Issue no. 10, dated 15 January 1993, of 'Radio News' weekly newsletter for the UK radio broadcasting industry, written and published by Grant Goddard in January 1993.

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THE WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE UK RADIO INDUSTRY
NEW BBC RADIO BOSS
Channel 4 TV Programme Director Liz
Forgan has been appointed MD of BBC
Network Radio by incoming Director
General John Birt, replacing David
Hatch who now becomes Birt's Special
Assistant. Despite having no radio
experience, Forgan will be
responsible for the Corporation's
five networks and their repositioning
prior to the BBC Charter Renewal in
1996.
Announcing the appointment, Birt said
,~ want an institution in which
managers never stifle initiative or
enterprise; in which baronisation and
bureaucracy are dirty words; where
fudge and fix-it, hostile leaking and
secretive and manipUlative behaviour
BAKER.
A listener complaint against nanny
Baker's Radio 5 breakfast show for
"distasteful and irresponsible"
comments has been upheld by the
Broadcasting Standards Council.
In an edition broadcast last August,
Sony Award Radio Personality Of The
Year Baker referred to the possible
burning of the American flag at the
lFM
Radio 1 Controller Johnny Beerling
has announced plans for a series of
dehates to discuss the net work's
fut ure in preparation for the 1996
Charter Renewal.
On 28
one-off
Feb, Liz Kershaw makes a
return to the network,
become techniques and tactics of the
past."
Forty-eight year old Forgan,
described by one commentator as "Birt
in a skirt", has in the past defended
the BBC's right to compete with
comnercial radio. "It would be mad to
axe Radios 1 and 2 on the grounds
that the commercial sector provides
the same thing," she t old a
conference eighteen IOOIlths ago. "A
third of the population tunes in
every week."
The BBC is estimated to have paid
£60,000 to release Forgan from her
"golden handcuffs" deal with Channel
4, in addition to a salary
approaching £130,000.
Last year, Forgan' s predecessor David
Hatch vigourously denied an Observer
front-page story by Richard Brooks
that he was about to be replaced.
Hatch argued that Brooks' "prognosis
that the Director General would leave
early and that Radio 2 and 5 were to
be scrapped proved to be instantly
and laughably inaccurate."
But Director General Michael
Checkland subsequently announced his
early retirement, and now Hatch
himself has been replaced.
Uncertainty surrounds the futures of
Radios 1, 2 and 5.
COMPLAINT UPHELD
Barcelona Olympics, joked about
playing polo with a human head, and
invited listeners to phone in with
tales of irresponsible violence
corrrnitted in their youth. The BBC
accepted the Council's verdict that
some listeners may have been offended
by these comments.
But the Council failed to uphold
other complaints against LBC
Talkback/London for an afternoon
discussion about anal sex; Northsound
Radio/Aberdeen for a breakfast show
comedy sketch about killing stray
cats; and the use of the phrase "I'll
have your balls" in Radio 4' splay
The Wooden Horse.
FUTURE DEBATED
launching a "major debate" about the
future of Radio 1. And Heritage
Minister Peter Brooke will answer
listeners' questions as guest on the
Simon Bates and Nicky Campbell shows.
"As far as the future of the BBC is
concerned, there will be numerous
opportunities for the public to
participate," said Beeding. "There
will be public meetings up and down
the country between now and next
April where the public can come along
and make their views known."
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
f radio news 1993 page 1

2. VIRGIN POSTPONES LAUNCH
The launch of new national music
station Virgin Radio has been
postponed by five weeks until the end
of April to allow time for the
company's new business plans to be
implemented. These involve changes to
the management team that were
announced last week, as well as a new
studio location and revised ownership
structure.
Intervention by Richard Branson means
tbe station is now moving its studios
back to London and out of the disused
Woking complex owned by Allied Radio
that it had intended to upgrade. The
policy change directly contradicts
AREA BAND TSA ADVERTISED
National AM
National AM 47m
NW England FM 4,300,000 8 Dee 92
Severn Estuary FM 1,600,000 30 Sep 92
Virgin Radio MD John Aumonier's
pronouncement just before Xmas that
"as we are a national station we did
not feel tbe need to be London
based."
Aumonier is reportedly considering
his future with the company,
following Virgin's internal
appointment of new Chief Executive
!}avid Campbell to run the company,
and to whom Aumonier is now
accountable.
Virgin Communications is also
considering a buy-out of TV-AM's 50%
stake in the station, following the
CLOSED BIDS AWARD WINNER
NATIONAL LICENCES
4 Feb 92 5 13 May 92 vmGIli RADIO
REGIONAL LICENCES
16 Mar 93
5 Jan 93 5
television company's decision to
close its operations, dispose of its
assets and distribute residual
profits to shareholders. TV-AM
Chairman Bruce Gyngell is to return
to Australia as Chairman of TV
Channel Nine there.
"Things are really moving now," says
Virgin Radio spokesperson Elly Smith.
"It's so much better - more is
happening now. Everybody is terribly
enthused."
An announcement of the station's
precise launch date and first DJ
signing should be made next week.
FORMAT ON AIR FREQUENCY
speech Spring 95 1053/1089AM
rock Mar 93 1197/1215AM
1 Sep 94
1 Sep 94
RE-ADVERTISED LOCAL LICENCES
Coventry AM 620,000 7 Jan 93 6 Apr 93 1 Jan 95 1359AM
Coventry FM 530,000 7 Jan 93 6 Apr 93 1 Jan 95 97/102.9FM
Dundee/Perth AM 280,000 7 Jan 93 6 Apr 93 1 Jan 95 1161/1584AM
Dundee/Perth FM 240,000 7 Jan 93 6 Apr 93 1 Jan 95 96.4/102.8FM
Ayr AM 510,000 4 Dee 92 2 Mar 93 16 Oct 94 1035 111-1
Ayr FM 220,000 4 Dec 92 2 Mar 93 16 Oct 94 96.9 FM
Northampton AM 540,000 2 Dec 92 2 Mar 93 15 Det 94 1557 AM
Northampton FM 320,000 2 Dee 92 2 Mar 93 15 Oct 94 96.6 FM
Luton/Bedford AM 1,030,000 2 Dec 92 2 Mar 93 15 Oct 94 792/828 AM
Luton/Bedford FM 680,000 2 Dec 92 2 Mar 93 15 Oct 94 96.9/97.6FM
Leeds AM 1,230,000 4 Nav 92 9 Feb 93 1 Sep 94 828 AM
Leeds FM 770,000 4 Nov 92 9 Feb 93 -~ -';
1 Sep 94 96.3 FM
Southend/Chlmsfd AM 1,530,000 6 Nov 92 9 Feb 93 12 Sep 94 1431/1359AM
Southend/Chlmsfd FM 770,000 6 Nov 92 9 Feb 93 12 Sep 94 96.3/102.6FM
Aberdeen AM 230,000 8 Oct 92 12 Jan 93 3 29 Jul 94 1035 AM
Aberdeen FM 230,000 8 Det 92 12 Jan 93 1 29 Jul 94 96.9 FM
NEW LOCAL LICENCES
B
Londonderry FM 100,000 15 Jan 93 20 Apr 93
Scarborough AM/FM 70,000 27 Nov 92 9 Mar 93
High Wycombe AM ? 7 Aug 92 17 Nov 92 4 7 Jan 93 Radio Wye 1170 AM
Pembrokeshire FM 85,000 1 Jul 92 20 Oct 92 1 7 Jan 93 [no award]
Weymouth FM 80,000 8 Jun 92 8 Sep 92 5 6 Nov 92 Regent Radio/Orchard FM
North Wales AM/FM 130,000 12 May 92 25 Aug 92 3 1 Oct 92 Marcher Coast FM/Marcher Sound
Carlisle FM 150,000 27 Apr 92 28 Jul 92 4 7 Sep 92 CRFM spring 93
Glenrothes FM 260,000 7 Apr 92 21 Jul 92 3 7 Sep 92 [no award]
Colcbester FM 120,000 7 Feb 92 19 May 92 6 2 Jul 92 Colchester FM/SGR-FM
Slough/Windsor FM 390,000 31 Mar 92 9 2 Jul 92 Tristar Bdcstng spring 93
Harlow FM 100,000 24 Mar 92 1 7 Se!} 92 Harlow Radio/Essex Radio
Morecambe Bay FM 180,000 10 Mar 92 2 14 May 92 BAY RADIO AC spring 93 96.9 FM
Montgomeryshire AM ? 18 Feb 92 1 4 Jun 92 RADIO fIALIImI community spring 93 756 AM
Cheltenham AM ? 14 Jan 92 5 6 Mar 92 CD 603 AC Mar 93 603 AM
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
~ radio news 1993 page 2
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3. Three applicants for the readvertised
Aberdeen licence include incumbent
Hort.hsoImd Radio ***** Radio Wye
wins the new High Wycombe licence
***** The Radio Authority makes no
award for the Pembrokeshire licence
despite one application from Haven
Radio ***** A new Londonderry FM
licence is advertised this week *****
MTV Europe and American network
ADC are planning a pan-European
radio operation and e~loring options
of syndicated shows, a 24-hour
satellite radio service and
investments in individual stations
***** Owen Oyston is reported to be
preparing a bid for the regional
Northwest England licence, despite
retaining 29% of !rans World
~cations which already owns
Piccadilly/Manchester and Red
Rose/preston within the same area
***** MP Gerald Kaufman tells The
Times he despises Radio 3's new
format: "There is now a high
proportion of mindless chatter, and
the standard of literacy is falling"
***** Moray Firth Radio/Inverness
replaces weekend news bulletins with
presenter-read headlines, making
redundant two news staff and one
presenter. Sports Editor Donald
Fraser, departed to
BRMB/Birmingham, is replaced by a
freelancer ***** Why was Radio 1 DJ
Simon Bates allowed to make
persistent hints about the impending
announcement of BBC top management
changes in his Monday noming show?
"I think it's a terrific idea," Bates
told a baffled audience unaware what
the idea actually was ***** Virgin
Radio appoints Kathy Leppard as
Music Industry Consultant "handling a
special pre-launch advertising sales
package" ***** A demonstration march
RADIO WAVES
on Broadcasting House is rescheduled
for April by The Save Radio 4 On
Long Wave Campaign, launched last
year by Winchester schoolteacher Nick
MacKinnon and now co-ordinated by
Rachel Mawhood ***** Jazz
FM/London's excellent Helen Mayhew
evening show Dinner Jazz has secured
a £~ sponsorship deal ***** TV
presenter Normski is piloting the
Radio 1 version of Dance Energy
later this year ***** But is it
ethnic? Spectrum RadiO/London
introduces daily early morning
bulletins for the newstrade industry
in conjunction with Retail Newsagent
magazine ***** Hospital station
Radio Brockley/Stanmore raised £197
in a Xmas raffle to improve its
studio at the Royal National
Orthopaedic Hospital *****
GLR/London's Emma Freud replaces
lFM's holidaying Nicky Campbell for
two weeks ***** Radio Cracker is
not repeating its fundraising network
of restricted service licences next
Xmas ***** Trims World
CalBunications appoints Tbe Radio
Sales Company to handle its stations'
sponsorship and promotions *****
Accountability or farce? Radio 2's
annual opportunity for listeners to
have their say was billed by Radio
Times in small print under the Jimmy
Young show only as "Radio 2's
Controller Frances Line answers
listeners' questions. " No mention
that it was part of the BBC's Call
The Controller series, no address or
phone number for questions, and Line
chose not to speak directly to a
single caller. She did say that the
Dept of National Heritage is
"particularly keen" to hear from the
audience for Radios 1 and 2
because "sometimes our listeners are
a bit quiet." Liz Forgan could start
by asking why, in London, the
station's share has "quietened" by
50% in six years ***** LEe/London
phone-in doctor Steve Curson writes
an advice column in new magazine Top
Sante Health & Beauty ***** 21-year
old Classic FM presenter Petroc
Trelawny admits to Tbe Sunday Times:
"I had never introduced classical
music before and did make horrendous
mistakes. We all did." ***** This
year's Sound Broadcasting Equipment
Show is held 4 Nov at the Metropole
Hotel, Bil'lllingham (0491-38575) *****
BBC World Service is recruiting for
its two-year Production Trainee
scheme (081-749-7000) and needs a
Deputy Section Head for its Brazilian
service (071-240-3456 x2514) and an
Assistant to the Somali Section Head
(ditto x2734) ***** BBC Radio
Scotland needs a Finance &Business
Planning Manager (081-749-7000) *****
BBC Radio Sussex needs a Prograrrrne
Assistant to replace its drivetime
presenter who moves to BBC Radio
Surrey's breakfast show ***** BBC
Sports Unit needs a Radio Producer
(071-580-4468 x5993) ***** Radio
4's Woman's Hour needs a Production
Assistant (ditto x4791) ***** How to
turn a negative into a positive?
Radio Mercury/Crawley/Guildford's
simulcast anonymous non-stop music
between Boxing Day and the New Year
was billed proudly as "the OK's
longest continual music special"
***** Bunfight on the broadsheets?
The Observer's Russell Twisk
proclaimed "last year helonged to
Classic FM." Noting this, The
Guardian's Michael Billington
responds that "Classic FM, by and
large, is awful." *****
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
~ radio news 1993 page 3

4. RADIO DIARY
25/26/27 JKI MIDEM RADIO at Palais Des Festivals, Cannes, France. Info: International Exhibition Organisation, Metropolis
House, 22 Percy Street, London W1P 9FF tel:071-528-0086
25 JAR RAJAR first audience research figures from joint BBC/ILR system released publicly
27 JAR WHAT FUTURE FOR RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING? debate at Abbey Centre, London SW1 10.30am-4.3Opm. Voice Of The Listener &
Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
9 FEB LEEDS closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM licences serving 1.23m &770,000 adults respectively,
starting 1 Sep 1994. Info: Radio Authority
9 FF.B SOUTHEND/CHELMSFORD closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM licences serving 1.53m and 770,000 adults
respectively, starting 12 Sep 1994. Info: Radio Authority
10 FEB LICENCE TO FILL conference on applying for Radio Authority licences at The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street,
London W8 5ED. £76.38 members/£88.13 non-members. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A 4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
10 FEB WHAT FUTURE FOR REGIONAL BROADCASTING? debate at Committee Room, House of Commons 6-7.3Opm. Voice Of The Listener & '
Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
15 FEB RADIO ACADEMY DINNER in the company of John Drurnmond with introduction by David MelIor at The Council Chambers,
Broadcasting House, London W1. 6.3Opm. £35.25 members/£47 non-members. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A
4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
16 FEB FOCUS ON RADIO (1) debate on BBC Green Paper al RSA, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ. £11.75. Info: The Radio
Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A 4SZ Tel: 071-323-3837
17 FEB WHAT FUTURE FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES? debate at Abbey Centre, London SW1 10.30am-4.3Opm. Voice Of The Listener &
Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
2 MAR LUTON/BEDFORD closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 1.03m and 0.68m adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
2 MAR NORTHAMPTON closing date for licence re-applications for AM & FM services serving 540,000 and 320,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
2 MAR AYR closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM services serving 510,000 and 220,000 adults respectively.
Info: Radio Authority
3 MAR RADIO ACADEMY MUSIC CONFERENCE at The Brewery, London ECl. £116.32. Info: The Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London W1A
4SZ. tel: 071-323-3837
3 MAR WHAT FUTURE FOR LIVE MUSIC? debate at Committee Room, House of Commons 6-7.3Opm. Voice Of The Listener &Viewer, 101
Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
9 MAR SCARBOROUGH closing date for new licence serving 65,000 adults on AM or FM. Info: Radio Authority
10 MAR WHAT FUTURE FOR FARMING &RURAL PROGRAMMES? debate at Abbey Centre, London SW1 2-4.3Opm. Voice Of The Listener &
Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel: 0474-352835
16 MAR NORTHWEST ENGLAND closing date for new regional FM licence serving 4.3 million adults. Info: Radio Authority
2/3/4 !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 DlltDEE/PERTH closing date for licence re-applications for AM &FM services serving 280,000 and 240,000 adults
respectively. Info: Radio Authority
19/20/21/22 !PR NAB 93 organised by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Info:
202-429-5350
AIRMAIL PRINTED PAPER
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HAl 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
t radio news 1993 page 4