As
well as publishing The RADIO Magazine every week,
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UK RADIO GUIDE & DIRECTORY. This publication
contains unique city-by-city RAJAR charts, plenty of other
useful ratings information, and a full guide to services
for the UK Radio Industry.
The UK RADIO GUIDE & DIRECTORY is sent FREE
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Radio
Aid £3m success
19 January 2005
UK
Radio Aid on Monday was pronounced a phenomenal success
with more than £3 million raised for victims of
the tsunami disaster in Asia. It was the first time that
the UK's largest radio groups - EMAP, Chrysalis, Guardian
Media Group, Scottish Radio Holdings, Capital Radio, GWR
and Scottish Media Group - had collaborated to create
a nationally networked station for twelve hours. The audience
was estimated to be in excess of 26 million across the
268 stations taking part, each of which pledged to donate
a single day's profits to the appeal.
Read
more in this week's issue...
13
radio licences in 2005
19 January 2005
Ofcom
has announced plans to advertise the next thirteen FM
radio licences during 2005, including two regional-type
stations covering Swansea and the Solent area.
Read
more about the full list in this week's issue...
US
Radio $28m campaign for listeners
19 January 2005
In
the largest co-operative effort in the industry's history,
American radio companies have agreed to spend $28 million
on a six-week marketing campaign to convince the public
to listen to the radio. Faced with competition from the
new satellite radio services that already have 4.5 million
subscribers, and from internet radio which Arbitron says
attracts 4.1 million listeners, this radio industry promotion
is based around the tag line "radio - you hear it
here first".
Read more in this week's issue...
Community
Radio Fund consultation
12 January 2005
Ofcom
is requesting opinions on its proposals for the newly
created Community Radio Fund that will distribute grants
to community radio stations that will start to be licensed
later this year. Ofcom proposes that the £500,000
a year fund be distributed to applicants on the basis
of "individual need and merit" by a newly created
Community Radio Fund panel that would include one nominee
of the Community Media Association, a member of the Ofcom
Content Board (as chairperson) and an Ofcom representative
with expertise in community radio.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Knowsley
station saved by TLRC
12 January 2005
The
Local Radio Company has confirmed that it has bought the
ailing East Liverpool station KCR FM for £507,250
in cash. In the year to May 2004, KCR FM made a loss of
£108,000. TLRC intends to turn the radio station
around aided by its first ever RAJAR results, to be published
in two weeks time.
Read
the full story in this week's issue....
Moyles
is Top of the Pods
5 January 2005
BBC
Radio's experiment with podcast technology has proven
a great success amongst internet users who can now download
radio shows from the BBC website directly to their i-pod
player. The most popular programme was Chris Moyles' Radio
One Breakfast Show which attracted 395,000 online listens
during November, pushing Radio 4's The Archers into second
place for the first time.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Counsellors
use radio to reach Tsunami survivors
5 January 2005
Psychiatrists
in India will produce radio programmes to counsel survivors
of the tsunami disaster in the affected provinces. "Maybe
within a week or ten days we will start a broadcast aimed
at helping tsunami survivors cope with post traumatic
stress disorder," said Manish Kansal, secretary
of the Delhi Psychiatric Society.
More
in this week's issue...
Capital/GWR
Merger approved
5 January 2005
The
£700m merger between Capital and GWR will go ahead,
following the government's decision not to refer the deal
to the Competition Commission. The Office of Fair Trading
has imposed surprisingly few conditions on the merger,
mainly the disposal of Capital-owned Century 106 FM in
Nottingham.
See
this week's issue for the full story...
Mast
topples after suspected sabotage
2 November 2004
The
580ft Crown Castle mast at Morborne, Peterborough, caught
fire on Saturday, collapsing onto transmitter buildings
and neighbouring fields. Radios 1,2,3 and 4, BBC Radio
Cambridgeshire, BBC digital radio and Classic FM were
all affected.
Detectives
from Cambridgeshire Police think the fire may have been
deliberate and have appealed for witnesses. Latest suggestions
are that the investigation is considering the effect of
a firework hitting the antenna on the mast and igniting
the adjacent cabling.
The
fire left an estimated 1.3 million listeners without FM
services.
Radio
convergence at centre of Ofcom report
2 November 2004
Ofcom
has published its quarterly report into the communications
market which again signals good news for radio and radio
listening via digital platforms. The report highlights
all the major developments within the regulator's field;
telecommunications, television and radio.
Read
more in this week's issue...
John
Peel OBE 1939-2004
26 October 2004
It's
been confirmed that Radio 1's longest-serving presenter,
John Peel, has died aged 65. John was on a working holiday
in Peru when he suffered a fatal heart-attack last night.
Radio
1 Controller Andy Parfitt paid tribute: "John Peel
was a broadcasting legend. I am deeply saddened by his
death as are all who work at Radio 1."
BBC
Director of Radio & Music Jenny Abramsky said: "John
Peel was a unique broadcaster whose influence on Radio
1 could be felt from its early days. He nurtured musicians
and listeners alike introducing them to new sounds."
John
joined the network in 1969 and had continued to front
the evening show. He became a member of the Radio Academy's
Hall of Fame in December last year.
Capital
consolidation closes community chapter for Choice
13 October 2004
Capital
Radio has announced that it is to merge its two London
Choice FM services into a single output. The Ofcom approved
deal closes the door on what was once, two seperate local
ethnic services designed to serve London's African and
Afro-Carribbean communities.
The
original Choice FM founders were awarded 'Community of
Interest' licence for Brixton by the old regulator the
IBA. Later, in 1995 Choice expanded in Britain's second
city, Birmingham, with a similar service only to sell
the station after three years to Chrysalis. The company
was awarded the further North London FM licence in 2000,
against competition from seven other applicants and within
18 months had done a pre-emption deal with Capital Radio
worth £16 million. At the same time the Radio Authority
approved changes that permitted the two stations to share
some programming and drop elements such as its output
for the African community in London and some specialist
music slots including reggae.
Full
spectrum stops further radio development
13 October 2004
Ofcom
has confirmed that it will not undertake the long-awaited
FM spectrum review. As a result, no new licences can be
awarded after the current working list of approximately
35. The regulator says that it took the decision in the
best interest of the current commercial radio industry,
fearing that any review would result in existing services
having to change frequency. Kip Meek, Senior Partner,
Competition and Content, told The RADIO Magazine
that there would definitely not be an FM spectrum review.
"We feel it would be too disruptive to the commercial
radio industry, especially large established stations
if they had to move frequency." Meek also expressed
concern about engaging the BBC at this stage in order
to clear spectrum, and so far Ofcom intends to only allocate
new community radio services within the licensed Independent
Radio parts of the spectrum and not within BBC allocations.
Read
more in this week's issue...
World
first for RAJAR tests
13 October 2004
RAJAR
is to undertake extensive tests on three different audiometers
which could eventually be used in the electronic measurement
of British radio audiences. The test, which will be the
first of its kind in the world, will evaluate the Arbitron
Portable People Meter, the Eurisko NOP World Media Monitor
and the GfK/Telecontrol MediaWatch. The objective of the
trials is to determine how well the audiometers can identify
up to 33 different radio services (both music and speech
based) under as wide a variety of real life conditions
as possible.
Read
more in the current issue...
GWR/Capital
Merger
29 September 2004
The
largest radio group in the UK has been formed following
the proposed merger of GWR Group and Capital Radio. The
merged group will own 55 local analogue radio stations,
93 digital, and one national and will reach an estimated
18 million listeners.
The
£711 million deal follows months of speculation
on whether the two would merge, and on what terms, and
must now be reviewed by the Office of Fair Trading, the
Competition Commission, Ofcom and possibly the Department
of Trade and Industry.
Based
on the current issued share capital of the two companies,
Capital Radio shareholders will hold 52 per cent and GWR
shareholders 48 per cent of the merged group. DMGT, a
shareholder in GWR Group, will remain a shareholder of
the new company for "the forseeable future".
The
deal could see a loss of up to as many as 200 jobs with
the centralisation of administration and sales roles.
The merged group estimates that it will save at least
£7.5 million by the second full year following the
completion of the merger.
The
Board will be drawn from both companies with the Executive
Directors named as Ralph Bernard as Executive Chairman;
David Mansfield as Chief Executive; and Wendy Pallot as
Finance Director.
Read
more in next week's issue...
Ofcom
review could distribute licence fees
29 September 2004
Ofcom's
Public Service Broadcasting Review could come out in favour
of distributing part of the BBC licence fee for public
service broadcasting in general. The mechanism known as
the 'top-slicing' option is of particular interest to
Channel 4 who currently derive all of their programming
budget from commercial operations. The government-owned
public service broadcaster has made no secret of the fact
that it is considering its future position in the UK's
broadcasting market including radio and has desires on
some of the BBC's £2 billion budget.
talkSPORT
cries foul!
29 September 2004
Kelvin
MacKenzie's talkSPORT has filed an official complaint
to Ofcom over the Football Association's decision to sell
exclusive radio rights to the BBC for the FA Cup. According
to talkSPORT, the exclusive deal with the BBC destroys
the competition between talkSPORT and Five Live to provide
national live commentary for the competition and also
that selling the rights collectively prevents the football
clubs themselves from individually selling the national
rights to their matches. The station has also lodged two
official complaints against the BBC and the FA.
Community
Radio faces 'unjust' funding restrictions
8 September 2004
Ofcom
has said that the rules restricting the sale of advertising
by the new tier of community radio stations will now be
applied retrospectively, meaning that some stations could
be forced to close or see half of their income lost at
a stroke.
In
formally opening the application process the regulator
has said that restrictions will now also apply to new
areas where Commercial Radio stations are licensed and
if an existing Community Radio service is operating, restrictions
will be applied retrospectively.
Read
more in this week's issue...
DMGT
nets £80 million in Oz sale
8 September 2004
The
Daily Mail and General Trust, the largest shareholder
in GWR and once a UK radio operator in its own right,
has sold most of its Australian local radio stations in
a cash deal worth £80 million. Altogether 57 stations
have been bought by Regional Media Pty Ltd, a member of
the Macquarie Bank Group and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Hill Samuel & Co. Limited, London. The sale does
not include DMGT's recently launched stations on the Sunshine
Coast, New South Wales; or the metropolitan stations in
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisband, Adelaide and Perth.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Manxman
seeks alternative funding
8 September 2004
Isle
of Man International Broadcasting, the company behind
the Isle of Man longwave station MusicMann 279, has withdrawn
its public offering. The company launched a prospectus
in June this year and had planned to issue 18.6 million
shares on the AIM next year.
The
offer was withdrawn after only a month with the company
claiming that restrictions in offer documents, as laid
down by the financial regulators, prevented a full story
of the station's potential being told. The Isle of Man
International Broadcasting Company holds a licence to
broadcast for 10 years and is proposing to broadcast from
a rig off the Isle of Man coastline.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Channel
4 Radio in development talks
1 September 2004
Talks
between Oneword owner UBC and Channel 4 television are
being held to explore the possibility of the television
company taking an interest in the digital station and
re-launching it as Channel 4 Radio. Speaking to the The
RADIO Magazine, UBC Chief Executive Simon Cole said that
talks were currently taking place to see how any future
deal could be struck.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Choice
FM cancels Reggae festival in case of protests
1 September 2004
Capital
Radio owned Choice FM has been forced to cancel a major
festival scheduled for this weekend due to potential protests
from Gay activists. Pressure group Outrage! threatened
to disrupt the event in protest at the presence of two
homophobic dancehall stars Sizzla and Vybz Kartel in the
programme.
More
in this week's issue...
Virgin
beats Radio to download chart
25 August 2004
Virgin
Radio has upstaged BBC Radio 1 by announcing it is to
broadcast weekly chart rundowns using Napster online sales
figures from August 29th, beating the BBC by three days.
The
new chart will be hosted by Ben Jones and will debut on
1st September.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Ofcom
advertises Kidderminster
25 August 2004
Ofcom
has advertised a new local FM commercial licence for Kidderminster
and the immediate surrounding area, estimated to have
a coverage of around 100,000 adults.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
New
Century line up with Torrington move
18 August 2004
105.4
Century FM has confirmed that it has signed a three-year
deal with Graham Torrington that will see the Late Night
Love presenter move to the North West to front the station's
mid morning show.
While
a start date hasn't yet been set for the new programme,
Graham is contracted to GWR until next March, although
it is yet unknown whether he will leave the group any
earlier than that.
Creation,
the Programming and Content division of GWR Group, is
currently advertising for a late night presenter to replace
Graham.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Speculation
mounts over new London licences
18 August 2004
Rumours
have been circulating about an Ofcom proposal that could
allow as many as three new large, but not large-scale,
services in the capital. The regulator is understood to
have consulted with some of London's smaller operators
about a possible consolidation of small licences and a
move to a a channel in the spectrum below Radio 2's FM
position around 87.8 MHz.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Campus
Media withdraws SBN funding
28 July 2004
The
Student Broadcast Network, which provides a sustaining
service to a number of student radio stations across the
UK as well broadcasting on Sky Digital, is looking for
a new buyer after owner Campus Media withdrew its funding
last week. SBN was acquired by Campus Media in 2002 from
former owners Channelfly.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Ofcom
surpirse: licence fees up
28 July 2004
The
regulator is proposing to change the way radio application
and licence fees are charged. Ofcom says that the fees
for new licence applications do not currently cover the
costs of granting the licence and it now proposes to rebalance
this by increasing costs.
Read
more in this week's issue...
US
to roll out terrestrial digital
28 July 2004
Clear
Channel are leading American radio and speeding up the
industry's adoption of digital technology and has agreed
a deal to make 1,000 of its stations digital. The broadcaster
will use the iBiquity, in-band HD system, developed by
iBiquity Digital Corporation, a company in which Clear
Channel has a small interest. By 2007 San Antonion-based
Clear Channel expects to convert 95 per cent of its 1,200
AM and FM stations to digital in its top 100 markets,
which include the Baltimore-Washington area, as well as
New York and Cincinnati. Initially the conversion will
cost about £70,000 a station, but the price is expected
to decrease as the R & D costs are reclaimed.
Read
more in this week's issue...
New
Ofcom approach for BBC complaints
21 July 2004
The
BBC is to introduce a fast-track online system for programming
complaints similar to the system developed by the commercial
regulator Ofcom. In what it describes as radical reforms
a new streamlined procedure will make it easier for the
public to make a complaint and obtain, where appropriate,
a speedy correction.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Clear
Channel to reduce commercial minutes
21 July 2004
Clear
Channel Radio has announced plans which will limit the
number of commercials it airs on its stations from next
year. The company which operates more than 1,200 stations
in America, is believed to have considered the move after
a series of falls in listening hours in recent Arbitron
surveys.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Public
backs BBC
21 July 2004
The
DCMS published their findings on the public perception
of the BBC. The conclusion, following a turbulent year
of clashes with government, the BBC won resounding support
from those it serves: the listeners and the viewers.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Ofcom's
points make prizes
7 July 2004
New
licence bidders will be able to see how Ofcom will assess
their application when the regulator publishes details
of how the 'score sheet' will work. Ofcom will publish
on its website an example of the scoring form and how
many points are obtainable in each section. Neil Stock,
Senior Associate Head of Radio Planning and Licensing
said that they were currently finalising the marking system.
He said "Everyone will be able to see on what
basis things are being marked. I have to stress that it's
an internal tool and therefore not the definitive based
on the highest wins."
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Celador
to bid for new licences
7 July 2004
The
giant independent production company Celador has set up
a division to bid for new licences in the final Ofcom
round. The company which produces Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,
has teamed up with UBC Media Group for the exercise and
formed a new venture Celador Radio Broadcasting Ltd.
Read
more in this week's issue...
BBC
pushes forward to face the future
1 July 2004
After
upheaval and unwanted distractions the BBC is back, putting
forward its case for the next ten year Charter period.
Launching its publication Building Public Value the BBC
puts to governement the result of the Corporation's own
consultation process and its own interpretation of its
findings.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Neil
defines core values
1 July 2004
The
BBC's former Director of News and Current Affairs Ronald
Neil who led a report into BBC journalism in the wake
of Hutton, has set out and emphasised the core values
of BBC journalism. He said that more accurate and reliable
not taking should be part of all BBC journalists' training
adding that BBC News has 10 times as many journalists
than a national newspaper, broadcasting 120 hours of output
a day.
The
report concluded that the BBC should continue to report
stories based on a single source but "only where
the story is one of significant public interest and the
correct procedures have been followed."
Community
Radio poses more regulation
24 June 2004
The
new third tier of radio looks set to be a headache for
Ofcom for at least two years, with the Community Radio
Order fudging many of the issues and potentially introducing
a policing nightmare. The change in law required to allow
Community Radio was put forward last week by the DCMS
and was amended after pressure from the CRCA. So far the
regulation would prevent new stations opening in areas
where very small ILRs operate, even if they are owned
and supported by radio groups or have programming from
outside the area.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
All
that glistens is not just Classic Gold
24 June 2004
UBC
the company that owns and operates the Classic Gold analogue
and digital stations and develops key Digital Radio software
has issued a series of upbeat announcements alongside
unveiling a healthy profit. The company has done two deals
with British digital radio manufacturer Pure Digital.
One development will allow listeners to be able to download
content on the Pure 'Bug' receiver platform. In another
venture, UBC and Pure will develop software together,
which will allow Electronic Programme Guide information
to be received by digital radios by 2005.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Alan
Turner 1951-2004
17 June 2004
Alan
Turner has died at the age of 52. Alan started his career
working for the Tamworth Herald and Castle Bromwich News.
In 1980 he joined Coventry's Mercia Sound and become one
of the first voices on air, as an original member of their
News Team. Aside from working the news desk, Alan was
also a late night DJ presenting a high-energy dance show
called Some Like It Hot with features including Al's throbbing
12 inch.
In
1991 he left Mercia to join Isle of Wight Radio and freelanced
for the BBC. In 1994 he joined the new West Midlands regional
station 100.7 Heart FM as Senior Journalist and later
became Deputy News Editor.
Paul
Fairburn, Managing Director of Chrysalis Radio Midlands
commented: "Alan was a very dear friend to many of
us. He was here from the start, before 100.7 Heart FM
started broadcasting and before I became Managing Director.
It is so sad that he won't be with us to celebrate our
10th anniversary in September. We miss him deeply and
are thinking of his family."
Chris
Kowalik, News Editor of Chrysalis Radio Midlands added:
"Anyone who's ever met Alan would never forget him.
He was opinionated; outspoken; wildly funny and your best
friend who could always keep a secret. As a journalist
he was by far the most experienced and knowledgeable.
This newsroom will never be the same again."
Alan's
funeral will take place at 3pm at Sutton Crematorium next
Thursday, 24th June.
Queen's
Birthday Honours
16 June 2004
The
Guardian Media Group Chief Executive, Bob Phillis can
add the title Sir to his letterheads after being given
a Knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Last year,
Phillis headed a wide-ranging review of the government's
internal and external communications.
David
Witherow, the former Chairman and Chief Executive of the
Radio Authority was given a CBE, with other media figures
recognised including the Reed Elsivier Chief Executive
Crispen Davis and MP Gerald Kaufman, Chairman of the culture
media and sport select committee.
Mike
Smartt, former Editor-in-Chief of BBC News Interactive
received an OBE for services to broadcasting while BBC
Five Live football pundit and former West Ham and England
star, Trevor Brooking received a Knighthood. Richard Whiteley
and Angela Rippon both received OBEs and Michael Fish
received an MBE.
New
Sky deal will boost digital radio
16 June 2004
BSkyB
has announced plans to launch a free box that couldpotentially
increase the number of listeners to digital radio via
TV. The £150 single payment box will carry 81 channels
of digital radio, nearly twice that of the Freeview system
which now has limited expansion potential. BSkyB already
has 6.5 million subscribers and the new box will help
bring digital reception to many parts of the UK that are
not yet covered by Freeview's DTV multiplexes.
Read
more in this week's issue...
Kelvin
& Beeb in Euro 2004 spat
16 June 2004
The
BBC has been forced to withdraw a promo that claimed Radio
Five Live had exclusive broadcast rights to Euro 2004,
following legal threats from rival sports station talkSPORT.
The trailer, which was broadcast on BBC TV, made the claim
that Five Live had exclusive coverage, despite rival talkSPORT
also holding the rights to broadcast the tournament.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Virgin
in SMG sale denial
9 June 2004
SMG
was reported to be in talks concerning the sale of Virgin
Radio, the national AM and London FM rock and album service.
The Observer newspaper suggested that the company is in
talks with EMAP but SMG last week at its annual meeting
denied that there was an immediate prospect of a sale.
It
is believed that Virgin Radio has also been targeted by
other radio groups including Capital, which could start
a bidding war way above the estimated £130 million
price tag on the station. SMG, owner of two of Scotland's
commercial TV licences, paid £225 million three
years ago when it bought the station from Chris Evans'
company Ginger Media.
Read
more in this week's issue...
DMG
in Oz sale speculation
9 June 2004
DMG
Australia, the 'down under' radio division of the Daily
Mail & General Trust, is rumoured in a Sydney newspaper
to have put its 60-station group up for sale. Speculation
is that DMGT, owners of the Daily Mail and 28 per cent
of GWR, are seeking funds to mount a £700 million
bid for the Daily Telegraph. The Australian Financial
Review reports that the radio operator Macquarie and another
bidder, Western Australian Newspapers Ltd are looking
at a possible £76 million (A$200 million) deal to
buy the stations.
Final
call for TechCon
9 June 2004
Last
minute entries to the Radio Academy's TechCon Product
of the Year 2004 Award need to be at the Radio Academy
by the closing date of this Friday (11th June).
Capital's
Dublin bid Absolute
26 May 2004
Capital
Radio has teamed up with Ulster Television (UTV) and Absolute
Radio International to bid for a licence in the Irish
capital for Xfm. UTV currently operates Q102, 96fm and
103fm in Dublin, Live 95fm in Cork and Juice FM Limerick.
This
week Capital Radio saw a 4 per cent increase in advertising
revenue, yielding a turnover of £58.7 million in
the six months trading to March 2004 compared to £56.6
million in the same period in 2002. The Group's associated
companies, which include Wildstar Records, CE Digital
and IRN, contributed £800,000 to the Group's profits,
slightly less than the comparative period which was £1
million.
Read
more in this week's issue...
New
set top box with DAB
26 May 2004
DAB
could take its biggest leap forward yet. Against a backdrop
of increased listening to the radio through the TV, plans
to put a DAB chip into new Freeview boxes could pull in
more listeners.
Goodmans
have released a new TV set top box, capable of receiving
all of Freeview's Radio and TV channels as well as DAB
services. The Goodmans GDB5DAB Set Top Box features a
new combined chipset from the British specialist Frontier
Silicon. Called a Logie integrated circuit, it also provides
multimedia system support for integrating DVD playback
capability and Pay TV.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
The
big RAJAR conversation
19 May 2004
RAJAR
has launched a major consultative process to explore how
the measurement system should be developed in the light
of the planned move towards electronic testing. The company
has appointed Mark Cross' mc2 for an initial period of
six months. Starting immediately, the consultation process
will involved one-to-one interviews with some of radio's
biggest advertisers and as Mark Cross says: "will
work across a number of different levels and across all
the different stakeholders - the radio stations, the media
agencies and the advertisers."
Read
more in this week's issue...
Duo
take on Top 40
19 May 2004
Katy
Hill and Simon Hirst have been named as the two new presenters
of chart show Hit 40 UK from next month. The pair replace
Neil Fox who has presented the Woolworths sponsored chart
for the past 11 years and counts down to his 297th number
one single on his last show on 30th May.
Read
the full story in this week's issue...
Ceredigion
sold
12 May 2004
Tindle
Newspapers has acquired West Wales-based bi-lingual station
Radio Ceredigion. The deal also includes the acquisition
of Welsh language newspaper Y Cymro from North Wales Newspapers.
Speaking
of the acquisition., Sir Ray Tindle said that he was delighted
with the two purchases which would fit in well with his
newspaper and radio interests in Wales.
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