Further conglomeration in the radio market with the news that UKRD has made an offer to acquire rival The Local Radio Company. On top of Global’s recent Heart re-brand and Ofcom proposing to the Government that the rules on local radio be relaxed and mergers encouraged, there is a sense that the ‘rabbit in the headlights’ mood from last year has now been replaced by determined action.
Everyone knows that commercial radio needs a strong offering to go up against the BBC. There aren’t many advertisers who wouldn’t sell their grannies to run an ad during Moyles, Wogan, or The Today Programme. Ofcom makes no secret of the fact that a move towards ‘county-sized’ stations that are available only on DAB, is a way in which to create a UK-wide commercial DAB multiplex. This could provide the fertile ground required for genuine commercial challengers to emerge to go up against the current BBC heavyweights in the division.
However this is arrived at, one thing that commercial radio will need are the personalities. Hopefully having ‘bigger’ local stations will mean the emergence of, or stations will be able to start paying the wages for, presenters who will rival the popularity of the BBC’s big hitters. Then the audiences will follow, and so will the advertisers.
On a lighter note - take a click through these portraits on the Guardian website of some well-known radio faces. Now I am no Annie Leibowitz, but I feel for some the moody ’stare in to space’ was an ask too far. Look out for Campbell, Klass and Davis.