Ofcom has today published independent audience research on attitudes towards local news and other content on local radio.

In 2010, new Ofcom rules allowed local analogue commercial radio stations greater flexibility in relation to sharing programmes, co-locating with other stations and requirements to provide local material and locally made programmes. The research published today looks at the levels of satisfaction with local radio among listeners.

The qualitative and quantitative research found that:

• Listeners consider that radio delivers timely national and local information, and is a source of a variety of entertaining and stimulating music and speech.
• Music is most valued by local commercial radio listeners (83%) followed by local news (45%) and weather (35%).
• More than half of local commercial radio listeners (56%) say they rely on their station to keep them updated with local headlines.
• The majority of listeners to BBC local radio and local commercial radio are satisfied with the way their local stations cover local news (82% and 70% respectively).
• Over half of local commercial radio listeners say it is important that their local station has presenters who are based in the area during the breakfast show (52%). Many listeners believe that a presenter rooted in their community, with local knowledge, is best placed to present local information in a credible way.

The research reports can be found on Ofcom’s website at this link.