BBC Radio WM to lose dedicated drive time show – while Manchester and London keep theirs
Radio WM is set to lose its dedicated drive time show as part of service cuts unveiled by BBC chiefs.
Under new proposals, the broadcaster is bringing in more shared programmes across its local radio channels.
It means the popular Radio WM drive time slot – which covers Birmingham and the Black Country and is currently presented by Paul Franks – will be shared with Coventry.
Other areas such as Manchester, London and Merseyside will keep their dedicated drive time programmes under the plans.
The changes have been revised from proposals initially unveiled last year, which would have seen Radio WM keep its standalone drive time show.
The station, based at The Mailbox, Birmingham, has already been "paired" with BBC CWR, which serves Coventry and Warwickshire, for a weekend daytime slot.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "Our goal is to modernise our BBC local services across England to strengthen our online provision for communities across the country and we have to make changes to do this.
"BBC WM and CWR will still have dedicated local programming from 6am to 2pm every weekday; and news bulletins and sport will also remain local to those stations.
"As part of the plans, Wolverhampton is getting a new digital news service. This is as comprehensive a service as other metropolitan boroughs - if not more so."
The BBC first announced cuts to local radio programming last October, saying it wanted to "prioritise digital content" in a move that would result in the loss of 48 jobs.
It planned for all 39 networks in England to keep their local schedules from 6am to 2pm, with shared shows brought in from the afternoon onwards.
The broadcaster's director of nations, Rhodri Talfan-Davies, said at the time that the changes would "grow the value we deliver to local audiences everywhere".
