So what is localness?
I’m just wondering because today Xfm announced its much rumoured (within the radio industry at least) initiative to get rid of its daytime DJs and run an “all music” daytime schedule.
Between 10am and 4pm each day, Xfm will be running “Radio to the Power of U.” And this will happen across all three of the current Xfm stations. It’s worth noting that Xfm has just been awarded a South Wales licence too, so what will happen there I wonder?
UK local radio stations have formats that stipulate how much local programming they carry. For the three Xfm stations these are as follows:
Xfm 106 in Scotland’s licence says: “24 hours a day all locally made save for the occasional syndicated programme/features.”
Xfm London: “24 hours a day (at least 16 hrs locally made)”
Xfm Manchester: “24 hours a day(at least 20 hours locally made)”
While London is more flexible, it’s clear from Xfm Scotland’s requirements that we must consider that this programming is indeed “local” because it’s been chosen by local listeners.
Reading back through what Ofcom defines as localness, it’s clear that the traditional idea of a DJ located within the area talking about that same area is not essential.

Localness can be both characterised and delivered in a number of ways (news, information, comment, outside broadcasts, what’s-on, travel news, interviews, charity involvement, weather, local artists, local arts and culture, sport coverage, phone-ins, listener interactivity etc.), therefore precise definitions can be unhelpful.
As ever, it’s going to be the bits around the music that will make the station local. However we could start counting the number of angels that can fit on a pinhead if we’re not careful with arcane requirements determining where your jukebox server is hosted mattering in Ofcom’s eyes.
How is the new-look Xfm going to back-announce the songs it’s playing? Particularly in the case of a station that explicitly must play new music? Xfm 104.9 in London’s format as specified to Ofcom, describes (in part) the music it should play as follows:
Up to 50% of the output will be current popular alternatives (from the last two months), with the rest of programming made up of breakthrough tracks from the previous fortnight, classic alternatives and “roots” tracks which played a part in alternative evolution. None of those categories should exceed 30% of the output.
So who’s going to tell listeners what they’ve just heard? The listeners themselves in recorded messages?
In the States, Jack FM is a format that’s done relatively well in recent years, employing a DJ-less environment with a pre-recorded “snarky” voice breaking up the records. The playlist is a lot deeper than an average station’s, and they play fewer ads. It’s obviously an exceptionally cheap programming format, although in limited doses, arguably quite refreshing. However Jack FM plays tracks you already know. You’re probably not going to be upset when a DJ doesn’t tell you what you just heard. It’s very different for new music.
The UK is soon to get its first Jack FM in Oxford, where a station is using the Jack FM format. In their Ofcom licence application (PDF) they promise non-stop music from 10am – 7pm with just two ad-breaks an hour.
Xfm claims that this change isn’t a cost-cutting exercise, we’re told, because “None of the presenters or production team would lose their jobs. The DJs affected will be moved to other slots, although the total number of hours they are on air will inevitably be reduced.” Given that many DJs are paid on a shift by shift basis, that could well mean that the six DJs involved will have little to no income.
There’s a discussion about the relative merits of this move over at MediaGuardian. My favourite quote so far is: “Just music is what iPods are for, except they don’t have jingles and ads.”
[Since this entry is explicitly about radio, I should highlight that these views are all my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer]