Fight to save Bradford BBC base raised in Parliament (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

This egregious decision must be overturned. A city and district the size of Bradford without the national broadcaster having a base here is appalling. Furthermore, having the national broadcaster abandoning the National Media Museum is a travesty.

The removal of the Asian Network from one of the most multicultural cities in the country is a further slap in the face - where better than Bradford to solicit the views of British Asians?

If the move goes ahead, it will further marginalise the city, the district and the wider area, with all our news and views hailing from Leeds. Bradford gets two types of press - bad and none - and this decision, if not overturned, will only further entrench this.

Philip Davies and George Galloway will sign the Early Day Motion. David Ward and Kris Hopkins, as far as I know, haven't committed one way or the other, so if either is your MP, tell them you want them to fight the decision.

Also, I've written to complain to the BBC, Lord Patten's offices, and the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport (on which, Philip Davies and Gerry Sutcliffe sit) to complain. I hope many more Bradfordians will too.

You can also tweet your objecttions to @DCMS, @DavidWardMP, @GerrySutcliffeMP, @PhilipDaviesMP, @GeroreGalloway - and use #BBCinBD

I really can't understand what the fuss about the closure is as it seems over the top to keep a studio running when it's only 10 miles away from the main one. We may be the 4th largest metropolitan district but the bigger 3 don't have another big city adjoining them.

Why would it affect visitor numbers to the museum? How many people are going to decide not to visit the museum because they're not
going to see a Radio Leeds DJ in the flesh.
If you look on the museum website it's not even obvious there's a live studio.

If it's about marginalising Bradford on the station I don't see how not having the studio will affect it. When they broadcast from Bradford it's only mentioned in passing and it not's like they have Bradford specific subjects.
If the listening figures are anything to go by there are only around 60,000 people ever listen to the station in Bradford at any point of the week anyway!

I'm glad JAtkinson has supplied contact details, as I may send my support for the closure. I'd rather have the money spent on quality TV instead.

And by the way, what's this 'growing media industry in the district' that Coun. Green talks about?

angry bradfordian wrote:
I really can't understand what the fuss about the closure is as it seems over the top to keep a studio running when it's only 10 miles away from the main one. We may be the 4th largest metropolitan district but the bigger 3 don't have another big city adjoining them.

Why would it affect visitor numbers to the museum? How many people are going to decide not to visit the museum because they're not
going to see a Radio Leeds DJ in the flesh.
If you look on the museum website it's not even obvious there's a live studio.

If it's about marginalising Bradford on the station I don't see how not having the studio will affect it. When they broadcast from Bradford it's only mentioned in passing and it not's like they have Bradford specific subjects.
If the listening figures are anything to go by there are only around 60,000 people ever listen to the station in Bradford at any point of the week anyway!

I'm glad JAtkinson has supplied contact details, as I may send my support for the closure. I'd rather have the money spent on quality TV instead.

And by the way, what's this 'growing media industry in the district' that Coun. Green talks about?

Very well put.