BBC Radio Leicester’s claim to be “the only station made in Leicester for Leicester” has been challenged, with the BBC now admitting the promotion overstated its case. In a Freedom of Information response, the BBC acknowledged the vital role of community radio, regretting the campaign overlooked their contribution. This episode highlights the importance of collaboration and respect across the city’s media landscape.
In August, questions were raised about a promotional campaign broadcast by BBC Radio Leicester. The campaign used the line: “The Only Station Made in Leicester for Leicester.” For many listeners, and particularly those involved in community broadcasting across the city, this claim jarred. Leicester is home to a rich network of community radio services that have long provided distinctive voices, cultural perspectives, and neighbourhood engagement. To suggest that one station alone carries the weight of Leicester’s identity ignores this diverse and vibrant landscape.
Read the FOI Response: FOI2025_01444 – Response
I submitted a Freedom of Information request, asking the BBC to explain the basis of this claim. The concern was straightforward: while BBC Radio Leicester is an important local broadcaster, it is far from the only service produced in and for the city. Dozens of community broadcasters contribute daily to Leicester’s civic and cultural life, largely volunteers working with very limited resources to ensure that underrepresented communities are heard.
The BBC has now responded. In their reply they admitted:
“However, we recognise that in saying we were ‘the only’ station made in Leicester, we frankly overstated our case. Community radio stations play an important role in the city’s media life, often serving audiences and interests that would otherwise go unheard. We regret that our campaign did not acknowledge their contribution. That was never our intention, and we should have been clearer.”
This acknowledgment matters. It is a welcome step in recognising that community media is not a peripheral afterthought, but an essential part of Leicester’s media ecology. Local stations such as Soar Sound Radio, Radio UTSAV, Satsang Radio, Kohinoor Radio, and others provide invaluable platforms that reflect the cultural diversity, languages, and everyday concerns of people across the city. They bring forward stories that are seldom prioritised in mainstream programming, and they foster the sense of belonging that comes from hearing familiar voices and perspectives on air.
By clarifying that its promotional message was overstated, the BBC has admitted what many in Leicester already know: no single broadcaster can claim to be the only service made in and for the city. The reality is far more collaborative and plural. If anything, this episode is a reminder of the need for respect between large, well-funded institutions and grassroots initiatives that work hard to maintain access to the airwaves.
Community radio continues to be a vital democratic space. It ensures that the media environment in Leicester reflects the whole city, not just a narrow slice of it. The BBC’s response is a step in the right direction. The challenge now is to turn that recognition into meaningful support for the stations that give Leicester’s diverse communities their voice.