Archive for July, 2011
Somerset licence cut and re-advertised
Ofcom has shortened the licence period for Somerset station Total Star by one year, and has re-advertised the licence.
The regulator found the station deliberately transmitting at several times above its permitted power level, meaning the licence will now expire in July 2012.
Sam Jackson becomes Classic FM Editor
Global Radio has appointed Classic FM Executive Producer Sam Jackson to the new role of Managing Editor of the station.
He’ll be responsible for day-to-day programming on the national classical music station and will report to station MD Darren Henley.
TV move for Ronnie Wood's radio show
Ronnie Wood’s Absolute Radio show is to be turned into a television version for the Sky Arts channel, which will be produced by indie Somethin’ Else.
BBC Radio 2 evening show presenter Jo Whiley is also joining the TV channel for a show featuring debate about the music industry and specially-recorded live performances.
Bauer's Clasper leaves radio industry
Bauer Radio Development Director Iain Clasper has left the radio industry after nearly 30 years to become MD of a flag and marketing materials firm.
He’s previously worked for stations including Juice, Red Dragon, Hallam and Viking.
UKRD group sales role for Pam Lawton
KLFM Managing Director Pam Lawton is to take on a new role as group Head of Sales Development and Training at UKRD.
The group say she’ll focus on the training and development of those in the sales operation, as well as work with Sales Heads on strategic objectives and operational focus within individual stations when she starts in October.
Trafficlink owner to be sold to US firm
ITIS Holdings, the owner of radio travel news provider Trafficlink is being sold to American company INRIX for £37m.
The deal – which is expected to go through in late August – will see ITIS become the European headquarters of the Seattle-based firm.
GMG swap Rock Radio brand for Real XS
GMG Radio’s Manchester Rock Radio station is to be re-branded as Real Radio XS from September, while the Glasgow station looks like being sold to Brand Managing Director Billy Anderson.
The group says the new name in Manchester will ‘benefit from the brand strength and scale of sister station Real Radio’.
Elvis heads to Salford for Radio Festival
American radio legend Elvis Duran is to make an appearance at the Radio Festival this year taking place in Salford Quays.
The Z100 morning show presenter has been booked to speak at the annual event near Media City UK, where he’ll be part of a session called ‘The Best at Breakfast’.
Michael Parkinson back on Radio 2
Sir Michael Parkinson is returning to Radio 2 next week to front a new documentary about legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong.
The ‘Behind the Music’ programme has been produced by Indie firm Made in Manchester and airs to mark the 110th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth.
Welsh DAB multiplex loses its Voice
Online Welsh community station Voice Radio, which was available on the South East Wales DAB multiplex, has stopped broadcasting because of a lack of funding.
The station – supported by organisations including Gwent Police and Caerphilly County Borough Council – also ran annual RSLs on FM, but announced last week that it had ended programmes.
Absolute counts down from Olympic village
Absolute Radio’s breakfast show is coming live from the London 2012 Olympic village this morning as part of the celebrations to mark ‘one year to go’ until the start of the games.
Russ Williams is presenting a special show from Stratford, which will include interviews with London Mayor Boris Johnson and Olympic legend Seb Coe.
SPL season kicks off with Bauer Radio
A number of Bauer’s radio stations have re-signed a commercial deal with the Scottish Premier League, which will also see Northsound run live commentary on Aberdeen’s home and away matches this season.
Clyde 1 and Clyde 2 once again have goal flash rights for all Clydesdale Bank Premier League games on their Superscoreboard show, while Moray Firth Radio are continuing full live commentary on all Inverness Caledonian Thistle games.
Bauer teach future radio stars in Liverpool
Liverpool station Radio City is opening its doors to the next generation of talent next month for week-long summer schools.
Students aged 12 to 18 attending the Radio City Academy will be taught by weekend breakfast presenter Simon Greening as well as other presenters from the Bauer station.
Schedule shake up for BBC Radio 3
Radio 3 breakfast presenter Rob Cowan is leaving the show to instead front a new-look mid-morning programme, starting in September.
Cowan will host ‘Essential Classics’ each weekday 9am-12noon, with Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Petroc Trelawny taking over breakfast from the new earlier time of 6.30am.
Car factory focus for BBC Local Radio
Fourteen of the BBC’s local radio services have joined together today for a series of special reports looking at the state of the UK’s car manufacturing sector.
BBC WM Producer Terry Goodwin has had a month ‘off-rota’ to work on the ‘Drive For Jobs’ featured content which includes packages, local 2-ways and interviews with key figures within the automotive industry.
BBC rules out 5 Live & locals merger
BBC director general, Mark Thompson, has ruled out the merger of local radio stations with BBC Radio 5 Live, in an email sent to all staff on Monday.
He said he would not be closing any local radio stations or merging regional TV news operations in England, as part of the Delivering Quality First review.
Gaydar hires former UTV Radio director
Former talkSPORT Commercial Director and UTV Radio New Media Director Kevin Bird has joined GaydarRadio’s parent company Qsoft Consulting.
He’s been hired to oversee all aspects of the business with a commercial angle, including web and radio sales, marketing and editorial content.
BBC Local Radio follows Olympic Dream
BBC Local Radio stations are to chart the highs and lows of local Olympic hopefuls as they train and prepare for selection in the year leading up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Starting week of August 1st, BBC Local Radio Olympic Dreams will follow the hopefuls, selected from a variety of sport disciplines and locations throughout England.
Davie and Tabor make Top 100 media list
This year’s MediaGuardian 100 features Global Radio Executive President Ashley Tabor and BBC Audio and Music boss Tim Davie, as well as Radio 1′s Head of Music George Ergatoudis.
The list is the newspaper’s guide to the ‘most powerful people in television, radio, newspapers, magazines, digital media, media business, advertising, marketing and PR.’
William Hill bets on Real Radio Scotland
Real Radio Scotland has secured a deal with William Hill to sponsor the stations new look Saturday afternoon Football Show, Real Radio Matchday: Live!
The show, fronted by Scotland legend and Real Radio pundit Alan Rough and weeknight Real Radio Phone-In host Fraser Thomson, allows fans to have their say pre match.
Horrible Bosses take over at Global Radio
Global Radio’s sales team got a taste of the new Warner Brother’s film “Horrible Bosses” last week as managers duped the sales team into thinking they had a consultancy firm taking over for a month.
Some of the new ideas by the new pretend bosses didn’t go down too well, and their reactions were filmed.
BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra in Ibiza – Schedule
Presenters Annie Mac, Pete Tong and Vernon Kay are just some of the presenters flying to Ibiza to broadcast programmes during Radio 1′s 12 hour broadcast from the island.
Some of the broadcast will also be simulcast on Radio 1Xtra.
RadioCentre: Make 5 Live rolling news
Radio 5 Live is “suffering from an identity crisis and confusion over its purpose and role”, according to RadioCentre’s submission to the BBC Trust’s service licence review of the station.
The BBC Trust is currently undertaking a review of Radio 5 Live and 5 Live Sports Extra, and the trade body for commercial radio says 5 Live’s “ill-defined and confused priorities” potentially swamps opportunities for new competition wishing to enter an expanding section of the radio industry.
Signal 1 brings Pixie Lott to Stoke gig
Over 15,000 people attended Signal 1′s 2011 LIVE in Stoke-on-Trent, hosted by breakfast duo Perry and Louise.
The music festival last Saturday raised more than £10,000 for local charities and attracted pop stars such as Pixie Lott and The Wanted.
Andy Parfitt announces Radio 1 departure
The Controller of Radio 1, 1Xtra, Popular Music and Asian Network Andy Parfitt has announced to staff that he is leaving the station next week after 13 years in charge.
Deptuty Controller Ben Cooper will become Acting Controller for Radio 1 and 1 Xtra, whilst BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music boss Bob Shennan takes the additional temporary title of Controller of Popular Music and Asian Network.
New DAB station launches in South Wales
Internet radio station Mountain FM has launched on DAB in South Wales.
The station, available on the MXR South Wales and Severn Estuary multiplex, is broadcasting 12 hours a day from studios previously used by Valleys Radio.
New advertising director for Absolute Radio
Absolute Radio has hired Remy Kirk as its new Advertising Director.
Remy will take responsibility for all spot advertising revenue generation, trading, delivery and agency relationships for the Absolute Radio business.
New Bauer digital role for Bruce Mitchell
Bauer Media has promoted Bruce Mitchell to a newly-created role overseeing digital operations across all of the group’s 42 radio stations.
Bruce was previously responsible for the digital teams at Kiss and Magic in London but now becomes ‘Digital Product and Innovation Director, Radio’ for the whole group.
Key 103 takes Clare's Law to parliament
A campaign led by Manchester station Key 103 calling for a law-change to help prevent violent attacks by partners has made it to parliament.
One of the Bauer station’s journalists met with MPs and other officials this week as part of attempts to get ‘Clare’s Law’ onto the statute book.
BBC Radio 4's Norman Smith gets TV job
Radio 4 reporter Norman Smith is to take over as the BBC’s Chief Political Correspondent, working across the corporation’s News Channel and main television bulletins – as well as providing analysis for network radio.
He replaces Laura Kuenssberg, who is leaving the BBC later this year to become ITV’s Business Editor.
