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.

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