The CMA has been working with the BBC on an agreement for BBC Local Radio to share its content on the following basis:

• BBC Local Radio will make its local news bulletins available to CMA radio station partners;
• BBC Local Radio will share its ‘Make A Difference’ information and stories with CMA radio station partners;
• BBC Local Radio will make available key public service drop-ins and interviews to CMA radio station partners; and
• BBC Local Radio will make some locally made programmes (e.g. Breakfast) available to CMA radio station partners.

Danny Lawrence, Gateway 97.8, and Chairman of the Community Media Association (2020) said:

“We're delighted to be working with BBC Local Radio in this initiative to share their content with community radio stations during this health crisis. This is an excellent example of the CMA-BBC Memorandum of Understanding working in practice. It's vitally important at this time for BBC Local Radio to partner with local community radio stations to keep our communities safe, informed, and educated. We look forward to furthering the relationships between local community radio and BBC Local Radio going forward”.

Bill Best, Operations Manager of the Community Media Association said:

“Our members and other local community radio stations will be pleased to be able to access a range of BBC Local Radio content from local news bulletins, to local community information in the 'Make A Difference' bulletins, and other key public service drop-ins and interviews. BBC Local Radio content will help to complement the fantastic output that our members and other community radio stations are broadcasting to support their communities at this difficult time. Community radio stations can email bbclocalradio@commedia.org.uk for details”.

There is a list of Frequently Asked Questions on the BBC Local Radio Content Scheme that can be downloaded from here. We've already received positive reports from community radio stations successfully accessing this BBC Local Radio content.

We will endeavour to keep these pages updated as and when guidance and information changes.