Archive for May, 2005
SRH aquire Donegal local station
Scottish Radio Holdings have reached an agreement with the Donegal Highland Radio group to acquire the entire issued share capital of the group and its holding company.
The transaction, which subject to verification is currently anticipated will be in the region of ?7 million, has been approved in principle by the Broadcasting Commission for Ireland and is conditional on the approval of the Republic of
Ireland Competition Authority, the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and upon satisfaction of certain other conditions relating to operational matters.
Goodbye 102.2 JAZZ FM
After 15 years the plug was finally pulled on what must be the only commercial FM radio station in the UK to survive for so long without making a profit.
London’s 102.2 JAZZ FM closed down at midnight after many months of planning for a new service on the same frequency. The last song played was by Ella Fitzgerald (Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye) followed by audio clips of a 1khz tone and radio tuning fx, and a new countdown sequence kicking into life. The first song played after midnight was We’ve only just begun.
A good six months for TLRC
The Local Radio Company have today announced their interim results for the six months ended 31st March 2005. Turnover is up at ?9.8m and national sales has increased by 32%.
Since taking over from Radio Investments Ltd almost a year ago, TLRC have bought four local radio stations – 2BR, Dune FM, KCR (now The Rocket) and Spirit FM – and won two; in Blackburn (as 32.5% shareholders in The Bee) and Durham.
New York nomination for JUICE FM
When Louis Hurst moved from Emap?s flagship station Radio City to local rival Juice FM last year media commentators announced that the Liverpool Breakfast Battle was on.
And they?ve been proved right with incredible speed: the face of breakfast listening in Liverpool is already changing and it?s started with the Juice core demographic of 18 ? 24 females.
102.2 smooth fm marketing plan
The launch of 102.2 Smooth FM will be supported by a two-phased ?1.5 million marketing campaign aimed at encouraging trial of the new London radio station.
Fifty two fully liveried black cabs will hit the streets from the launch day of 7th June 2005 as well as a 48 and 98 sheet poster campaign featuring the iconic lava lamp, which depicts the chilled out feel of the station.
Ofcom increase RSL fee
The application fee to apply to run a Restricted Service Licence has doubled from ?200 to ?400, with the daily charge being reduced slightly. This will make the overall cost of running an RSL lower, if the full 28 days is used. Organisations running an RSL for a just a few days will end up paying more.
Also, Ofcom have published a list of RSL stations which have applied for a licence during the holy month of Ramadan 2005.
New York nomination for FORTH 2
A radio “husband and wife” team have won a major international media award after getting back together. FORTH2′s Darren Adam and Diane Lester have been nominated in the prestigious New York Festival Awards.
The popular pair worked together for years on Forth One and were reunited as “radio husband and wife” last year to present FORTH2′s lunchtime show Double D’s Big Lunchbox.
Community Radio Fund strategy
Ofcom has published its final strategy on the management and administration of the new Community Radio Fund.
The Community Radio Fund was established by Government under the Communications Act 2003 to provide financial support to new Community Radio broadcasters. For the current financial year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has made ?500,000 available to the fund, and has indicated that a similar figure will be available next year. Ofcom is required under the Communications Act to manage and administer this fund and consulted on a range of proposals at the beginning of the year.
Ofcom explains Banbury award
Ofcom today explain the reason why CN Group have been awarded the new FM licence for the Banbury area. In todays statement, they remind us they would be likely to place particular emphasis on the ability of each applicant to maintain its proposed service for the duration of the licence period (12 years).
The main reason, as predicted by many radio experts, is the due to CN Group owning The Bear in nearby Stratford-upon-Avon, which would allow the new Banbury service to benefit from being part of an experienced, financially stable, company able to utilise the sharing of human and other resources between stations located in close proximity.
Radio Cylde goes to the races
Hot on the heels of a show stopping performance by singer songwriter Lucie Silvas, Hamilton Park Racecourse is celebrating a sharp increase in attendance figures. The event in conjunction with Radio Clyde was the first of it?s kind offering racegoers the fantastic combination of horseracing and live entertainment.
Attendance figures soared past the 6500 mark – considerably higher than the racecourse would normally expect at such a meeting proving that this recipe of music and racing is set to be a winner with racegoers.
GMG Radio on the up
Guardian Media Group Radio today announces its end of year trading update, which has seen revenues for its group of stations grow by 17% year-on-year and a move into profit for the first time.
The radio division of Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) has shown remarkable growth, outperforming the industry as a whole. In the financial year ended 31st March 2005 GMG Radio saw revenues from its Real Radio, JAZZFM and Smooth FM stations rise to ?24.5 million (excluding revenue from its records division Enterprise Records). This is up from ?21 million the previous year.
Edinburgh station goes live
Scotland?s most senior soldier, Major General Euan Loudon will be joining former radio 1 DJ Mark Page live on air to officially launch Edinburgh Garrison Radio at 11am on 17 May 2005.
Since March this year Edinburgh Garrison Radio has been bringing Army news and sports to soldiers, their families and MoD civilians based in Edinburgh. Garrison Radio has been providing the Army with its own unique independent radio service since 2001. It broadcasts to service personnel and their families based in Aldershot, Catterick, Colchester and Tidworth/Bulford and its website provides a worldwide service connecting soldiers overseas with family and friends back home in the UK.
Sony Awards – the results
The 2005 Sony Radio Academy Awards have been announced at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London. The event was host to 1200 guests including Ulrika Johnson, Harry Hill, Jon Culshaw, Jono Coleman and Kirsty Gallagher.
BBC Radio 2's Steve Wright was awarded a Gold Award for career achievement, whilst a special award was given to the creators of UK Radio Aid who raised over ?3 million for the tsumani appeal with a special day?s broadcasting across almost 300 commercial radio stations.
The whole event was 'webcast' live around the world via the Radio Academy website (which can be repeated 'on demand' from Tuesday). Paul Gambaccini was the host of the evening.
CN Group win Banbury FM licence
All the years of hard work and RSL broadcasts by Banbury Local Radio and Banbury FM have ended today with the awarding of the new Banbury FM licence to wholly-owned CN Group application, The Bear.
The Bear will provide "a locally focused, adult contemporary radio station with news, information and features of particular relevance to Banbury and the surrounding areas."
UTV buys The Wireless Group
It has been reported that Ulster Television (UTV) has bought The Wireless Group for nearly 100 million. Rumours have been circulating for many months but a deal was agreed over the weekend.
UTV’s offer for The Wireless Group was first published on RadioMAD.net on Saturday, and was pitched at 91p per share. TWG own many ILR stations in the UK including Wish FM in Wigan, and Swansea Sound and national station talkSPORT.
GCap sells Century 106
GCap Media plc has officially started trading today. As part of the condition of the merger between GWR and Capital, the newly formed GCap Media plc had to dispose of 106 Century FM serving the East Midlands by 8am today.
Chrysalis Group plc announces that it has agreed to acquire 106 Century FM from GCap Media plc for a cash consideration of ?29.5 million. It is no secret that Chrysalis will re-brand the station to Heart, creating a consistent brand across the midlands, matching 100.7 Heart FM in the West Midlands.
DAB Magazine bigger and better
The brand new issue of the DAB Digital Radio magazine is due to arrive with shops and on doormats in the next few weeks – but here’s a sneak peak at what you’ll find inside.
With four extra pages this issue is packed with a mix of features designed to tell you how to make the switch and become part of the digital radio revolution. And if you’re already one of the millions of people who have, there’s lots of information to help you make the most of the time you spend listening.
Torbay FM licence attracts 5
Ofcom has received five applications for the Torbay FM commercial radio licence. The full applications for this licence will be published on the Ofcom website shortly.
They are from local group Palm FM, Riviera Radio (formerlly known as Torbay Local Radio), Torbay 106.8, Tindle-Owned Torbay Radio and Your Radio Torbay.
Solent FM licence attracts 14
Ofcom has received over a dozen applications for the Solent FM commercial radio licence. Eight of the fourteen applications focus on the 40 + age group, with rock format in second place. Most of the major players have applied for the licence, inclusing The Wireless Group, Saga, GMG, SRH, CN, Chrysalis, TLRC and Virgin. New to the industry Celador have also applied.
The full applications for this licence will be published on the Ofcom website shortly.
UK radio industry RAJAR results now online
RAJAR results are now online. RadioMAD.net brings you the most up-to-date links to radio press releases anywhere on the internet. Click here throughout the day to see our radio groups shouting about their results.
Click here for the RAJAR website results page.
Northallerton licence advertised
Ofcom today advertises a new local FM commercial radio licence to cover the town of Northallerton and the immediately surrounding area.
Ofcom estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of around 30,000. The exact coverage will be determined by the location of the transmission site and other technical characteristics.
Swansea licence advertised
Ofcom today advertises a new local FM commercial radio licence to cover the city of Swansea and the surrounding area.
Ofcom estimates that this licence could achieve coverage of an area with an adult (aged 15+) population of around 300,000. The exact coverage will be determined by the location of the transmission site and other technical characteristics.
Holiday Rock FM – The new station for Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Blackpool Pleasure Beach have teamed up with Emap-owned 97.4 Rock FM to create a brand new sound at the heart of the Pleasure Beach. Holiday Rock FM will take on the Big City Splash logo and will be heard on loud speakers around the park.
The move ends a nine year sponsorship from Nestle – and the end of ‘Kit Kat Radio’ where it is rumoured that DJ’s were paid in Kit Kats!
