From the press release issued by BBC Press Office on 17.03.06.

" Radio Manchester will increase its commitment to cover Manchester�s cultural, business and entertainment worlds, alongside its reputation for top quality and dependable news, sport, weather and traffic.

Community programmes are also being given a higher profile within the station's output."

Compare and contrast:-

The Irish Post reported on March 08 2006 that..."The village of Levenshulme in south Manchester has responded with fury after their local BBC radio station revealed it wanted to end Britain�s longest running Irish radio show.

Gay News reported on March 14 2006 that..."Gay men and women in the Greater Manchester area are furious. On Thursday March 30, the shutters will come down on Gaytalk, a 30-minute magazine radio programme that first went on the air ten years ago.

The programme is thought to be the only radio programme specifically aimed at the gay community in the UK...Also going are other niche programmes like Eastern Horizon, the bilingual Chinese and English programme which first aired December 1983 when the radio station was Radio Manchester, and the long-running The Parlour aimed at the Irish community.

In swingeing cuts, ordered by new GMR editor John Ryan, even the station�s Asian programming goes."

In an update on the campaign Gay News reports that local MPs have given their support, noting also that "Other weekly shows in danger include popular Jewish show It�s Kosher..."