SUPPORTING NEWS ON LOCAL COMMERCIAL RADIO

Line 5, delete from "age;" to end and insert " is concerned that the revised localness guidelines published by Ofcom will allow less local content and the creation of a backdoor national radio stations at the expense of local radio; understands that the guidelines are meant to protect the provision of local news and information provided by local journalists, but in allowing non-locally based news broadcast, removing weekend content requirements, content will be reduced; welcomes the fact that this commitment to local news will be backed up by regulation and will continue to be enforced by Ofcom; and believes that these changes should be restricted, and that new national and regional radio stations should be permitted to be introduced and local radio stations should be restricted to greater local content."