BBC Radio Sheffield: a new partnership for local audiences

Like many successful relationships – this one started with a brew and a natter. New to the Editor role at Radio Sheffield in the Spring, I was aware that The Star, the biggest local paper in our area, had also got a new boss - Nancy Fielder. We met for a coffee and found that we had a lot in common. We both felt strongly about the roles our newsrooms can play in facilitating local debate, engaging people in local democracy and highlighting local conversation.

Traditionally seen as rivals, our newsrooms will always have some different priorities but there is arguably more that unites us than divides us. Fundamentally, we both believe in championing our local communities. So we asked the question - "could we have more impact with our journalism if we worked together more often?".

Several coffees later and here we are. The BBC Sheffield Open Centre - a room full of Radio Sheffield listeners, Star readers and a panel of guests debating the future of South Yorkshire Police. With the high profile cases of CSE in Rotherham, the fallout from the Hillsborough enquiry and the focus on Orgreave - it's been a turbulent time for the local force and public confidence has been at an all-time-low. With a new Chief Constable now at the helm, it's the perfect opportunity to look ahead. 'A Force for The Future?' is a public debate our two newsrooms produced together to give our audiences a say on what they want from their police in the future.

Hosted by Breakfast Presenter, Toby Foster, it's the first chance for listeners and readers to quiz the new Chief - Stephen Watson. Alongside him on the panel are the Police and Crime Commissioner, Dr Alan Billings and Jim Lucas, the secretary of the Police Federation. There are former police officers in the crowd, local councillors, community leaders and representatives of local voluntary groups. Naturally, there are lots of questions about lessons learned from recent, and not so recent, events. There is also a lot of looking ahead. How will the new Chief deal with more cuts to funding? How will he reshape the Force so it has a stronger presence in neighbourhoods? How will police work alongside community groups and how will the Force regain public confidence? The debate aired on Radio Sheffield on Wednesday, 19th October at 9am, and The Star published their coverage on the same day.



It's early days for BBC Sheffield and The Star working together - but day one has gone well and our plan is to work together on 3-4 other big moments like this across a year. Co-ordinated coverage on air, online and in the paper means we'll make more of a splash with our local journalism and hopefully raise the profile of both newsrooms. And this joint approach has certainly got people talking. Should the BBC and local newspapers be working together like this? Does it impact on the editorial integrity of both newsrooms? Is it just a front for stretched resources? 

All comments I’ve read online in response to us working together, all interesting and all valid questions to ask. Whatever your view, it’s clear that The Star and Radio Sheffield will have to work together with ongoing care and thought for each other and our different remits. Ultimately, there will always be healthy rivalry between local newsrooms, especially when it comes to chasing a scoop – and long may that continue! But when it comes to championing communities, giving local people a voice on the major themes that unite them - we just might have a bigger, better and louder conversation if we have it together.



Listen again to A Force for the Future? on BBC Radio Sheffield on iPlayer