Issue no. 2, dated 16 October 1992, of 'Radio News' weekly newsletter for the UK radio broadcasting industry, written and published by Grant Goddard in October 1992.

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THE WEEKLY UPDATE ON THE UK RADIO INDUSTRY
MERCURY AXES MORNING DJ
Allied Radio abruptly dropped BIOrning
show DJ Paul Owens last week frClD its
relaunched Surrey/Hampshire station
Radio Mercury, despite featuring the
presenter prominently in its current
heavyweight advertising campaign.
An eight-page full colour leaflet,
presently being distributed to
650,000 households to promote the
rebranding of Allied's four Hane
Counties stations, includes Owens'
photo and describes him as "one of
our most experienced presenters,
who's been broadcasting to the region
for ten years".
Despite having established a strong
local following with the Guildford
station's previous incarnation as '
County Sound, <>wens' daily prograome
disappeared last week and Radio
Mercury's daytime schedule was
reshuffled without on-air
explanation.
"1 only received a message about it
yesterday," said an Allied insider,
the day the line-up was amended.
''They're not going to renew his
contract so he's not coming back."
One industry observer alleged that
Owens was the latest victim of Allied
Radio's "ethnic cleansing" policy,
whereby many staff formerly employed
by County Sound have lost their jobs
since the station's merger with Radio
Mercury a year ago. County's Managing
Director Mike Powell and Sales
Director Alan Keen have both left the
company, along with several
presenters. An Allied spokesperson
confirmed that Owens' contract had
not been renewed and that the vacancy
would not be filled.
After the merger, Allied's then MD
John Aumonier assured local listeners
that the reorganisation would not
result in any loss of "localness".
But the company's share issue
document coomented that the 1990
Broadcasting Act "will encourage the
creation of groups with the potential
to reduce costs" and noted that this
could be achieved '~y taking
advantage of new technology that has
become avialable."
Allied's new publicity leaflet
emphasises the "companionship" and
"interesting conversation" its
stations provide, but the
accompanying programme schedules show
RADIO DIARY
more than 30% of its four stations'
output to be anonymous back-to-back
music. The two simulcast AM stations
carry only three music shows by named
presenters on weekdays, a single
one-hour sports show on Saturday, and
three Sunday shows. The two FM
stations have no named presenter
shows at all frClD 7IXO on Friday to
7am on Monday.
On FM, The Weekend Of AThousaOO Hits
is promoted as "the OI's longest
continuous music prograllllE", while
the !Ms broadcast The Music Machine's
"non-stop all night music". Saoo of
these strands include the voices of
casual freelancers, supplementing
Allied's reduced complement of eleven
named weekday music presenters on its
four stations.
Allied was eXCIlSed frClD participation
in the April-June 1992 JICRAR
audience ~esearch survey, mandatory
for all coomercial stations, because
of the impending relaunch of its four
licences. It is presently refusing to
allow its recent advertising revenue
figures to be circulated to the rest
of the coomercial radio industry,
breaking a longstanding tradition.
20 ocr PEMBROKESHIRE closing date for applications for new FM licence serving 85,000 adults. Info: Radio Authority
21/12113 ocr RADIO '92 conference in Deauville, France. Info: WCT, 28 Westminster Palace Gardens, Artillery Row, London
SWlP 1RR tel:071-799-1565
21 ocr TECHCOH conference on radio technology at Forte Crest Hotel, Birmingham. Info: Radio Academy, PO Box 4SZ, London
WIA 4SZ tel: 071-323-3837
22 ocr 17TH SOUND BROADCAST EQUIPMENT SHOW at Forte Crest Hotel, Birmingham. Info: Point Promotions, PO Box 46,
Wallingford, Oxon OX10 ODD tel: 0491-38575
Tl/23/24 ocr 17TH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF OLD-TIME RADIO CONVENTION at the Holiday Inn-North, Newark, New Jersey, USA. Info:
203-248-2887
23/24/75 ocr NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOSPITAL BROADCASTIllG ORGANISATIONS Conference & AGM in Hull. Mo: 0324-611996
24 ocr NUS STUDENT MEDIA CONFERENCE in London includes Guardian/NUS awards for student broadcasting organisation of the
year and student broadcaster of the year
26 ocr RADIO & PRIMARY SCHOOLS seminar (provisional}. Info: Voice Of The Listener &Viewer, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend,
Kent DA12 5BQ tel:0474-352835
TT/"lJ3/7!J ocr THE ODD COUPLE? Arts Council conference on the arts, television and radio in the 90s at The DelE, Brighton.
Info: Conference Profile, 1 Wardrobe Place, London EC4V 5AH tel:071-236-4938
TT ocr WRITING ~y FOR TV & RADIO course tutored by SiJron Brett, former BBC Radio producer. Oxford Circus. 9.45am-5pm.
£59.55 + VAT. Info: London Media Workshops, 101 Kings Drive, Gravesend, Kent DA12 5BQ tel:0474-564676
28 ocr RAIDERS FM restricted service licence starts broadcasting on FM to SouthWest London for 28 days. Info: 54 Moring
Rd, Balham, London SW17 3DL tel:081-682-3323
30 ocr ONE LOVE restrtcted service licence starts broadcasting on FM to SouthEast London for 28 days. Info: 441 New Cross
Road, London SE14 6TA tel:081-691-4618
31 ocr INVICTA FM 8th birthday party at tbe Whitbread Hop Farm, tickets £5. tel: 0622-872068
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
i radio news 1~92 page 1

2. FOUR NEW STATIONS LAUNCHED
Four new local commercial stations
take to the air this month in an
unprecedented burst of radio start-up
activity.
In Shropshire, Ludlow ex-pirate
SUBSHDIE 855 beCOOJeS legal on 18
Oct after an eleven-year campaign for
a licence that even saw its name
raised in Parliamentary debate. The
station promises its 25-45 year old
audience "The South Midlands' Best
Music", CClIIprising 60% current hits
and 40% 70s/80s oldies. There are no
specialist shows at launch, but a
nightly dance show is planned, and a
hard-disc CClIIputer system provides
overnight cootinuous music. Station
founder Grabam Symonds is MD; PO Tony
Paul (ex-Beacon, MFM) presents
breakfast; and there are sPc
full-time staff.
Guernsey's ISLlID PII [104.7]
launched 15 act with a melodic music
format aimed at 20+ year olds with
the slogan "Sounds Good To Ke". MJ)jPD
Kevia Stewart (ex-Caroline, 210,
Orwell) presents breakfast, Head of
Music Paul Stoddart is on mornings,
and Jobn Tyler (ex-Caroline, Contact
94) does drivetimes. There are seven
full-time staff; specialist shows for
dance, classic rock, rock'n' roll,
folk/blues; and Kenny Everett's
Captain Kremen comedy is stripped at
breakfast. Ex-Luxembourg DJ Mark
Wesley assisted with the launch, and
the station's projected weekly reach
is 65%.
Jersey's OIIIIEL 103 PII, backed
entirely by local investors and
calling itself ''The Best Sound In
Jersey", opens 25 act with eleven
full-time staff. MD/PD Richard
Johnson (ex-BBC Jersey) presents
breakfasts, Head of Music John Uphoff
(ex-Viking, Pulse) is on mornings,
and Matt Howells (ex-BBC Jersey) does
evenings. The music is post-l960
classic gold, combined with 10-15%
"current hits, aimed at 15-55 year
olds listening to One FM and Radio
Jersey. No specialist shows featare
at launch, and Chiltern's Supergold
is relayed overnight. A strong local
news service is provided by three
reporters; targeted weekly reach is
40%; and praootion is assisted by
four brightly coloured branded Suzuki
jeeps bought with cash.
LANTERN PII [96.2], describing
itself as ''The Brighter Sound Of
North Devon", launches 19 act with
twelve full-time staff. Targeting
25-45 year oIds, it plays fElar
alhan tracks, two or three current
hits per hour, and "wildcard" tracks
in a mix described as "60% safe, 40%
risk". Presenters choose tracks
within playlist categories and have
SOOIE! free choices. Specialist shows
include country, rock, dance,
classical (Sunday breakfast), a CD
album review show, and a nightly
camnmity prograome produced by
volunteers. MD/PD John Brocks
(ex-County Sound, Devonair) presents
aornings, Head of Presentation Mike
Baker (ex-Chiltern, Beacon) doeS
breakfasts, Sarah Gorrell (ex-IIRMB)
is afternoons, Gordon SaJmenille
(ex-Oevonair) drivetime, Keith Oliver
(ex"Devonair) evenings, and a CD
jukebox overnight. 40 weekly reach
is targeted; the station's Ein
competitor in the area is Atlantic
252; and 85 of capital is locally
owned, much of it by station staff.
TALKING TECHNICAL
Ifore than 120 delegates are expected
to attend this year's Radio Academy
TecbCon conference to discuss issues
in the radio technology industry. The
all-day event is held at Birmingham's
Forte Crest Hotel on 21 act and
chaired by Simon Sbute, General
Manager of BBC Radio Operatioos &
Engineering.
In one of the conference's six
sessions, entitled Radio Utopia FM, a
panel including Radio Authority
Development Officer Sue Williams
address the issue of ensuring that It
new radio station hits the airwaves
on target. And another session, led
by GWR' sQuentin Howard and NTL's
Gordon Verity, examines how Classic
FM achieved this feat in record time.
A history of COIJilUters in radio and
their installation at Cornwall's
Pirate FM, presented by station MD
Richard Lawley, is also on the
agenda, along with an explanation of
ISDN technology bI BBC News and
British Teleoom.
RADIO CONTACTS
TechCon precedes the 17th Sound
Broadcasting Equipnent Show, at the
same venue on 22 Oct, exhibiting
stands frail more than seventy
companies, including all major radio
" equipnent manufacturers and
engineering consultants such as
Phoenix Coomunications and SBS.
Inf~tion: 071-323-3837 (TecbCoo),
0491-38575 (SBES).
~ RADIO, 29 Fir Park, Harlow, Essex 009 4JY. Tel: 0279-414996 Alan Hall or 0102-333711 Philip Hinton. [winner of
Harlow ILR licence].
ORI.TSTE RADIO LTD. [CRFM], Broadcasting Centre, Durranhlll, Carlisle CA! M. Tel: 0228-25101 Rormie Cowing or 0228-23241
Ron Wilson. [winner of Carlisle ILR licence].
DORSET RADIO GROUP [Hardy FM], Friar Waddoo Farmhouse, Friar Waddon, Dorset 11l'14EP. Tel: 0305--813446 Bill Ludlow or
0305-853416 Tony Biles. [applicant for Dorset ILR licence].
RF.6EII'r RADIO, Whitcombe Manor, Whitcanbe, Dorcbester, Dorset DT2 BNY. Tel: 0305-251298 Peter Bolton or 0823-338448 David
Rodgers. [applicant for Dorset ILR licence].
RIDGOOY RADIO, 1 Prince of Wales Road, WeJlOOuth, Dorset D'l'4 OBY. Tel: 0305-771175 Michael Law or 0305-263382/0305-263084
Martin Shepherd. (applicant for Dorset ILR licence].
WDPII RADIO, 14 Symonds Close, Weymouth, Dorset DT3 5HY. Tel: 0305-781113 Claire Cross. [applicant for Dorset ILR licence].
WHITE H<mSE RADIO, 22' Greenhayes, Broadstone, Dorset 8H18 8NA. Tel: 0202-603204 David Spokes or 0929-551951 David Porter.
[applicant for Dorset ILR licence].
FLASHBACI RADIO, 62 Hyde Road, Harrow, Middlesex. [soul pirate station].
CMPAIGI 'l'O SAVE RADIO 4 LmIG iiAVE, Nick MacKinnon, 52 Kingsgate Street, Winchester S023 9PF.
IUllIlID PlKIXICfI<JIS, lOA Belmont Street, London NWl 8ID!. Tel: 071-485-481(} (studio), 071-284-2684 (production),
071-267-4680 (admin) [independent producer]
ISLAIm ni, 12 Werterbrook, St Sampson, Guernsey, Channel Islands. Tel: 0481-42000 [new Guernsey commercial station on-air
104.7 FM 15 OctJ
LAIrrERII ni, The Light House, 17 Market Place, Bideford, North Devon EX39 2DR. Tel: 0237-424444 [new North Devon caIIIel'cial
station on-air 96.2 FM 19 Oct]
SOBSIllE 855, Sunshine House, Waterside, Ludlow, Shropshire SYB lPE. Tel: 0584-873795. [new Shropshire commercial station
on-air 855 AM 18 Oct]
CH!RIIEL 103, 6 Tunnel! Street, St Hellier,Jersey, Channel Islands JE2 4LU. Tel: 0534-888103. [new Jersey coomeccial
station on-air 103 FM 25 Oct]
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
t radio news 1992 page 2
-.l',

3. RADIO 2 describes Nick
Barraclough's series (Saturday
12-1P11) of new country music as "the
musical backlash against rap, hip-hop
and dance". ***Irl<***** CHOICE FII
holds its first soul and reggae
Weekender in Devon 12-15 November
with PAs by Everis, Sinclair, Vivian
Jones, Peter Huningale and Mike
Davis. £80 ticket includes
acconmodation and transport. Info:
071-738-7969 *Irl<******* Emulating
television channels' affliction for
repeats, RADIO 4 wants to know
listeners' favourite radio prograomes
fran the last sixty years, along with
the occasion of which it reminds
them, for future rebroadcast. Radio
Memories, Roan 806, BBC, Broadcasting
House, London WlA lA! *******A:** Paul
Jones presents RADIO 2's four-part
documentary Brill Cream (Sat 4-5IXD
starts 17 Oct) that examines the
songwriting legacy of New York's
Brill Building fran Jailhouse Rock to
the mid-60s *********** RADIO 5's
Afropop Worldwide visits Oar es
Salaam to showcase the brilliant
music of Tanzania (Sat 17 Oct
9-9.45pm) ********** The Heavenly
label's tribute record to Right Said
Fred is featured in RADIO 5's The
Mix (Non 19 Oct 10.10-midnight)
~AAAAAAA*A Simon Bates takes his
RADIO 1 show to the Motor Show at
Birmingham's NEe (TIle 20 Oct 9-noon)
**AAAAAAAA Aztec Camera's perfect
RADIO WAVES
single Just Like Gold and the rest of
the Postcard label collection come
under scrutiny in RADIO 5's Earshot
(Tue 20 Oct 10.10-midnight) including
an interview with musical genius Alan
Horne ********** RADIO 3's Night
Waves (Wed 21 Oct 10.45-11.30IXJ1)
takes a feminist perspective on
Madonna's Sex book ********** A
specially recorded session fran fab
family gospel group The Winans
features in Gloria Gaynor's Gospel
Train (Thu 22 Oct 9.45-10.30IXJ1) on
RADIO 2 ********** Linda Mccartney
discusses her career as a
photographer in the RADIO 2 Arts
Prograome (Fri 23 Oct 10-midnight)
********** Congratulations to
ex-RADIO CAROLIllE, ClIIDCT 94 and
EORORE'1' DJ Dave Asher and ex-RADIO
CAROLDE DJ Caroline Martin who were
married in a Cambridgeshire village
church last month. Asher works
weekend shifts on Mid Anglia Radio's
HF.RJllWID FII, CJI.FII, aJBS and
I1.FII. Best wishes to the happy
couple and how long will it be before
we hear the patter patter of tiny
little DJ voices going up to the
vocals? AAAAA*A*** While in
Wbeeling-Steubenville, West Virginia,
USA, imi[-FII morning DJ Doug
Daniels has married the same
station's evening DJ Denise Minck
********** KISS FII has extended its
weekday playlist to weekend shows
6am-4pm, a policy change originally
recommended last year by the
station's Head Of Programming only
days before he was summarily
dismissed ********** The National
Association Of Hospital Broadcasting
Organisations holds its AGM and
conference in Hull on 23-25 Oct.
Info: 0324-611996 *~******** CAPInL
FII's Chris Tarrant broadcasts fran
New York (Mon 19 Oct, 3-6pm)
********** BBC RADIO DERBY needs a
new Manager. Info: 0332-361111
*********A BBC DLD SERVICE needs
two Production Assistants in its
Chinese Section. Info: 071-240-3456
x2397 ********** New station
CARLISLE RADIO looking for a
Station Manager. Info: Chainnan,
Broadcasting Centre, Durranhill,
Carlisle CA1 3NT *AA***AAA* The
BBC's new Director of Corporate
Affairs is Pamela Taylor **********
Was a weekend [}J on CIIIL!ERI RADIO,
which describes itself modestly as
"the most imitated station in the
nation", really identifying the
network as "The One FM" after almost
every record? ********** Which LBC
newsreader introduced the station's
Financial Editor on-air as Douglas
Maffit, who quit the station more
than a year ago? **********
Birmingham's UMJIItI RADIO
!RlIIDIG needs tutors and trainers
with relevant experience f~r its
radio courses. Info: 339 Dudley Road,
Winson Green, BinDingham B18 4HB
OPINION ROCK RADIO
If you tune past RADIO 3's former
medium wave channel [1215 AM], you
might catch records by Phil Collins
and Suzi Quatro paving the airwaves
for the launch of YIRGII ROCI next
spring. Jointly owned by Richard
Branson and TV-AM, the country's
second national commercial station
will play rock music of the more
melodic variety aimed at hip-hop
hating thirty-somethings slouching
rapidly towards middle age.
These moneyed premature greys are
busy snapping up CD reissues of
much-loved "rock classics" in their
local Our Price, happily handing £50
over the counter for a mere three
hours of recycled memories. But the
question is will they bother
listening to their fave album tracks
on a crackly old lo-fi medium wave
radio station like Virgin Rock, when
instead they can throw another
breathtakingly expensive digital CD
onto their hi-fi or car stereo?
Rock music needs the quality of
reproduction offered by FM radio, but
Virgin Rock was denied this by the
appointment of CLASSIC FM to the OK's
last remaining national FM channel.
To show us how things could have
worked out, ex-pirate RAIDERS FM
launches a four-week marathon of rock
radio in glorious stereo at midnight
on Wednesday 28th. Broadcasting to
central London from Chelsea
riverside, this temporary service is
part of it~ campaign for a permanent
rock station in the capital, to
balance the surfeit of pop music on
the airwaves.
Employing a DJ team drawn from both
its illegal past and legendary London
pirates Skyline, Jackie and Solar,
the station will continue its
longstanding philosophy of putting
more women behind the radio
microphone.
''Whereas XFM is basically an indie
station, ours is a complete rock
station," explains Raiders' Head of
Features Marie Larkin. ''We'll play
anything fran 50s rock'n'roll,
through The Beatles, GOs rock, 70s
glam, punk, indie, AOR, folk rock,
country rock - anything tbat falls
within the rock category."
Larkin produces Rockbeat, the
station's weekday magazine show
(12.3Opm & 6pm) that interviews
groups such as The Stranglers, Green
On Red and The Levellers. Also
promised are competitions, phone-ins,
gossip, reviews, gig guides and an
early morning "electric hreakfast
omelette"!?
The Radio Authority had yet to
allocate Raiders an exact FM
frequency at press time, so call the
station on 081-682-3323 for details
and then, as its slogan implores, Get
Ready To Rock!
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HAl 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
~ radio news 1992 page 3

4. AIRMAIL PR.INTED PAPER.
RADIO NEWS PO BOX 514 HARROW MIDDLESEX HA1 4SP tel 081 427 6062 fax 081 861 2694
4 radio news 1992 page 4