaper, websites, community/ local websites, social media, regional news on TV, local TV) will deliver local content most effectively in the future, why

• Explain future situation…

In the next few years: • The number of radio stations available on digital or through the internet in your area will increase. Digital radio or internet services are not currently required to carry any local content. • There will be more ways of accessing both local and national news and information through the internet on devices such as iPhones, tablets and newer TVs. • There will also be more ways of accessing any type of music through online services such as Spotify or YouTube. • Consequently, there will be a lot more choice for consumers and competition between services. This means that local radio stations, as businesses, may have to make trade- offs in what they provide for their listeners, including whether they provide local news bulletins, local information updates, and locally based presenters.

o Reactions to briefing, check comprehension, any surprises

• Trade-off exercise to explore drivers of choice / substitution – provide self-completion to record individual responses – if your local commercial radio station had to make trade- offs in what it provides, what would you prefer it to do:

1/ Local news bulletins and local information updates throughout the day, but no locally based presenters

2/ Locally based presenter at a certain time of day, but no local news bulletins or local information updates outside of these times

3/ Locally based presenters, but no local news bulletins or local information updates

• After self-completion, open up to group and capture group view on flipchart o Explore what is important, what are the risks – which of the 3 different parts of local content would you give up first, why o Which one aspect of local content would you keep, why o If option 3, probe around what time of day o Probe personal vs citizen perspectives

• Administer self-completion questionnaire B (assessment of the importance of local news across platforms, and local radio content provision, both for themselves and for others) o Explore any shifts in views based on the briefing and future thinking

6. FUTURE LOCAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS – MUSIC (10 mins) Aim: continue considering future provision of local commercial radio with focus on music

• Explain situation… Ø Currently local radio stations in the same area are required to play different types of music from each other – e.g. some play popular/chart music, others play rock or dance. This means that listeners can get a choice of music types across local radio stations Ø In the future, there will be more stations, playing different types of music, available on digital radio. There will be more ways of accessing any type of music through online services such as Spotify or YouTube o Reactions to briefing, check comprehension, any surprises

• Explore views… o Should local radio stations have to play different types of music to meet different tastes in music in the local area o Or should they just play what most people in the local area want to listen to • Would it matter if they didn’t play different types of music, why o Would you change your listening o Where would you go if you couldn’t find the music you like listening to on local radio services (prompt: other non-local radio stations, online service, personal collection, etc)

7. CLOSING (5 mins) Aim: capture some filmed sound bites to enliven the reporting

• Who do you think has commissioned us to do this research o Disclose Ofcom, reactions • Vox pops – talk to camera to sum up key points about local radio: o If you were in charge, what measures would you put in place for local radio?

• Collect pre-tasks and self-completion workbooks • Check objects have been photographed • Administer incentive money • Thank and close

Appendix G: Recruitment screener questionnaire

Q1. First of all, do you or any of your family members or close friends work in any of the following occupations?

Market research 1 CLOSE TV/ broadcasting 2 CLOSE Radio 3 CLOSE Journalism 4 CLOSE None of these 5 GO TO Q2 IF YES TO ANY OF CODES 1-4 CLOSE INTERVIEW

Q2. Have you ever taken part in a market research interview or group discussion, either online or in person? Yes 1 ASK Q3 No 2 CONTINUE

Q3. When did you last take part in a market research interview or group discussion, either online or in person? In the last 6 months 1 ASK Q4 Longer ago than 6 months 2 CONTINUE

Q4. What was the market research about?

IF SUBJECT SIMILAR TO THIS STUDY, CLOSE

Q5. How long have you been living in your local area for? 1 year or less 1 CLOSE Over 1 year to 3 years 2 CONTINUE REFER TO QUOTAS Over 3 years to 5 years 3 CONTINUE Over 5 years to 10 years 4 CONTINUE Over 10 years 5 CONTINUE

Q6. Do you commute to work by any of the following? Please select all that apply. Car / van 1 REFER TO QUOTAS Train 2 Coach 3 Bus 4 Bicycle 5 None of the above 6

Q7. Which of the following activities do you take part in on a regular basis (i.e. at least once a week)? Watch TV 1 MULTI-CODE Use the internet 2 ALL RESPONDENTS MUST LISTEN TO Listen to radio 3 RADIO TO CONTINUE Read a newspaper 4

Q8. You listen to the radio on a regular basis. How often do you listen to the following stations? [FILTER A – L PER LOCATION]

RECRUITER NOTE: DO NOT READ OUT CATEGORIES, THESE ARE OUTLINED FOR THE PUPOSE OF IDENTIFYING LOCAL COMMERCIAL RADIO LISTENERS ONLY

ENSURE A MIX OF LOCAL COMMERCIAL RADIO STATIONS, HIGHLIGHTED RED AND YELLOW, ACROSS EACH LOCATION

A) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days a 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day week week week often day Bristol Community radio BCFM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Local commercial radio Sam FM 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 The Breeze 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Heart 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

Smooth Radio 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Local BBC Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Bristol

B) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Newcastle Community radio NE1 FM 102.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Spice FM 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Local commercial radio Sun FM 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Star Radio 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Metro Radio 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Capital 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Heart 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 BBC Local BBC Radio 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 Newcastle

C) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Brighton Community radio Radio Reverb 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Radio Free 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Brighton FM 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Local commercial radio Juice 107.2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Bright FM 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Heart 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Smooth Radio 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 BBC Local BBC Radio 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 Sussex

D) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Liverpool Community radio KCC Live 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Local commercial radio City Talk 105.90 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Radio City 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 107.6 Juice FM 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Heart 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Local BBC Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Merseyside

E) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Salisbury Local commercial radio Spire FM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Wave 105FM 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 BBC Local BBC Radio 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Wiltshire/ Swindon

F) Derry- (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Londonderry Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Community radio Drive 105 FM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Local commercial radio Q102.9 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Q97.2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Downtown 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Radio BBC Local BBC Radio Ulster 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Radio Foyle 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

G) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days a 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day week week week often day Exeter Community radio Phonic FM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Xpression FM 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Local commercial radio Radio Exe 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Heart 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Smooth Radio 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Local BBC Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Devon

H) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Norwich Community radio Future Radio 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Norwich Local commercial radio Norwich 99.9 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 North Norfolk 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Radio Smooth Radio 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Heart 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Local BBC Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Norfolk

I) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days a 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day week week week often day Falkirk Local commercial radio Central FM 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Forth One 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Clyde 1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Heart 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Scotland Capital Scotland 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 BBC Local BBC Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Scotland

J) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Inverness Local commercial radio Moray Firth 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Radio BBC Local BBC Radio 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Scotland

K) Swansea (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Community radio Radio Tircoed 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Local commercial radio The Wave 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Nation Hits! 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Radio 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Carmathenshire Scarlet FM 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Nation Radio 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 Heart 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 BBC Local BBC Radio 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 Cymru BBC Radio 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Wales

L) (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day Stoke Community radio Cross Rhythms 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 City Radio Local commercial radio Signal 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 BBC Local BBC Radio Stoke 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

ALL MUST CODE WEEKLY LISTENING TO AT LEAST ONE LOCAL COMMERCIAL LISTED RADIO STATION

Q9. Which of the following national radio stations do you listen to: a) several times a day; b) once a day; c) 5-6 days a week; d) 2-4 days a week; e) once a week; f) less often; g) never?

National (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Networks Several Once a 5-6 days 2-4 days a Once a Less Never times a day a week week week often day BBC Radio 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 BBC Radio 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 BBC Radio 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 BBC Radio 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 BBC Radio 5 Live 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Classic FM 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 talk SPORT 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 Absolute Radio 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 Other national 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 station (please specify)

Q10. In which of the following locations do you usually listen to the radio? Please select all that apply. At home 1 ENSURE A MIX OF LOCATIONS ACROSS GROUP In the car 2 REFER TO QUOTAS At work 3 ENSURE A MIX OF Out and about via a portable device or mobile phone 4 LOCATIONS ACROSS Other (please specify) 5 GROUP

Q11. Which devices do you use to listen to the radio? Please select all that apply. Standard / analogue radio 1 ENSURE A MIX OF DEVICES DAB digital radio 2 ACROSS GROUP Desktop or laptop computer 3 Tablet 4 Mobile phone/ smartphone 5 Television set 6 Through an MP3 player (e.g. iPod) 7 Don’t know 8

Q12. Which of the following would you say you are you interested in or follow? Please select all that apply. The latest chart music 1 ENSURE A MIX OF CONTENT Live music festivals/ gigs 2 AND MONITOR LOCAL NEWS Music from unsigned bands 3 Local news 4 National news 5 International news 6 Local weather 7 Traffic and travel 8 Local sport 9 Celebrity news and gossip 10 Information about local events 11

DEMOGRAPHICS Q13. GENDER Male 1 REFER TO QUOTAS Female 2

Q14. AGE Write exact age and code below to ensure quotas met. 16 – 17 1 SCREEN OUT 18 – 20 2 REFER TO QUOTAS 21 – 24 3 25 – 29 4 30 – 34 5 35 – 54 6 55+ 7

Q15. LIFESTAGE Which of the following best describes your current life stage? I live with my parent(s) / guardian(s) 1 I live in a shared house with friends or flatmates 2 I live alone and don’t have any children 3 I live with my spouse/partner and we don’t have any children 4 I am a parent and live with my child/ren aged between 2 and 10 5 years old REFER TO QUOTAS I am a parent and live with my child/ren aged 11 and over 6 I am a parent and have children aged between 2 – 10 AND 11 - 15 7 I live with my spouse/partner and our child(ren) has/have left 8 home I live alone and my child(ren) has/have left home 9

OCCUPATION Q16. What is the occupation of the main income earner in your household? That is, the person with the largest income, whether from employment, benefits, investments or any other source.

RECORD VERBATIM RESPONSE(S) If required PROBE for: Position/rank/grade; industry/type of company; qualifications/degree/apprenticeship; number of staff responsible for, etc.

A 1 SCREEN OUT B 2 REFER TO QUOTAS C1 3 C2 4 D 5 E 6

ETHNICITY Q17. How would you describe yourself? Aim to be inclusive of minority ethnic groups, reflecting the make-up of each location. WHITE British Irish 1 Other white background MIXED White and Black Caribbean White and Black African 2

White and Asian

Any other mixed background AIM FOR REFLECTIVE ASIAN SPREAD FOR EACH Indian FIELDWORK LOCATION Pakistani Bangladeshi 3 Any other Asian background BLACK OR BLACK BRITISH Caribbean African 4 Any other black background CHINESE OR OTHER ASIAN Chinese 5 Any other background 6

Q18. Part of the research may involve you answering a few short questions on camera at the end of the discussion group. This filmed content will only be viewed and shown internally by our client and will not be used beyond here (e.g. clips will not end up on the internet). The filming should take around 3 - 4 minutes to complete. With this in mind, are you willing to participate in the discussion group?

YES 1 CONTINUE NO 2 THANK & CLOSE

Appendix H: Self-completion questionnaire A

Questionnaire A7

Please write your name here:

1. Are you:

Please place a tick in one of the boxes below.

☐ Male ☐ Female

2. Which age bracket do you fall into?

☐ 18-24 ☐ 25-29 ☐ 30-39 ☐ 40-49 ☐ 50-59 ☐ 60+

3. How long have you been living in your local area?

☐ 1 year or less

☐ 1 - 3 years

☐ 3 - 5 years

☐ 5 - 10 years

☐ 10+ years

7 Note: Examples of self-completion questionnaires used in Brighton – any brand mentions varied by location, with order of content categories, etc., rotated across locations.

4. Which of the following devices do you (a) own, and which do you (b) ever use to listen to radio? Please select all that apply.

b. Use to listen to the a. Own radio Standard/ FM/AM radio (e.g. hi-fi, car radio) ☐ ☐ DAB digital radio ☐ ☐ Desktop computer ☐ ☐ Laptop computer ☐ ☐ Tablet computer (e.g. iPad, Kindle Fire) ☐ ☐ Games console (e.g. PlayStation, Xbox) ☐ ☐ Mobile phone/ smartphone ☐ ☐ MP3 player (e.g. iPod) ☐ ☐ Smart TV (which can be directly connected to the internet without any other device, also known ☐ ☐ as Connected TV or IPTV) TV set (i.e. not a Smart TV) ☐ ☐

5. Which of the following do you use for local news and information?

Please select all that apply.

☐ Local magazine(s)

☐ Local newspaper(s)

☐ Latest TV – local television channel

☐ Local / regional news on television

☐ Local radio

☐ Local news or community website(s) (e.g. brightonandhovenews.org)

☐ Local news and information via other internet sites or apps (e.g. bbc.co.uk, ‘Brighton Source’) ☐ Social media (e.g. Facebook or Twitter)

☐ Other sources (please specify)

☐ I rarely/ never use local news

6. How important are the following for local news and information? Please tick one box for each row.

Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t know important important important important

BBC/ ITV local news

Local TV station (e.g. Latest TV) BBC local radio stations

Local commercial radio Community radio

Paid-for local newspaper(s)

Free paper copy local newspaper(s)

Local magazine(s) (free or paid for) and community news letters

Local news websites or app e.g. local newspaper sites Local community websites (e.g. a blog for local community news) Browsing the internet for local news and information Social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter

User generated content (e.g. blogging or community media)

7. How satisfied are you with each source of local news and information? Please tick one box for each row.

Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t know satisfied satisfied satisfied satisfied

BBC/ ITV local news broadcasts

Local TV station (e.g. Latest TV) BBC local radio stations

Local commercial radio Community radio

Paid-for local newspaper(s)

Free paper copy local newspaper(s)

Local magazine(s) (free or paid for) and community news letters

Local news websites or app e.g. local newspaper sites Local community websites (e.g. a blog for local community news) Browsing the internet for local news and information

Social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter User generated content (e.g. blogging or community media)

We’d now like you to think specifically about local commercial radio (e.g. Heart, Juice 107.2, and Smooth Radio)…

8. How important is it to you personally that local commercial radio provides the following types of content? Please tick one box for each row.

Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t important important important important know

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

A presenter broadcasting from the local area (e.g. what events are happening in the area, local phone-ins and competitions) Different music (e.g. plays different music to other stations or live music from the local area)

9. How important is it for society as a whole that local radio provides the following content? Please tick one box for each row. Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t important important important important know

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

Thank you – please return your completed questionnaires to the group moderator at the end of the session

Appendix I: Self-completion questionnaire – Importance of content categories

Questionnaire: Importance of content categories

Please write your name here:

1. Thinking about local commercial radio, we would like you to share 10 points across the three categories below based on how important they are to you personally.

Please allocate a number to each category based on how important it is to you personally, and make sure that the three numbers add up to ten.

Local radio content category Number of points [should add up to 10]

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

A presenter broadcasting from the local area (e.g. what events are happening in the area, local phone- ins and competitions)

Please turn over…

2. Thinking about local commercial radio, we would like you to share 10 points across the three categories below based on how important they are to society as a whole.

Please allocate a number to each category based on how important it is to society as a whole, and make sure that the three numbers add up to ten.

Local radio content category Number of points [should add up to 10]

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

A presenter broadcasting from the local area (e.g. what events are happening in the area, local phone- ins and competitions)

Thank you – please return your completed questionnaires to the group moderator at the end of the session

Appendix J: Self-completion questionnaire – Local commercial radio station future trade-offs

Questionnaire: Local commercial radio station trade-offs

Please write your name here:

We would like you to imagine that your local commercial radio station needs to decide on how it provides content in future. In particular, the station needs to choose between the three scenarios given below…

Please rank the scenarios from 1 to 3, with 1 being the option you ‘most prefer’ and 3 being the option you ‘least prefer’

Scenario Rank

(1, 2 or 3)

Local news bulletins and local information updates throughout the day, but no locally based presenters

Locally based presenter at a certain time of day, but no local news bulletins or local information updates outside of these times

Locally based presenters, but no local news bulletins or local information updates

Thank you – please return your completed questionnaires to the group moderator at the end of the session

Appendix K: Self-completion questionnaire B

Questionnaire B Please write your name here:

1. How important are the following for local news and information? Please tick one box for each row. Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t know important important important important

BBC/ ITV local news

Local TV station (e.g. Latest TV BBC local radio stations

Local commercial radio Community radio

Paid-for local newspaper(s)

Free paper copy local newspaper(s) Local magazine(s) (free or paid for) and community news letters

100

We’d now like you to think specifically about local radio…

2. How important is it to you personally that local radio provides the following types of content? Please tick one box for each row.

Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t important important important important know

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

3. How important is it for society as a whole that local radio provides the following content? Please tick one box for each row. Very Quite Not very Not at all Don’t important important important important know

Local news bulletins (local news headlines, usually broadcast hourly)

Local information updates (e.g. travel and traffic alerts and weather reports)

the group moderator at the end of the session

101