The document summarizes recent developments in the UK radio industry. It discusses bids for new regional radio licenses, changes in radio formats and ownership, and listener data. Prominent topics covered include bids for the Northwest England regional license with 11 applicants, the re-advertisement of some London licenses, and audience figures showing Radio 4's Today as the most popular breakfast show in London.
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'Radio News: No. 19, 19 March 1993' by Grant Goddard
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THE WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE UK
AUTHOR.ITY CAN
The Radio Authority has recognised
the need to slow its expansion of the
industry, in line with the wishes of
the commercial radio lobby, according
to Brian West, Director of its trade
association AIRC.
Addressing a London conference
organised by Kagan World Media, West
acknowledged that his ~nbers had
"failed in twenty years of earnest
endeavour to make private radio in
the UK more than a two percent
medium." But he threw doubts upon the
"quantum leap" theory that the
industry's two percent share of
advertising spend could be doubled
simply by doubling the number of
commercial stations.
West said that until now the Radio
Authority had been telling the
comrnercial radio industry: "Our brief
is to widen choice and we do that by
issuing more licences. You chaps are
the operators and the market is your
concern.'t
"INFLUENCE
''We've always taken vigorous issue
with that simplistic position,"
continued West, "because the issuing
of licences affects the market as
much as any other factor. But more
recently we've detected a recognition
at Holbrook House [Radio Authority
headquarters] that they do feel they
can influence the market. This could
be a good thing, provided they are
not tempted to use that influence in
the one way so many of my members
fear by seeking more national
COIII11ercial services."
West admitted that, despite "many
millions" investment in the industry,
"precious few fortunes" had been made
from UK radio. "Happily these days,"
he said, "there are rather more major
players at last prepared to take the
longer view and see strategic
advantages in UK radio invesbnent.
This is undoubtedly leading to
concentrations of ownership, but who
is to say that it is not making for a
stronger industry?"
RADIO INDUSTRY
THE MARKET--
Anticipating increasing
regionalisation and networking
between commercial stations, West
said the chances for "really local
stations" were not good unless they
could supplant local newspapers as
the primary medium for local
advertisers.
"The fact that the [Radio] Authority
believes this too," added West, "is
reflected in its plan for its use of
the 105-108 FM band. Small stations
could fall between the need to
accentuate their localness with local
programming and the need to achieve
programming standards which listeners
find sufficiently professional to
persuade them not to defect to the
larger stations. This was perhaps one
of the least acknowledged strengths
of the old ILR [system] - a limited
number of stations of a range of
sizes, but none so small that it
couldn't deliver to its audiences
what they wanted."
POPE PROMOTES VIRGIN
Virgin Radio has appointed Jon Pope
as Head of Promotions to co-ordinate
its on- and off-air activities,
including concert promotions. Pope
was Presentations & Promotions
Producer at BBC Radio Scotland, and
had previously worked as
Communications Manager for Virgin
Retail in
copywriter
London.
Australia, and as a
and radio producer in
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f radio news 1993 page 1
2. NORT:F-IWEST LICENCE
Bjdders for the Radio Authority's
Northwest England regional licence
are notable for their sheer number
(eleven), the involvement of several
large radio groups, and the unwieldy
station names selected by applicants.
The winner, to be announced within
three months, will launch in
September 1994 and serve 4.3m adults
in the largest of the Authority's
five new regional licence areas. The
bidders, in alphabetical order, are:
Apollo FM proposes "a mellow blend of
contemporary and classic easy
listening, with light entertainment"
aimed at "a mature audience aged 35+"
and including "subsidiary strands of
country music and nostalgia." The
group is backed by Southern Radio
(51%) and the Apollo Leisure Group
(49%), and its non-executive Chairman
is Robert Sperring, presently
Chairman of Southern Radio.
FMFH is a "classic rock radio station
targeted at the 35+ age group" and
its music will be "drawn from the
vast catalogue of material from 'rock
survivors' who have sold albums in
the same quantities as today's new
acts sell singles." Its shareholders
include a company called TGP156 (held
by publishers Hit &Run Music) with
20%, and a mysterious "Investor X"
with 30%. Non-executive Directors
include Jeremy Lewis , MD of
Inevitable Records, and Phil Easton,
Head of Presentation at Orchard FM.
Fortune FM promises "high quality
easy listening music targeted at an
audience of listeners in t heir late
3Os, 40s and older," but there will
be "no heavy base [sic] beat, no
noisy amplificati on, no 'loud'
records." The bid is backed by Allied
Radio (49%), French network Europe 1
(10%) and Radio Investments (10%),
and its Chief Execut ive is
ex-Piccadilly Radio MD (and Minst er
Sound Director) Colin WaIters.
Heart FM has an adult contemporary
format, playing "softer, current
songs and older standards." It will
target 25-44 year olds who, its
application argues, are "an age group
not specifically served by other
stations in the region." Its main
investors are the Chrysalis Group
(42.5%) and Iceland Frozen Foods
(42.5%), and the Board includes
cricketer Clive Lloyd, Virgin Radio
Director Charles Levison and
Iceland's Chief Executive Malcolm
Walker.
Jazz FM is backed entirely by Golden
Rose Communications, owners of the
London station of the same name. It
will play "jazz music in its widest
sense" but promises that progranmes
will not be merely a relay of its
sister station. Chairman is David
Maker, and the Board includes Katy
Turner, the Hon Robert Rayne and
Graeme Mareland, all from the London
operation.
Northern Lite FM promises easy
listening, country and oldies aimed
at the over-35s, with the emphasis on
"melody, harmony and those musical
qualities which continually establish
songs as 'standards' and performers
as favourites." Backers include Radio
Clyde (40%), Media Ventures
Investments (20%) and French network
NRJ (23%). MDjPD designate is Tony
Ingham, ex-Station Manager of Buzz
FM.
North West Country Radio would play
"a broad mix of country music from
classic hits to today's country
stars" for an audience over 40. It
would be a "music-led station with
personality presenters and appeal
across both sexes." Shareholders
include Trans World Communicat ions
(20%) and the Guardian & Manchester
Evening News (20%), and MD designate
is Mark Matthews of Piccadilly Radio.
North West Live FM plays adult
orientated and easy listening music
for 30-55 year aIds, and promises
"quality music and quality speech
with a crystal clear quality of sound
which will be unique in the
NorthWest." The bid is backed by Owen
Oyston, deposed Trans World Chairman,
who would hold 93% of shares, and the
BIDS
application
three-page
directorships
companies.
includes
CV,
of
his fullsome
including
several dozen
North West Radio would target 35-54
year olds with "country and
country-led music, featuring songs
and ballads from the mid-1960s to
date, where melody and intelligent
lyrics, rather than beat or transient
fashion, plasy the dominant role." PD
designate is Peter Baker, ex-PD of
KFM and ex-country DJ on Piccadilly.
Producers include Joe Fish,
ex-country DJ on GMR and Piccadilly,
and music journalist Mick Middles.
North West Voice FM would broadcast
''predominantly speech, news and talk
with a programming format which
appeals to all ages and demographic
groups." Backed by Border TV (26%),
North West Radio Consortium (21%) and
Radio Investments (13%), MD/PD
designate is Julian Allitt, presently
MD of Bay Radio.
The Dream is a "dance/soul music
station with the minimum of speech"
whose bid arose because "the
directors of Sunset Radio realised
that the music format now in place at
Sunset would be very valuable one to
extend across the North West." Sunset
would hold 20% of shares and the
Chairman is cricketer Clive Lloyd.
In other licence news, the Authority
has advertised the fourth of its five
new regional FM licences, covering
2.2m adults in the West Midlands .
Applications cost £1475 and close on
6 July, the winner to be announced
within three months . The
re-advertisement of the Birmingham FM
incremental licence, presently held
by Buzz FM, has been postponed from
July to October this year to allow
applicants t o take account of the
format operated by the eventual West
Midlands winner. Instead, the
Kettering AM licence of Mellow 1557,
will be re-advertised this July,
rather than October as originally
scheduled.
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
4 l"adio news 1993 page 2
,';
3. /
Will re-advertisement of London
licences simply mean re-award? Radio
Authority Head of Development David
Vick admitted: "In the case of LBC
and Capital, a track record of
nearly twenty years of broadcasting
is going to have to be one of the
factors that the Radio Authority
takes into account. We know that
radio stations command a degree of
loyalty from their listeners which
far exceeds the loyalty that a
television channel attracts from its
viewers. Clearly that is something we
will have to take a view on, as
well." ***** And on the prospect of
temporary Restricted Service Licence
holders winning permanent licences,
Vick told The Independent: "It's very
difficult translating a 28-day
licence where everything runs on
enthusiasm into an eight-year licence
where the bills have to be paid"
***** DJ Simon Bates responded to BBC
Head of Youth Department Janet Street
Porter's comment that Radio 1 needs
to play music that young people want
to hear: "It seems she would like us
to broadcast ghetto music to appeal
to her idea of the youth
culture...... ls she saying that Rod
Stewart is finished and Eric Clapton
too old for Radio I?" Hip and
trendy Bates will soon be celebrating
his 45th birthday ***** The
Broadcasting Standards Council has
upheld two complaints against GLR's
Sunday morning Paul Ross show for
offensive remarks against Germans.
Also upheld were three complaints
about a Daily Star bingo advert
alleged to be "sexist, offensive and
very degrading to women" because it
compared numbers to the female form.
The Council dismissed complaints
about Radio 4's interview with
convicted murderer Denis Nilsen on
Today; and its Sex In The Head series
which complainants branded as
R.ADIO WAVES
"sickening" and "verbal pornography"
***** Virgin Communications is
reported to have paid £l!m to buy out
TV-AM's 50% share in Virgin Radio
***** Piccadilly Key 103/Manchester
is running a £125,000 promotion for
its new breakfast show DJ Steve Penk.
Devised by American company Filmbouse
(who also work with
Capital/London), listeners phone-in
at 8.15am if their birthday matches
that contained in each day's
envelope. Six 3D-second ads on
Granada TV targeting 15-34 year olds
are backed by 48-sheet posters, bus
sides and "massive on-the-ground
activity." The station has appointed
ex-Hammersmith Odeon Marketing
Manager Chris Reed to develop their
local concert promotions ***** The
BBC is to appoint a marketing person
within the next two months to
co-ordinate campaigns for network
radio, following recent disastrous
poster campaigns for Radio 4 ("If
your IQ is lower than our frequency,
then we're not for you") and Radio
2 ("It's all for you on...") which
cost £5m ***** A correspondent to the
Radio Times has pointed out that
Radio 4's FM frequency is actually
93,500,000 cycles per second which,
compared to IQs of maximum three
figures, qualifies nobody to listen
to the station ***** London's Evening
Standard has revealed that Radio
4's Today is the capital's most
popular breakfast show with a peak
audience of 659,000. It is followed
by Capital ~'s Chris Tarrant with
618,000; Radio l's Simon Mayo with
457,000; Radio 2 on 397,000;
Capital Gold's Tony Blackburn with
279,000; LBC Talkback's Douglas
Cameron with 230,000; Melody Radio
119,000; LBC Hewstalk 116,000;
Kiss ~ 77,000; GLR 59,000;
Radio 3 50,000; Radio 5 48,000;
Jazz ~ 31,000; and Spectrum 27,000
***** Virgin Radio is describing
its weekend breakfast presenter
Grabam Dene as "Princess Diana's
favourite DJ" ***** Astra satellite
station Euronet is telling
listeners its closure on 31 Mar is a
result of having been omitted from
RAJAR diaries, making the station
unable to prove the size of its
audience. Sceptics are asking - what
audience? ***** Also on Astra, Dutch
Top 40 network Power ~ has been
replaced by ballad-formatted Love
Radio ***** Capital Radio PD
Richard Park on imminent competition
from Virgin Radio: "1 'm looking
forward to it...... it looks as though
their output will be much more like
GLR's than ours, with more AOR"
***** Amongst several oddities on
Music Week's newly published Radio
Map is the inclusion of Airport
Information Radio which closed more
than a year ago ***** Despite the
threat of heavy fines, there is lots
of pirate FM activity in Dublin,
including dance station Active 101
and love song formatted Radio
Dublin ***** And in London, the
resurgence of pirate popularity is
exemplified by reggae/soul formated
Station ~ to extend its hours from
evenings/weekends right through
daytirnes ***** The Guernsey States
Broadcasting Committee has objected
to BBC Radio Guernsey's decision to
abandon its policy of always leading
hourly news bulletins with a local
story. A 700-signature petition and
letter to BBC Chairman Marmaduke
Hussey has had no effect, leading
island Deputy (equivalent to MP) Pat
Mellor to comment about Hussey: "He
does not seem to have grasped the
basic principle of the thing - people
in Guernsey Late what happens here
above the rest of the world" *****
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HAl 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
f radio news 1993 page 3
4. RADIO DIARY
213/4 !PR WHAT FUTURE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING? - AGLOBAL ENQUIRY FOR LISTENERS &VIEWERS conference in London.
Voice Of The Listener &Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
6 APR COVENTRY closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 620,000 and 530,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
6 !PR DUNDEE/PERTH closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM services serving 280,000 and 240,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
20 APR FOCUS ON RADIO (3) debate on music radio at BT Conference Centre, Newgate Street, London EC1. Info: The Radio
Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A 4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
19/20/21/22 APR NAB 93 organised by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Info:
202-429-5350
20 APR LONDONDERRY closing date for new local FM licence serving 100,000 adults. Info: Radio Authority
30 APR VIRGIN RADIO launches nationally on 1215 AM
4 MAY NORTHEAST ENGLAND closing date for applications for new regional FM licence serving 1.9rn adults. Info: Radio
Authority
4 MAY PETERBOROUGH closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM services serving 575,000 and 225,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
11 MAY WHAT ABOUT THE WORKERS? (3) at BBC Pebble Kill, Birmingham. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A 4SZ
Tel: 071-323-3837
1 JUN BOURNEMOUTH closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 460,000 and 450,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
1 JUN BRISTOL closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM services serving 1.01m and 610,000 adults respectively.
Info: Radio Authority
1 JUN CARDIFF closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 370,000 and 550,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
1 JUN NEWPORT closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 360,000 and 190,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
8 JUN LONDON closing date for applications for four AM and four FM services, six of which are re-advertisements and two of
which are new, serving 5.Bm to 7.5m adults. Info: Radio Authority
15 JUN AYLESBURY closing date for applications for new FM licence serving 135,000 adults. Info: Radio Authority
25 JUS APRS 93 at Olympia 2, London
6 JUL WEST MIDLANDS closing date for applications for new regional licence serving 2.2m adults. Info: Radio Authority
12 JUL COMMUNITY RADIO - TRAINING GROUND? pre-Radio Festival conference on training, run jointly with the Community Radio
Association. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London WIA 4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
13/14 JUL RADIO FESTIVAL at International Convention Centre, Birmingham. Info: Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A 4SZ
tel:071-323-3837
3/4 ROV TECHCON &SBES at Metropole Hotel, Birmingham
9 DEC PATRON LUNCH at The Savoy, London WC2. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London WIA 4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
AIRMAIL PRINTED PAPER
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