Anger as popular BBC Radio Devon presenter Sparksy gets the graveyard slot
ANGRY listeners have condemned BBC spending cuts that have pushed city radio legend Gordon Sparks onto the “graveyard slot”.
For years, Plymouth people have woken to Sparksy’s much-loved breakfast show on BBC Radio Devon.
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Gordon Sparks
But the popular broadcaster’s ‘Good Morning Plymouth’ programme has been axed, leaving fuming fans to bemoan the county-spanning replacement.
Long-serving Sparksy is still on the airwaves – but in an earlier and shorter slot following the scheduling shake-up.
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Good Morning Plymouth was a weekday staple on the station, offering news, interviews and chat from the city between 6am-9am.
As well as being the voice of his beloved Plymouth Argyle on BBC Radio Devon, everyone from politicians and business leaders to remarkable city residents were featured on Sparksy’s morning show.
It is one of four outside breakfast shows operated by the BBC to be axed as part of spending cuts.
The Herald revealed last October how the programme was under threat, as the corporation bids to shed 2,000 jobs and shave 20 per cent from its budget over the next five years. The cuts were announced as part of its ‘Delivering Quality First’ project.
For Plymouth listeners, BBC Radio Devon’s new weekday schedule, now in its second week, sees Sparksy present the new Gordon Sparks Early Breakfast Show from 5am-6.30am. That is now followed by Good Morning Devon, which runs from 6.30am-9am. Several dismayed listeners have contacted The Herald about the changes. Sandra Cole, from Woolwell, said she would no longer be tuning in after Sparksy went off air – and has complained to BBC South West head Leo Devine.
“I really cannot understand this,” she said. “I for one thoroughly enjoyed his show, which always put a smile on my face before heading to work.”
D Bate, from Peverell, added: “Once again we, the licence payers, have been ignored with Gordon Sparks’ Plymouth breakfast show being done away with and instead being replaced by a county-wide early morning graveyard slot.”
But a BBC spokeswoman insisted: “We will continue to offer dedicated coverage of Plymouth.”
She added: “Listeners will hear more of Gordon presenting the early breakfast show and he will continue to be a pivotal part of the breakfast programme – out and about in the city of Plymouth reporting on the big story of the day. This will better serve the needs of listeners in the county who want to hear news from across the whole region and for Plymouth listeners who will feel in touch with the rest of Devon.”
Sparksy himself declined to comment.
But Plymouth Moor View MP Alison Seabeck, who campaigned against the cuts last year, described the move as “hugely disappointing” for Plymouth.
Comments
by hstmtu4000
Friday, June 15 2012, 10:26AM
“The problem as I see it is that you have a radio station,Radio Devon which on one hand has to serve the largely rural interests of "chocolate box" Devon and its county "town" Exeter while at the same time serve the city of Plymouth by far the largest urban area with a catchment area population of nearly 400k with mostly urban interests.It funny how the Government has chosen Plymouth alone in Devon and Cornwall to pilot a breed of new local Television stations but then allows the BBC to cut its local radio content here.I have long held the view that both Cornwall and Devon county councils through "back door" shire politics at national level have deliberately conspired to hold back Plymouths development because they dont want to be dominated by a large and more significantly expanding urban Plymouth.I remember the debacle of the "Tamarside" proposals to expand Plymouths boundaries across the river Tamar and local government changes of the 1970s when Plymouth was eventually lumped in with Devon and run from Exeter for several years.The result Exeter despite its relatively small size (120k) was the place that drew everyones attention both business and political.Eventually Plymouth regained its rightful place to run its own affairs again but by that time the damage was done and Exeter was already in the ascendancy and here we are today still being treated shabbily on all fronts.”
by buggly
Thursday, June 14 2012, 11:51PM
“I now listening to Radio Plymouth .Radio Devon is all about Exeter -Barnstaple etc . I didnt have a problem with Shep and Jo in fact Jo has a nice voice its Spiers that needs to go together with her giggling puppets in the background.Put her out to grass !!”
by M_G_M
Thursday, June 14 2012, 11:17PM
“Gordon Sparks has been Mr Plymouth on our local radio and has been a superb ambassador for Plymouth and for it's football through good and bad times
That we have lost an exceptionally localised programme by an exceptionally localised presenter in the form of Sparksy gave local people a local voice is an absolute transitivity and so short sighted decision. Gordon's programme from 6 - 9 am was perfectly timed and perfectly balanced for local issues and Gordon Sparks had a perfectly balanced approach
I have stopped listening to BBC Radio Devon. None of it now, at any time of day does anything for me and Sorry Gordon, but 5 am is definitely too early for me. Good luck for the future mate, you deserve better from the BBC”
by DevonEagle
Thursday, June 14 2012, 7:55PM
“Hasn't Matt Woodley prided himself recently on getting things sorted, Jimmy Saville style?
Dear Matt'll Fix It.
Can you help us get our local radio show back?”
by PlymptonPong
Thursday, June 14 2012, 7:12PM
“Such a shame. I won't be listening beyond 6.30am anymore. This morning's news about a woman in Sidmouth who was seeking compensation from Tescos just wasn't of interest and wasn't local. At least Sparksy got out in the local area and got all sides of the story. How much money has this actually saved, and how many listeners will BBC Devon lose?”
by NICKERS
Thursday, June 14 2012, 6:00PM
“by medicladThursday, June 14 2012, 5:33PM
" Matt Woodley who loves the sound of his own voice.
We could never accuse our Gordon of being like that!”
by MPstink1
Thursday, June 14 2012, 5:50PM
“Dozy BBC...Dozy Herald...Dozy PCC..all no brain jobsworth..Stink like MPs. Corruption.”
by Mickey111
Thursday, June 14 2012, 5:47PM
“Yawn.............slow news day.”
by mediclad
Thursday, June 14 2012, 5:33PM
“Its a further blow to Plymouth if we didn't already know it. The morning show with Sparksy was there to represent Plymouth only with news and whats on information solely for the people of Plymouth. We are a city of approx 250,000 inhabitants, we deserve our own breakfast show rather than the Devon wide show with Matt Woodley who loves the sound of his own voice.
I agree with others with regard to the Shep and Jo show, it is third rate and as soon as I hear them I switch channels.
Its sad because BBC Radio Devon used to be rated as one of the best County radio stations, I fear that it has long lost this rating. Only Judi Spires and Fitz left worth listening to!”
by whinger7643
Thursday, June 14 2012, 4:39PM
“Has anyone out there ever been asked who, when or what they would like to listen to by the BBC please, responses to BBC Plymouth i would suggest. If the BBC are expert at anything, it is upsetting the listeners by getting rid of their most popular announcers at the time most people want to hear them.”