Senior local editorial directors have joined forces in an unprecedented call for the “neighbour from hell” BBC to abandon its plans to expand aggressively into local news marketplaces already well served by commercial providers.

In a message running across local titles today, editors warn that the BBC is an “equally potent threat” to the sustainability of local journalism as the tech platforms, "fixated on stealing local media’s readers, businesses and the jobs of their journalists".

“If the BBC was a family and lived in the house next door to you it would be the neighbour from hell,” the editors said, adding that the attack on local news media would be a “shameful legacy” for BBC Director-General Tim Davie.

The editors added: “That's the verdict of some of the most experienced local newspaper editors in the country who now regard the BBC as little more than a state-funded juggernaut on course to suffocate independent journalism in every city, town and village in the UK. 

“The BBC seems to be on a mission to be the only show in town - having taken an axe to its much-loved local radio stations so it can start writing news stories online which you can already get from local newspapers which are currently battling with tech platforms like Google, Meta and Apple.” 

The message is signed by Ian Carter, Iliffe Media editorial director; Toby Granville, Newsquest editorial development director; Gary Shipton, National World editorial director; Jeremy Spooner, News Media Association Independent Publishers Forum chair; Paul Rowland, Reach Regionals editorial director; and Martin Wright, Midland News Association editor in chief.

It is thought to be the first time editorial chiefs from local publishers have co-signed a joint message in this way.

The editors said that if the BBC wanted to fairly compete and support a diverse and trusted local news reporting ecosystem it should focus its efforts on providing a snapshot of life in its 12 English regions, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and abandon its roll out of 34 local websites. 

They added: “It is time the BBC showed that it is not the biggest threat to local community independent journalism, but a global broadcaster focused on delivering the very best television and radio in line with its charter.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are reshaping our local services to increase the value we deliver to audiences across England and to ensure we keep pace with changing audience expectations and remain a cornerstone of local life for generations to come. There is no evidence that the BBC is crowding out other digital publishers. We work collaboratively across the industry and our partnership with the NMA has transformed coverage of local democracy across the UK.”