The UK ‘s commercial radio trade bodies, the Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) and the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) are to come together with the Radio Advertising Clearance Centre (RACC), network programme company Hit40UK and JICRIT (the Joint Industry Committee for Radio IT), to form a new company called the RadioCentre.
As one organisation, the RadioCentre will deliver a single vision for the future of commercial radio in the UK , delivering benefits for advertisers, broadcasters and listeners.
The launch of the RadioCentre will see the RAB, the organisation that has set the standard for marketing media, retain its distinct brand and management structure. The RAB will maintain its strong commitment to servicing advertisers and agencies but, as a result of its convergence with other disciplines within the RadioCentre, will be better placed to enhance its offering.
The new management structure of the RAB within the RadioCentre will see Douglas McArthur take on the role of RAB non-executive chairman, while directors Peter Cory, Michael O’Brien and Mark Barber will continue to oversee the running of the RAB.
The CRCA’s Paul Brown, will chair the RadioCentre board and, along with Douglas , will play a leading role in constructing the early shape of the organisation.
The CRCA will be fully integrated into the RadioCentre while the RACC and Hit40UK Ltd will maintain their distinct identities, but will operate as integral parts of the RadioCentre.
It is anticipated that the RadioCentre will take on joint responsibility (along with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) for JICRIT, which runs commercial radio’s innovative e-commerce trading system J-ET.
The search for the company’s new chief executive through Whitehead Mann is making good progress and it is anticipated that the structure of the RadioCentre will be in place during July, with the new chief executive joining as soon as possible thereafter.
Commenting on progress so far, Douglas McArthur said: ?Commercial radio took a giant leap forward in setting up a radically different media marketing body – the RAB 14 years ago. The RAB ensured a two percent medium grew to a seven percent share of advertising.
?Now, commercial radio is ready to take another major step in setting up a new joined-up industry initiative, bring ing marketing, programming and regulation together in a swift-moving new company.?
Paul Brown said: ?The RadioCentre is set fair to connect the successful RAB model to the creation of network and sub-network programme content; the development of the kind of audience research that advertisers want; copyright agreements that will allow rights owners, commercial radio companies and their advertisers to thrive in the digital world and not least, strengthen the way in which commercial radio communicates with all its stakeholders.?