BBC Radio Devon was brought up in discussions last week by the Commons Digital, Culture and Media Select Committee.

The BBC has recently announced plans to reduce the amount of locally programmes at the station along with the other 38 BBC Local Radio stations across England.

The proposal is to continue to produce local programmes for the county between 6am and 2pm during weekdays along with local sports coverage. Between 2pm and 10pm and throughout the day at weekends would be shared programming with BBC Radio Cornwall and there would be a national programme from 10pm with the station continuing to opt in to BBC Radio Five Live between 2am and 6am.

BBC Director of Nations and Regions Rhodri Talfen Davies and BBC Director of England Jason Horton were grilled by a panel including former BBC Local radio presenter, East Devon MP and member of the DCMS Simon Jupp,

They defended the changes and said they were currently consulting with people including staff and listeners but indicated that the proposed changes were likely to remain largely intact.

Concerns were raised about the erosion of localness especially as local commercial radio stations such as South Hams Radio and Palm FM have been replaced by national networks such as Heart and Greatest Hits Radio.

The BBC duo explained that the money that was being taken from BBC Local radio was being ‘repurposed’ to online news production.