Archive for June, 2008
TechCon kicks off Radio Festival
Data over DAB, audio over IP and what the rest of the industry can learn from student radio were just some of the topics covered in the first warm-up event to this year's Radio Festival.
Imagine FM pretend closure
Internet speculation over the future of Stockport-based 104.9 Imagine FM today led staff at the station to pull off an audacious "June Fool".
Xfm returns to South Wales
GCap Media has gained Ofcom approval to add a modern rock format service to the Cardiff and Newport multiplex, signaling a return for Xfm to the region.
Bring on the Festive fun
The Radio Festival is without doubt the highlight of the radio industry year, with almost three days of debates, presentations, receptions, lectures, panels, workshops, drinking, eating and avoiding people you’ve sacked, or, been sacked by.
Three more stations for Leicester
Ofcom has awarded three more community radio stations, all in Leicester. EAVA FM, Demon FM and Kohinoor will serve East Afrians, students and Asians respectively.
TLRC sells six more stations
The Local Radio Company is continuing to dispose of loss-making stations by selling Bath FM, Brunel FM, 3TR, Ivel FM, Vale FM and Pennine FM.
Three of the stations have been bought by Laser Broadcasting, with the others acquired by individuals. The news follows the disposal of Merseyside's 107.9 Dune FM just a couple of weeks ago.
Wheatly to relaunch Jazz FM
The Local Radio Company has signed a three-year licensing deal with GMG Radio to re-launch Jazz FM in the UK.
Richard Wheatly, founder of TLRC and current executive chairman, was also part of the original Jazz team and hopes to use the infrastructure of TLRC to bring back the jazz fans.
Twitter at the Radio Festival
Users of the SMS-based micro blogging service Twitter attending the Radio Festival are being urged to include a special tag in their tweets to communicate with fellow delegates.
Full Radio Festival programme
As part of our coverage of the Radio Festival in Glasgow, RadioToday.co.uk presents the full programme of events, from Foot in the Door to Fighting Talk.
Industry heads to Glasgow
Hundreds of industry folk are heading to Scotland on Monday to join co-workers, friends and ex-colleagues for the three day highlight of the radio calendar – the Radio Festival 2008.
Tim Davie to replace Abramsky
Tim Davie has been appointed Director of BBC Audio & Music, replacing Jenny Abramsky, who is leaving the BBC after 39 years.
Tim is currently director of the BBC's Marketing, Communications and Audiences division and sits on the BBC executive board.
New FM licence for Wales
Ofcom has advertised the last FM licence for the UK. The licence is for a large regional service to broadcast across North and Mid Wales,
Front of the application queue is likely to be Town and Country Broadcasting, who last month purchased XFM from South Wales and rebranded it Nation Radio.
Galloway to replace Davis for Real
The long running Real Album Chart with Gary Davis has been dropped from the Real Radio and Century Radio schedules to make way for a new Sunday afternoon show with Real Radio Scotland’s breakfast presenter Robin Galloway.
Rams star joins Radio Derby
Former Derby County star Gary Rowett is joining BBC Radio Derby as the new summariser for its coverage of Rams matches during the forthcoming 2008/2009 football season.
New charity boss for GCap
Scope’s director of fundraising Louise Jagger is swapping the tasks of raising money for the disabled charity for a new position within GCap Media.
Ofcom fine GCap over £1million
Ofcom has fined 30 local radio stations within GCap Media's One Network, a total of £1,110,000 for unfair conduct in their Secret Sound competition.
Ofcom's investigation found that on a number of occasions programme makers deliberately put to air text entrants with incorrect answers in order to prevent the prize from being won too soon.
Dave Ward and Umberto reunited
Manchester duo Dave Ward and Umberto will be back behind the mic together this summer.
The pair, who became a popular double-act on Piccadilly 1152 in the 1990s, will be starting a new weekend breakfast show on Century Radio.
VIDEO: 40 years of Radio Leeds
The BBC is celebrating four decades of local radio in West Yorkshire this week, with the 40th anniversary of BBC Radio Leeds.
BBC Radio gets iPlayer treatment
The beta version of the new-look BBC iPlayer has been released today, and now fully integrates radio and television in one interface.
The extra good news is that the BBC has confirmed audio on demand and streaming will become available – meaning it is only a matter of time before live BBC Radio stations are available to mobile users such as those with Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch.
Party time at BBC Radio 1
Presenters from BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, including Vernon Kay, Pete Tong and Trevor Nelson, will be broadcasting from some of the hottest spots in Ibiza in August.
Planet Rock opens up the Doors
Planet Rock is running a series of special programmes on the Doors this July, including extensive interviews and exclusive material.
AUDIO: Launch of NME Radio
Online and digital station NME Radio has launched on Sky Digital channel 0184 and Virgin Media channel 975. First song played? Muse – Knights of Cydonia, as voted for by three and a half million readers of NME.
The station promises the best in new and alternative music, the latest music news, up-to-the-minute gig-guides and exclusive live sessions.
Rock FM team goes green
The Street Team from Bauer Radio's Lancashire station Rock FM have unveiled their new collection of station vehicles – four branded 49cc mopeds.
PURE launches a Mini ONE
A new mini DAB and FM portable radio has been launched by PURE Digital. The ONE Mini is, as you'd expect, a smaller version of the popular PURE ONE radio set.
MuxCo win North Wales DAB
Ofcom have awarded the new local digital radio multiplex licence for North Wales to MuxCo Wales. It brings the total number of licences due to be operated by MuxCo consortiums to nine.
Farewell to SMG
Another radio group has ceased to exist today, with SMG is changing its name to stv Group. The rebrand marks the company's focus on Scottish television and the end of its association with Virgin Radio.
Don Imus in trouble again
America radio host Don Imus has found himself in the media spotlight again for his comments about a Dallas Cowboys quarterback.
Jingle company changes hands
Jones Media Group, the parent company of Dallas-based jingle company JonesTM, which has many UK clients, has been bought by Triton Media Group.
Digital Radio review welcomed
The Digital Working Group's Interim Report on DAB and Digital Radio has been welcomed by the Digital Radio Development Bureau and the commercial radio body, RadioCentre.
The report is working towards a date in the future, possibly the year 2020 when all radio in the UK will be delivered via a digital platform such as DAB.
Real Wales returns to Sky
Real Radio Wales is back on Sky Digital channel 0146, years after being replaced by a digital-only station sharing the same name.
