Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 17 July 2020

LAST MONTH, Hinckley Councillor, Michael Mullaney and Barwell Councillor, Mathew Hulbert, urged the BBC not to axe two local shows, ‘BBC Politics East Midlands’ and ‘Inside Out’.

Mullaney and Hulbert tried to save the shows as a part of the ‘Save the Midlands Media’ campaign which they launched back in June.

Whilst BBC Politics East Midlands will remain saved and untouched, the BBC have made the decision to scrap their local investigations and stories show, ‘Inside Out’.

Barwell Councillor Mathew Hulbert commented on Inside Out being scrapped by the British broadcasting giant. He said: “I deeply regret this decision from the BBC and call on them urgently to think again.

“Whilst I, of course, recognise the deep financial pressures the Corporation is under and, again, call on the government to give it financial certainty by guaranteeing the licence fee for at least ten years, I argue strongly that this is not the solution to releasing those pressures.

“One of the great things about the BBC, above all other broadcasters, has been its steadfast commitment to serving all the different nations and regions of the UK, in all of their wonderful diversity.

“Axing ‘Inside Out’ and making cuts to BBC local radio and online services in England can, surely, only mean that the residents in my ward and, indeed, people further afield will be much less well served than they have been.

“I am a great defender of the BBC and speak out passionately against those who want to see it ‘defunded,’ but that is made all the harder when it makes deeply disagreeable decisions like this.

“I call on the incoming Director General Tim Davie, as his first act when he takes up post later in the year, to reverse this decision and restore these services so we can truly, once again, be proud of the BBC as one of this nation’s best and most beloved public institutions.”

Michael Mullaney of the ‘Save the Midlands Media’ campaign, said: “There are many issues that affect us here in Hinckley and the rest of the Midlands.

“Whether it’s many of our local services being underfunded The need for improved transport infrastructure.

“The threat to manufacturing jobs at places like Triumph motorcycles in Hinckley.
“It’s vital we get as local as possible media programming that can highlight these and other local concerns.

“I hope the BBC will rethink these plans and ensure programmes like Inside Out are kept as local as possible.”

This month, BBC confirmed that ‘Inside Out’ sadly did end up facing the axe and ended up being scrapped, but they’d be creating a new show in its place.

In a similar vein to the show it is replacing, the new show is an investigative journalism show, which will be produced from six BBC production hubs across the country, but they will still serve every region in England.

The BBC respond

A spokesperson for the BBC, said: “The BBC has set out plans to transform its local services in England as it seeks to serve audiences better, respond to lessons learnt during the COVID-19 crisis and make savings to tackle its financial challenges. 

“That has meant taking some difficult decisions. The new investigative programme will consist of 30 minute single films giving us the opportunity to explore in greater depth issues that matter to our audiences.

“We have chosen to make it from six production hubs that are spread across the country, but they will still serve every region of England.”

Information about the new show

The new replacement programme for ‘Inside Out’ will feature long-form investigative journalism, with one story explored in detail over half an hour.

The newly-announced and proposed BBC show in the place of ‘Inside Out’ will showcase important issues in a more in-depth style, where they investigate issues that matter to their viewers.