1

Interest in Dorset specific

BBC Local Radio output:

Chris HutchingsResearch Manager English Regions

a quantitative investigation

2

Key headlines

Amongst the population of Weymouth, Bridport and Dorchester there is a high level of interest in local news and information. Daily life is often tied into the local area

Overall, a third claim they’d be extremely or very likely to listen to a BBC Radio Dorset BF show

Amongst those claiming they’d listen to a BBC Radio Dorset BF show, Wessex FM emerges as the station likely to be most impacted.

Two thirds of recent listeners claim BBC Radio Solent is best for local news, traffic and weather

3

Methodology

1,003 interviews conducted (by Dipsticks Research Limited) - 24th August – 6th September 2010

Quotas set on age and gender to ensure sample reflective of local population

By age: 70% representative of local population, 30% boost of those aged 55yrs+

All interviewing conducted on telephone

Respondents were found using local telephone numbers lists, supplemented by Weymouth / Bridport / Dorchester based members of Dipstick’s respondent panel

4

Local identification and news

5

Local life is centered on Weymouth and Dorchester, along with Bridport and Bournemouth / Poole

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003

Bournemouth & PooleDorchester

Weymouth

BridportExeter

Southampton

Visit family and friends WorkGo out in Go shopping

7% 7%

3% 25% 51% 53%

22% 76%

20% 20%

8% 36%

29% 32%

18% 70% 10% 11%

3% 33%

19% 21%

7% 55%

None: 66%

None: 56%

Q. I am now going to readout the names of some cities and towns, and for each I’d like you to tell me if you work there, go out there, or visit to go shopping or see family and friends

6

Within this patch Wessex FM emerges as the most popular LR station. BBC Radio Solent and Devon come in below BBC network radio

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003

Q. Please can you tell me which radio stations you have listened to in the last seven days?

Q. And which one radio station do you listen to most often?

44%

40%

16%

2%

21%

21%

8%

1%

Wessex FM

BBC Radio 2

BBC Radio Solent

BBC Radio Devon

1st

2nd

5th

10th

=1st

=1st

5th

10th

7

There is a hunger for local news / issues, weather and traffic / travel

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003

Q. How important is it for you to hear the following speech items on the radio?

14%

16%

41%

47%

45%

11%

26%

24%

26%

32%

Sports results for your partof Dorset

Entertainment news foryour part of Dorset

Traffic and travel for yourpart of Dorset

Weather forecasts for yourpart of Dorset

Local news and issues foryour part of Dorset

Very important Important Neither important nor unimportant

Not important Not important at all Don't know

8

Around two thirds of recent listeners claim BBC Radio Solent is ‘best for’ local news / issues, traffic / travel and weather

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003Recent BBC Radio Solent listeners (listened in past week): n=159

Q. Which of the radio stations, that are available for you to hear in your area, do you think is the best for providing coverage about the following… [for your part of Dorset]

BBC Radio Solent

12%

12%

14%

16%

15%

52%

57%

64%

69%

67%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Sports results and commentary

Entertainment news

Weather forecasts

Traffic and travel reports

Local news and issues

All Recent BBC Solent listeners

9

Local identification and news

Interest in proposed service and market impact

10

A third claim they are extremely or very likely to regularly listen to Dorset BF show

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003

It is being proposed that BBC Radio Devon, and BBC Radio Solent, would broadcast a BBC Radio Dorset breakfast show specifically for the Dorset areaQ. If this proposal became a reality, how likely would you be to listen to the programme dedicated to Dorset on a regular weekly basis?

16%

17%

32%

7%

10%

12%5%

Extremely likely Very likely Quite likely

Quite unlikely Very unlikely Extremely unlikely

Don’t know

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Wessex FM currently emerges as the most listened to for local news, travel and weather…

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003

Q. And which one radio station do you listen to most often for your local news, travel and weather information?

Wessex FM53%

BBC RadioSolent14%

BBCRadioDevon

1%

Weymouth Bridport Dorchester

59%38%

39%

15%

2%

16%

1%

4%

0%

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Local identification and news

Appendix

Interest in proposed service and market impact

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To reflect local population numbers, Weymouth respondents were upweighted

Source: Dorset research 2010 (Dipsticks Research Limited)Base all respondent: n=1,003Note: minor weighting to sample to make it reflective of local demographics (upweighted number of younger respondents)

Weymouth Bridport Dorchester

n=468(47%)

n=683(68%)

n=189(19%)

n=100 (10%)

n=343(34%)

n=220 (22%)

Weighted to reflect population counts

14

Context

In ‘Putting Quality First’ the Trust made a commitment that the BBC would not become any more local than it is. The government re-iterated this in the CSR announcement in October 2010.

BBC English Regions are currently carrying out a pilot in the Yorkshire and South East regions where groups of radio stations are sharing output in the afternoons to release resources for peak time audiences at Breakfast.

This pilot will have to come to an end in the summer and be assessed by the BBC Trust in the autumn before any new local radio initiatives can be considered, including a breakfast show for Dorset.

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The Way Forward

We remain committed to a breakfast show for Dorset, broadcast from BBC Radio Solent’s studios in Dorchester.

Any programme will need Trust approval and will likely be subject to a Public Value Test (PVT) given the potential for market impact on Wessex FM and other independent local radio stations in the county.

In the meantime we will create a ‘Dorset Editor’ role at SBJ level from within existing resource at BBC Radio Solent. This person will be a point of contact for opinion formers in Dorset and will assist the Radio Solent News Editor and the Spotlight Reporter in ensuring that news coverage of the county is as comprehensive as possible.

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The Way Forward

When there is a big story breaking in Dorset we will endeavour to provide local opts from Dorchester.

We intend to investigate the costs and viability of a ‘Sunday Brunch’ programme on our 103.8FM Transmitter to mirror Saturday’s output from Dorchester.

We will protect the present level of staffing for Dorset Online (2 Journalists), the Dorset Reporter and the Dorset Political Reporter for Radio Solent.

We will be asking our current affairs Editors in the South and South West to work together in commissioning more impactful journalism rooted in Dorset.