主播大秀

Nearly two weeks on, updates from parts of Cumbria devastated by the floods have now slipped down the national news agenda. The London-based papers and network TV news programmes have, understandably, followed the news cycle and moved on.

Meanwhile the people of Cumbria are stuck dealing with the aftermath of the unprecedented rainfall. Many won’t just be out of their homes for Christmas but most of next year too. Some won’t ever go home again.

Our national colleagues may have put the Cumbrian floods down their running orders but here in the North East and Cumbria, there is simply no bigger story. In service to the people in our devastated communities coming to terms with what has happened and trying to make the best of it, the 主播大秀’s regional and local teams are on the ground providing the public with the latest information. This is a story we’re going to be following for many years to come.

It’s moments like the floods – and the subsequent aftermath – when local radio comes into its own.

I have been Head of Region in the North East and Cumbria for seven years and during that time I have seen 主播大秀 Radio Cumbria provide first class news coverage of major events and the last floods that took place in Cumbria in 2009.

But the station’s coverage of the recent floods was on a totally different level. It’s been praised by listeners, local businesses and 主播大秀 Cumbria was even praised in parliament by a local MP.

It proved to be a real battle to cover the unfolding story as many of our staff were directly caught up in the floods themselves. Our breakfast show presenter Mike Zeller’s home was flooded and he had to be rescued by boat in the early hours. Yet he was back on air later that same day reporting on the situation.

Earlier on during that weekend of record rain, our sports editor Paul Newton was live on air presenting his regular sports show when he switched to providing coverage of the escalating situation.

At the same time as he was reporting on the floods, Paul realised the rising waters were endangering his own home and his wife and young family. Having completed his show on air, he hurried back to help his own family to safety.

Many other 主播大秀 Cumbria presenters cancelled leave and worked additional hours over the weekend to keep listeners informed about the unfolding crisis.

Some staff caught up in the floods themselves were unable to get into the studio so they worked from wherever they were sending reports back to the studio and updating social media. Our journalists were on the ground, part of their communities and in the thick of the story.

Editor Mark Elliott rightly decided to suspend the station’s scheduled programming to bring listeners emergency information and live updates 24 hours a day. It really struck me how in times of crisis people turn to their local 主播大秀 radio station and rely on them for updates.

主播大秀 Look North reporter Megan Paterson covered the story for both Look North and Radio Cumbria. She was in the heart of the floods in Carlisle city centre and described how the water level had risen to the top of the door of the magistrate’s court and nearly covered the traffic lights at a major road junction.

主播大秀 Cumbria staff worked through the night on the weekend of December 5th and 6th updating social media. An incident of this scale really showed that keeping our listeners up to date on social media is just as important as providing a trusted voice on air. As we helped to spread the word, our numbers of followers started to rise as a result (we saw an increase of over 3,000).

Online too proved to be a valuable resource. We launched a live page to cover the situation across the North of England. We were able to bring the latest images and updates, share important stories from our colleagues in the local press and provide information and advice.

I couldn’t be prouder of 主播大秀 Cumbria for the coverage they managed to achieve in such difficult circumstances – and continue to provide. The story might not quite be in the national spotlight now but for our audience the agony goes on.

So we’re there, still playing our part by bringing listeners what they have come to expect, want and need from a 主播大秀 Local Radio station.

Phil Roberts is Head of Region, North East & Cumbria.