Locked forever

The cuts in BBC Local Radio essentially mean sticking to the lockdown schedules forever. This is really bad news for stations where, before March, there were two breakfast presenters - only one will be staying on. A glance across this morning's output suggests that the DG's previous local radio imperative - 50% women at breakfast - has fallen by the wayside.  For those, as listeners and presenters, who have found the lockdown schedule - four hour shows from 6am to 6pm - thin gruel, resulting in tiredness, weight loss and general pallor, it's not getting any thicker.  There will also be a new all-England late show across seven days - a slot where often local radios put their their most interesting and new stuff.

Equally, tonight at 6.30pm, tv regional news presenters (whether they're currently on shift or not) will be wondering if they're in the 7 out of 20 who'll be off the rota long-term.

There's a precision about some of the elements that make up the 450 job losses that suggests whatever consultation there may be, the outcome is pretty fixed - 29 regional current affairs jobs, 8 engineering 7 working on the General News Service in London. What's left of "GNS", which provides news summaries, actuality and reports across the 39 stations, will, apparently, move to Salford.

And while there's a promise to "do more" for the North and Midlands, tv viewers in the "South-East" can look forward to yet another programme from London.