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Salter stand up for Royals Fans in radion dispute |
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SALTER STANDS UP FOR ROYALS FANS IN RADIO DISPUTE
Reading West MP, Martin Salter, has stepped into the row between Reading F.C and BBC Radio Berkshire over the commentary rights for next season’s Premiership football. In a letter to Eve Turner, Head of BBC South, Mr Salter has urged Radio Berkshire to increase their financial offer for the rights, and meet the Club halfway, so as not to leave half a million people in Berkshire unable to listen live to how the Royals are getting on at Old Trafford, Anfield, and in other games. The row started last week when it was announced that the rights to air live commentary for Reading F.C home and away games would transfer from BBC Radio Berks, as the Club did not believe that the BBC offer of £65,000 was sufficient for Premiership football. The club were looking for offers in the region of £100,000. Many fans have reacted with anger, and 1244 have so far signed an online petition calling for Radio Berks to be reinstated.2 In his letter Martin Salter, who is also a Vice President of STAR, the Supporters Trust at Reading, said: “I feel that you are underestimating the significance and importance of Reading’s promotion to the Premiership. Reaching the top tier of English football for the first time in 135 years has rightly caught the imagination of people in Reading and much further beyond. As the Royals are the only professional football team in Berkshire, a large number of football fans who previously may have supported Arsenal and Chelsea have become Reading fans. This expansion of the fanbase and the relatively small capacity on the Madejski Stadium will mean that many fans will not be able to watch the games live. Demand will outstrip supply even further for away games and fans will rely on radio coverage, thus allowing you to reach more listeners than ever before. I have been contacted by many Reading fans in Berkshire and North Hampshire who live outside the broadcast area for Reading 107 who have previously relied on Radio Berks. I am sure you are aware of the internet petition calling for Radio Berks to be reinstated, which at the time of writing has been signed by 1244 fans. I would like to note that the £100,000 asked by John Madejski is a small figure when you think of the licence fee income in the wider Reading area. Furthermore it is a mere drop in the ocean compared to the money the BBC wasted on the disastrous creation of the short-lived Thames Valley FM ten years ago.” Mr Salter concluded: “The football club have shown that they are prepared to compromise. For the sake of all football fans in Berkshire, I urge you to work with John Madejski and Nigel Howe to keep the commentary with BBC Radio Berkshire.” The online petition started by Reading fans can be viewed at http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?BBCBERKS
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