Global chairman calls GMG deal “small”

16/09/2012 - 14:26 | 18 Replies More

Sir Charles Allen, chairman of Global Radio has blasted media regulation saying the compliance rule book on buying radio stations is out of date.

“Why do you need to go through all this compliance and plurality for 12 small radio stations?” he told the Evening Standard. “Rather than letting companies get on and grow, we have this level of regulatory involvement for such a small deal.”

The small deal he refers to is Global Radio’s £70m takeover of 14 radio licenses, most of which are large regional stations such as Real Radio Scotland and Smooth Radio London.

And whilst Global Radio have not announced their future plans for their new assets, it’s easy to assume most of the Real Radio stations will become Heart. The future of Smooth is harder to predict – with experts suggesting it will either form a new national network with Gold or be sold on. GMG Radio’s two local radio licences in Manchester and Paisley (Real XS) could be off-loaded to the highest bidder.

His reference to the “small deal” is based on radio representing just 3.3% of the total ad market.

Ofcom and the OFT will announce their initial decisions on September 28th, but it’s expected the final outcome won’t be announced until next summer.


Tags: , , ,

Category: Industry News

  • http://www.facebook.com/len.groat Len Groat

    This story reminds me of Leona Helmsley saying “We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes’, HE IS OUT OF TOUCH… Well done Ofocm for FINALLY getting some TEETH…

    • Gen Roat

      Len, you’re a nutter.

  • Isobel

    What a bitchy little write-up!

    • Mel

      I fail to see anything bitchy about this article?

  • http://twitter.com/MarkyMarkScott Marky Mark Scott

    It might be a small deal for him but it will be a big deal for the people who will loose their jobs if Real is merged with Heart.

    • Betty Boo

      If the “new” Real Radio sound as bad as all the Heart stations do now, they will lose all the listeners, so its good news for all the other stations.

    • Radio Geordie

      Maybe he already knows that they can only get to keep Real and have to sell Smooth and XS, hence the ‘small deal’.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003294357207 James Martin

    Pretty poor journalism, turning a news article into an opinion piece.

    • A. Reader

      I’d much rather see opinionated pieces like this than just a copy’n'paste of UKRD’s latest press release…

  • Phil England

    Its not going to be so simple in Wales for Global – They will have to off load something! – I say keep Real Radio Wales as it is, its a national station and shouldnt share programmes with London

    • http://www.facebook.com/david.wiggywiggins.1 David Wiggy Wiggins

      I Just Hope Global Will Off Load Heart 102 Point Four Gloucestershire And Gold 774 Am Gloucestershire N

  • Geoff

    It seems interesting that all the Global/GMG pieces are negative towards Global… Does this have anything to do with the fact that RadioToday is born from and staffed by GMG/former GMG employees?

    • http://twitter.com/RadioToday Radio Today

      None of our news articles are bias towards anyone “Geoff”. We only report impartial facts, be they positive or negative is left for you to decide.

      • Geoff

        Good to hear! Must be me being negative..

  • http://www.facebook.com/david.wiggywiggins.1 David Wiggy Wiggins

    I Do Just Hope Wright Now Bauer Media Will Come Along Wright Now And Buy Gold 774 Am In Gloucestershire Off Global Now And ReName Gold 774 Am Gloucestershire As Magic 774 Gloucestershire That Would Be So Much Better Now And Buy Heart 102 Point Four Gloucestershire As Well And Re Name It The New 102 Point Four And 103 Severn Sound Fm That Would Be Good Now

    • Skeletor

      Wat

  • http://www.facebook.com/david.wiggywiggins.1 David Wiggy Wiggins

    I Do Hope Wright Now That Global Will Not Do This Deal With Gmg Radio Group And Back Out Of It And Let Others Radio Groups To Take Over Gmg Radio Station Now Global Do Say The Deal Is Small GoodBye To Global

  • http://www.facebook.com/david.wiggywiggins.1 David Wiggy Wiggins

    Global Should Off Load Gold 774 Am Gloucestershire Now To Bauer Media So Bauer Media Can Re Name Gold 774 Am Gloucestershire As Magic 774 Gloucestershire Now And Heart 102 Point Four Gloucestershire Can Be Off Load As Well That Would Be Good Now

«
»