The Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Thread

Even though I used to live in Hull about 20 years ago I have never seen the version of Look North that covers that locality and therefore can't comment on either the content or presentation of it; I do however, watch the Leeds output of Look North and I wonder if this really is the best exemplar of local news content? Before the CV19 situation I find the Look North Leeds tends to start with a 'local' version of whatever is the lead national story which often includes a completely unnecessary, in my view, vox-pop (unnecessary as you tend to have one agreement with the proposition, one opposed and one non committed view) then 3 'news stories in brief', then sport and a human interest/magazine element and to finish the weather with added forced 'banter'.
A phrase (that I don't care for) that I have heard applied for the lead story: "if it bleeds- it leads" doesn't seem to apply to Look North Leeds as stories of murder and affray are not reported (that have been reported in the local 'press') in favour of the standardised format of the programme that I have already alluded to.

Apologies, I caught the wrong button before I finished my post.

In conclusion I don't think it is unreasonable to ask that what is titled in today's listing in the Radio Times as "regional news" to actually provide a summary of newsworthy events from across the region rather than the limited running order to which I have already commented on.
These comments are of course my opinion but are made in good faith.

Very true indeed. The national teams are doing a superb job but its the presence of a local presenter who is experiencing the same situation as we are is comforting in a way the London bulletins simply can't be



Abolishing the smaller bulletins would be wrong. Its a case of balancing financial necessity with the PSB requirements. I don't think it's the number of cities and towns that a region covers is important its the fact that they are being covered. To my mind Hull and Lincoln are deserving of the same level of coverage as Leeds and Sheffield.

I think the fact that the local bulletins ratings have shot up due to coverage will be used by the BBC as evidence that local news coverage is equally as important as national and world news and that they should be protected.

The rating is split between Leeds & Hull its doesn't rate separately.

Yep, you could have stuck Radio Blunderside in an industrial complex somewhere (Hull is awash with them with easy access to major roads), not spent millions on the White Elephant of Queens Gardens AND just made the well paid presenters* at Leeds do two versions - it's done at ITV, why not the BBC? If anything newsworthy to the region broke then surely it could break into whatever programme being done 'live' because of the magnitude of it?

* I caveat this because it's public knowledge what an ex presenter at LN Leeds was on prior to her leaving.

The switching still happens at Leeds I believe so the cheaper and cost effective method is for Leeds to record two shows - one for Hull, one for Leeds, with one going live.

Indeed with CV they could have done this NOW and mothballed Hull.

It might physically happen in Leeds but Hull can control it I think.

Slightly off topic but re ITV Meridian had three studios at their HQ each broadcasting live to a separate sub-region.

I thought it was the case that the BBC do not ever pre-record the news as a policy?

I think so. History Bore Alert. In the early days of the BBC the bulletins were recorded.

To be honest, I have found the BBC Yorkshire editorial policy utterly baffling for a couple of years now.

I concur that the kind of story that would be leading news programmes the world over is routinely shunted down the running order in Leeds or worse, dropped completely - and usually in favour of a worthy-but-dull-as-hell human interest story or a data journalism pet project by one of the team. The second half of the programme can be written-off entirely.

It's as though they are actively shunning anything that could be remotely considered anything remotely bordering on 'hard news' and therefore might scare off the cosy BBC local radio-esq audience they think local news should have.

Here's todays running order...

01:10 Addiction charity in Keighly keeping managed to stay open through the crisis, followed with interview with addiction expert.
06:45 Cancer treatment delayed until July for patient considered too risky during crisis.
09:20 Huddersfield Chinese twin city is sending masks to support economic and cultural links
09:40 Councils confirm new arrangements for funerals during outbreak
10:00 A Covid survivors story
12:30 Sheffield Hallam nursing students are going into service
15:00 Leeds consultant who happens to be working at a nightingale hospital is plugging an app he's built (inc interview)
18:00 Leeds bin crews are still out in the city
20:45 Paralympic cyclist is training online
21:00 Sheff Utd player...s son is posting clips of himself kicking free kicks online
22:00 Keyworkers living apart from their families.
24:45 Owain Wyn Evens (who no longer works at the station) can play the drums (to be fair, raised a smile)
25:40 Weather
27:45 We are done

Meanwhile also happening in Yorkshire today, but seemingly not worthy of mention, the M1 through their patch was shut for the bulk of this morning after a body was found on the carriageway, a man was rushed to a Sheffield hospital after allegedly being stabbed and a man was arrested following the discovery of a body at a Leeds city centre apartment.

I'm not saying that any of the items that were included in tonight's programme were somehow not sufficiently newsworthy, but dropping two unexplained deaths and an apparent serious violent crime in favour of a five minute community services explainer is at best questionable.

This is not unique to the times we are in either - it's pretty standard practice at Look North.

I didn't see last night's edition but your argument is a compelling one. The lead item sounds from your description like something very generic that could be slotted in to the middle of the show on any day this week, it doesn't seem time sensitive.