An examination of the development of local radio broadcasting and the trend for locally-owned, locally-originated and locally-accountable commercial radio stations to fall into the hands of national and international media groups. Starkey traces the early development of local radio through to present-day digital environments.

Guy Starkey is Professor of Radio and Journalism at the University of Sunderland, UK. He is Chair of the Radio Research Section of the European Communications Research and Education Association and has written several books, and textbook and journal chapters on Radio and Journalism.

Acknowledgements Preface The Sleeping Giant: Resistance and Repression in the Monopoly Years (1906-1972) The Wake-Up Call: The New Dawn and Local Radio's Place in the New Duopoly (1973-1983) Growing Pains: Localness: Regulation, Deregulation and What About Automation? (1984-2003) Homogenisation, or Two Digits to the BBC - and to Everyone Else? (2003-) Global Village or Total Eclipse?: From 'Hot' and 'Cool' Media to 'Active' and 'Passive' Media References Index