BBC Radio Manchester dropped its network programming feed this week to continue local coverage of the fire on Saddleworth Moor.
The station stayed on-air on locally at 7pm instead of switching to an the all-England evening show, and continued to be live overnight instead of taking BBC Radio 5 live.
Connor Phillips was on until 5am taking calls from worried listeners.
Mike Sweeney was live from Carrbrook, and other presenters and reporters including breakfast presenter Sam Walker were on the scene interviewing residents, the Mayor and Jonathan Reynolds, MP for Stalybridge.
Kate Squire, Managing Editor of BBC Radio Manchester, said: “This is one of the biggest moor fires we’ve ever seen in England and we’ll be bringing our listeners live updates from the scene as the military is called in to help tackle the blaze.”
What’s the point? It takes a minute or two to report on the fire and give an update which they can do in the news and then carry on with normal programming. If the situation suddenly changes they can interrupt programming. Much better than constant repetition of the same information when there is nothing new to report.
Perhaps Ofcom could read this and find out what Local Radio really means!