Maria Miller appointed Culture Secretary

04/09/2012 - 12:49 | 8 Replies More

Maria Miller is the new Culture Secretary, which includes responsibility for radio policy.

UKRD’s Chief Executive Officer William Rogers is one radio operator who welcomes the news that Jeremy Hunt has been shuffled from the position – mostly because he was a strong supporter of digital radio.

“Jeremy Hunt was an absolute disaster as Culture Secretary,” said Rogers. “He pursued policies that were intent upon destroying localness within the commercial radio sector and has heaped huge costs on the business going forward. The damage he has caused is immeasurable as he merrily pursued his utterly incompetent and ill-considered strategy for local radio. He has done all he can to undermine the effectiveness of local commercial radio, cause job losses, reduce investment and create uncertainty going forward.”

“I sincerely hope that the new Secretary of State will take a careful look at the mess Jeremy Hunt has left her and start supporting the sector rather than doing everything possible to destroy it.”

He added, “Jeremy Hunt made Government the enemy of those wanting local radio to play an important part in fabric of communities and his departure has not come a moment too soon for many of us.”

Jeremy Hunt also pushed through the licensing of local television, despite widespread doubts from the industry, and oversaw the six-year freeze to the BBC licence fee. He has now become Health Secretary.

Maria Miller is the MP for Basingstoke – the Daily Telegraph says that other MPs describe her as “polite, fair and competent”. Before entering Parliament in 2005, Maria was a director of Grey Advertising, and Rowland Saatchi. She’s also worked for Texaco in business development and marketing.

She said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as the Culture Secretary by the Prime Minister and am very much looking forward to tackling the many challenges that the role will bring.

“I will of course continue to work hard to represent the people of Basingstoke in Parliament, which has always been and continues to be my priority.”

The Department for Culture Media and Sport is holding a seminar at its HQ next week on “Supporting growth in the radio (audio) sector”, to inform policy options for a White Paper scheduled for early next year.


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Category: Industry News

  • Rita

    Thank goodness Jeremy Hunt is no longer Culture Secretary. I’ve no idea who Maria Miller is, but she can’t do much worse that Hunt. He nearly succeeded in demolishing local radio!

    • MB

      Rita, none of the legislation to water down local radio was brought in my Jeremy Hunt. The Digital Economy Act was passed by the last Labour Government just before they left office in May 2010.

  • MB

    So William Rogers is blaming Jeremy Hunt for the localness regulations brought in by Ofcom with the Digital Economy Act, which was actually passed in April 2010 under the last Labour Goverrnment.
    It’s pretty embarrassing for the radio industry when someone like this can’t even get their dates (and facts) right isn’t it?

  • DAVE

    Lets hope it,s leads to the end of the scrapping FM for DAB

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

    Let’s hope she looks at the Community Radio situation. Things really have got to change there. A lot of these “one-horse-town” stations often quickly written off as “basket-case” CAN work on a not-for-profit, community model instead, but not with the existing straitjacket. Change is needed to allow this great sector to prosper.

  • Radio Geordie

    Never heard of the lady.
    But then again, does it really matter who has the title when in all reality, Global Radio regulates the radio part of OFCOM whilst Murdoch does the TV side these days.

  • TB

    Actually
    it was pushed through during ‘the wash up’ and had cross party support from the
    outset – so would be remiss to blame it on party politics. Anyway what I take from William’s word is
    that he does know about his radio company and his own view if the industry.

    The
    digital economy act provided the frame work for changes to localism, clause 34,
    and the ability for stations to move their base of broadcast. I’m not sure I
    personally interpret this as an opportunity to network perfectly good local
    radio businesses and create quasi regional or quasi national brands. However that is where we are at. Has it improved radio? No not really? Is there less choice locally? Yes, undeniably. Has it affected localness adversely? Yes, undeniably.

    Did
    the Minister have anything to do with this? Advice would have been sought; ministerial
    direction, approval, advice and support would have been given. Therefore William is spot on the money.

    • MB

      You’re right that it went through in the wash-up but the Minister at the time that the Digital Economy Act (DEA)attained Royal Assent was Ben Bradshaw (the last Labour culture secretary) so Rogers is not “spot on the money”. Ofcom’s localism changes for radio were announced on 15th April 2010, when Labour were still in power.
      All the political spin in the world cannot make Hunt responsible for the Digital Economy Act 2010.

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