Commercial radio bosses are unhappy at the BBC's plans to expand its online local news coverage. But their claims that commercial stations already have local news well covered - at a time when groups like GCap Media are syndicating programmes like there's no tomorrow - might have some listeners spluttering into their cornflakes.
Let there be no doubt, commercial radio stations do a LOT of local news and information programmes. We know that because the RadioCentre, the trade body that represents commercial radio, has just published a report telling us so.
But in my experience my local newspaper is much more likely to tell me what's going on than my local radio station. And even the newspaper isn't very good.
Presumably it is a question of resources, and those resourses are likely to become even scarcer in the current economic climate, with radio advertising revenues down 10%.
I have lots of time for my local radio station, Mix 107, which I've written about before. But let's take its online "what's on" section as an example of its provision of local news and content. Frankly, it leaves a lot to be desired, with 12 entries for the rest of July, two of which are for blood donor sessions.
Surely there's more going on in south Bucks! Come to think of it, maybe not.
But having begun my so-called career on a local newspaper - big shout out to the Medway News and Standard - I have a hunch that what's on listings are not at the top of a local media outlet's priorities.
Compare it to the BBC's online "what's on" offering for my manor. On the surface it is much more comprehensive - and much better resourced, of course - but it also includes Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire - along with Bucks - which, frankly, I couldn't care less about.
Which is what makes Mix 107 so great - its localness. It covers south Bucks and nothing else, and not even the BBC can compete at that sort of "micro" local level, even if it does get permission to expand its local online offering.
How often does my BBC regional news service mention Hazlemere shopping centre or those nightmare traffic lights near High Wycombe? Never. The Mix 107 breakfast show mentions them every day, or at least that's what it seems like.
But will local commercial radio continue get the resources to do it properly? Unless advertising revenue suddenly picks up, or programming bosses come up with an ingenious way to fight back in the ratings war, I fear the worst.
