Author Archive: Stuart Clarkson
You can follow Stuart on Twitter @stuartclarkson or email stuart.clarkson@radiotoday.co.uk. If you have any news or information which may be of interest to the radio industry, please contact us via news@radiotoday.co.uk
Radio Today creates Alton Towers JockFest
A new event has been organised giving presenters and programming staff/freelancers a chance to gather for a conference and social event at Alton Towers.
Myers and Anderson team up for TeamRock
John Myers, former CEO of The Radio Academy and head of GMG Radio has teamed up with his former GMG Radio Executive Billy Anderson to launch a new world wide business venture under the name TeamRock.
Gold-winning Sony Award entries go online
The audio entries from all of this year’s Gold winners at the 2012 Sony Radio Academy Award is to be put online for people to listen to during July.
The Radio Academy says it has come to an arrangement with PPL and PRS so that the winning entries can be streamed, although they won’t be available for download.
Hadley, Kershaw & Decker join Absolute 80s
80s singers Tony Hadley, Nik Kershaw and Carol Decker have all signed up to present shows for Absolute Radio’s digital station playing music from the decade.
Former Spandau Ballet frontman Hadley will host an 80s Party on Saturday nights from 21st July, while Kershaw joins the station for a month to present an hour each Sunday evening through July.
Nine UK golds at New York radio awards
Nine entries from the UK have been given Gold awards at this year’s New York Festivals International Radio Awards ceremony in the United States.
GMG Radio won two Gold prizes, the BBC won one and there were 6 for independent producers and companies.
Midwest to be Breeze after Ofcom approval
Ofcom has approved requests from Celador Radio for changes to the formats of its two Midwest Radio licences in Yeovil and Shaftesbury.
It paves the way for the station to be rebranded as The Breeze from next Monday.
Minister visits online station in Bath
Culture minister Ed Vaizey has visited an online radio project in Bath while in the city for this weekend’s Community Media Association annual conference.
The MP, whose Westminster responsibilities include broadcasting, called into see the team at Bath City Sound.
More than 30 radio stations back WaterAid
Several commercial radio stations – including Kerrang!, Jazz FM, Real Radio, Lincs FM and those from the UTV and Quidem groups – are supporting an appeal from international charity WaterAid to help bring clean water to communities in Malawi.
Launched today, The Big Dig Appeal will see presenters asking listeners to donate by sponsoring them for various challenges such as presenting an all-day show without drinking anything.
Matt Spokes joins Rock FM for drivetime
Bauer network late show presenter Matt Spokes is joining Preston station 97.4 Rock FM has the new afternoon drivetime host from today.
It comes 18 months after he rejoined Bauer following a stint as a network presenter at Galaxy.
John Myers to leave Radio Academy
Radio Academy Chief Executive John Myers is to leave his role at the end of this month, to focus on a ‘personal project’ within the media industry.
He has been doing the job, which includes overseeing the Sony Radio Academy Awards and Radio Festival, since April 2011.
Andy Parfitt to speak at RadioCentre event
Former Radio 1 Controller Andy Parfitt is among the line-up for this year’s RadioCentre members’ conference next month.
The Vice President of Marketing Services at Sony Music Entertainment, Fred Bolza, will also speak at the event on 4th July alongside Parfitt, who now works for ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi.
Real Radio search for Wets gig support act
Real Radio Scotland has joined Wet Wet Wet to help find a support act to perform at the group’s 25th anniversary gig in Glasgow next month.
A crowd of 15,000 will watch the pop group at Glasgow Green on 20th July – along with an act who will be picked from the entrants via Real Radio’s website.
New jingles launch on UTV local stations
UTV Media’s network of fourteen local radio stations have a new sound, with imaging from Music 4 going live on air this week.
The jingle package follows the recent appointment of David Dunne as Group Music Scheduler and Terry Underhill joining as Group Programme Director last autumn.
Three offers for GMG Radio, say reports
Global Radio, UTV Media and a group of venture capitalists are reported to have made offers for Real Radio and Smooth Radio operator GMG Radio.
A report in The Guardian – part of the same group as GMG Radio – suggests Global’s offer, thought to be around £50m, is the largest of the three bids.
Student Radio Awards open for entries
The 2012 Student Radio Awards have opened, with those involved in the sector able to put in their entries until 13th July.
Nominations will be announced this year on 10th October, with winners unveiled at a ceremony at London’s Indigo2 on 8th November.
Absolute Radio sign Wickes for breakfast
DIY store Wickes has taken over as sponsor the Christian O’Connell breakfast show on Absolute Radio for the next 12 months as part of a deal worth over a million pounds.
The sponsorship came into place from this week, with a launch promotion themed around the England football team and Euro 2012 giving away money to spend at the home improvement retailer.
Comedy football commentaries for Absolute
Absolute Radio are supplementing their deal to broadcast Euro 2012 commentaries on the England and Ireland matches with an alternative commentary option on digital radio.
Comedians including Dave Gorman and Jason Byrne will join the commentary teams for Absolute Radio 90s.
Brian Commins is new MD at Citybeat Radio
Former Virgin Radio and Scot FM Sponsorship and Promotions manager Brian Commins has been appointed to take charge of CN Group’s Belfast station Citybeat.
Brian has more recently been working as a consultant and also had a spell as Commercial Director with the group behind Dubai’s Channel 4 Radio.
Planet Rock to charge for programmes
Digital station Planet Rock has announced plans to charge £5 a month for an VIP club, which will provide listeners with extra ad-free programmes and content online.
Daily shows will be offered to subscribers, as well as live session recordings and video content.
UBC to represent Radioplayer worldwide
UBC Media Group has partnered with Imagination Technologies to handle the global licencing and sales of Radioplayer.
Unique Interactive, UBC’s software division, is already responsible for the software that manages both station listings and search functionality.
Schedule changes at Midwest before rebrand
Yeovil and Shaftesbury station Midwest Radio has changed its breakfast show ahead of an expected rebrand by owners Celador Radio.
Steve Carpenter has recently left the station, with mid-morning presenter Scott Temple taking over the show.
Charlatans do Absolute gig from the sea
Tim Burgess and Mark Collins from indie band The Charlatans are to do a music session for Absolute Radio from a fort off the coast of Portsmouth that’s completely surrounded by water.
The gig is a warm-up for the Isle of Wight Festival and will take place on Spitbank Fort on 21st June.
Father’s Day link-up for BFBS and Spire FM
UKRD Salisbury station Spire FM is to simulcast two hours of programming with BFBS later this month for a special Father’s Day dedications show.
The last two hours of the forces’ broadcaster’s ‘Access all Areas’ slot on 17th June will be co-hosted by Spire FM’s Martin Starke and BFBS presenter Gini Carlin.
Gateway Community Radio Queen’s Award
Essex community radio station Gateway 97.8 has been given a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
The award for the organisation is equivalent of an individual being given an MBE and recognises the contribution made by a group of volunteers to their local community.
TFM breakfast duo broadcast from bed
TFM breakfast show presenters Wayne Allen and Amy McConnell hosted their show live from a bed in Stockton-on-Tees this morning.
The duo ‘wanted an extra couple of hours lie-in’ ahead of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this weekend, so bosses arranged for them to do the show from a bed on the street.
Heart signs £2m deal with Tetley Tea
Global Radio has agreed a £2million partnership with tea makers Tetley to sponsor Diamond Jubilee events as well as Love Music Live events for the Heart brand.
The 8-month partnership runs through to the end of January 2013, with Tetley being the headline partner at intimate gigs in London, for which Heart listeners from across the network will get the chance to win VIP tickets to. Previous events include sessions with Robbie Williams and The Saturdays.
LBC covers Jubilee pageant from on high
Global Radio’s LBC 97.3 is doing a world exclusive broadcast from Europe’s tallest building to cover this weekend’s Diamond Jubilee flotilla on the River Thames.
The station will broadcast from new skyscraper The Shard at London Bridge, which is due to open next month.
Three more community licences awarded
Ofcom has given community radio licences to Plymouth Community Radio in Devon, The Hub in Cornwall and An Radio in the Hebrides.
It brings the number of licences handed out in the sector to 254.
Swansea’s Bay Radio changes to Nation 80s
Town and Country Broadcasting has relaunched its Swansea station 102.1 Bay Radio as Nation 80s from today.
It’s the first FM station in the UK to play nothing but 80s music.
JACKfm Oxfordshire goes back to Bastion
Oxfordshire’s 106 JACKfm is sending two presenters to Afghanistan for a series of special programmes, 18 months on from a previous visit to the country by the station.
News editor Caroline Verdon and sports show host Andrew Self will spend a week at Camp Bastion from 11th June.
