Radio 4 presenter Justin Webb warns BBC bosses they risk destroying radio

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Radio 4 presenter Justin Webb warns BBC bosses they risk destroying radio in their bid to appeal to younger listeners

  • Justin Webb has warned that BBC bosses risk destroying radio if they go too far
  • He said cutting money for ‘core programmes’ will weaken case for licence fee
  • BBC is trying to attract young people who have been deserting the corporation

By Paul Revoir For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

The co-presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme has warned that BBC bosses risk destroying radio if they go too far in their bid to appeal to younger listeners.

Justin Webb, 59, added that cutting money for ‘core programmes’ in favour of ‘bite-sized chunks’ for the ‘yoof’ audience will weaken the case for the licence fee.

The BBC is desperately trying to attract younger audiences who have been deserting the corporation in favour of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. 

It is also slashing its news output across TV and radio as part of a cost-cutting drive.

Justin Webb, 59, added that cutting money for ‘core programmes’ in favour of ‘bite-sized chunks’ for the ‘yoof’ audience will weaken the case for the licence fee

Writing in the Radio Times, Webb urged bosses to be careful making changes, saying he hopes Today will remain a ‘distinct entity with a character and a presence’.

 He said: ‘When BBC bosses say the young aren’t listening to BBC radio any more and we have to treat this as an emergency and run around as if our pants were on fire, my first reaction is, ‘Hey, what took you so long?’

…but drama chief is proud to be woke

The BBC’s head of drama has defended criticism that it is preoccupied with appearing ‘woke’ after repurposing classic texts to boost roles for women and ethnic minorities.

Piers Wenger said older stories must be adapted for a contemporary audience.

The broadcaster recently adapted novels to appeal to diversity-obsessed viewers, swapping male leads for female stars and casting ethnic minority actors in traditionally white roles. Examples from last year include The War Of The Worlds and A Christmas Carol.

Mr Wenger said: ‘What does ‘woke’ really mean? If it means equality being important and fair representation being important then absolutely. That is important to me.’

‘My second is… Perhaps the young will get old. It has happened before. Perhaps radio will outlive this panic, as it has outlived all others.

‘But it will only outlive the panic if well-meaning bosses resist the temptation to destroy the wireless in order to save it.’ 

Webb added: ‘The temptation will be to reduce the funding of the core programmes and chop up its output into the bite-sized chunks those in charge think ‘yoof’ might consume.’

But he said that this type of shorter content would not make people want to pay the licence fee in the same way that ‘a brilliant Panorama’ would.

Webb said that, despite concerns, radio was still performing well with Today’s audience ‘close to record levels’ and people were now using devices such as smart speakers to listen to content.

The presenter also criticised the ‘timidity of Government officials’ after plans for a Netflix-style service from the BBC and ITV was blocked by regulators a decade ago. 

Since then US companies such as Netflix and Amazon have become dominant.