In a clever ten-second social media clip, Global is seemingly teasing an upcoming launch of five new radio stations.
🙌🏼 Something NEW is coming… 🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/5JVSgUV2lJ
— Global (@global) August 26, 2019
The colour schemes suggest brand extensions for Heart, Smooth and Capital XTRA. I've nearly sussed them:
It's been one of the most significant years in living memory for UK commercial radio.
Local shows are no more on licences that once broadcast from their area 24/7 with more of the same likely in the coming months.
Last October, Ofcom updated their localness guidelines to allow networked breakfast shows with the minimum amount of locally-produced daytime output reduced from seven hours to three weekdays, on the condition that hourly local news bulletins are provided, and none required at weekends, if hourly peak-time local news bulletins are provided.
Smaller approved areas were merged into 12 regions that mirror those of ITV.
What followed was Global's decision in February to launch national breakfast shows on their three FM networks resulting in over a hundred redundancies, the closure of buildings and the merger of local stations to create a smaller number of drivetime shows for each of the enlarged areas.
Around the same time, four commercial radio groups (Celador, Lincs FM Group, Wireless Local and UKRD) were acquired within the space of a few weeks by Bauer Media. At this stage, they are still being run as separate businesses while the Competition & Markets Authority investigates the takeovers.
All industries must adapt and evolve in accordance with changing consumer habits if they are to survive. Commercial radio regulations stem from an analogue-only world with limited choice.
In many industries, the rise of artificial intelligence will save businesses a fortune and the robots that replace, even the most efficient and reliable, humans will be more efficient and reliable.
Consequently, this will impact workers and capitalism overall.
It's devastating when a talented person loses their job. As X Factor’s Ariel once said:
I’m not a number, I’m a human being.Every position going represents someone’s livelihood, and my heart goes out to you if you're affected.
And how does this all feel to someone looking for a career in radio? Is there any point in trying to get your foot in the door? Are there any opportunities left?
The answer: yes! Thanks to the growth of DAB/DAB+, there’ve never been more commercial stations - plus new digital roles in social media and podcasting.
For aspiring presenters, while the days of, quite literally, knocking on the local station waving a demo tape are becoming a thing of the past, radio still needs a talent pipeline. A new generation of stars to lead us into the future.
But we’re just one platform in a multi-media world and, today, a successful on-air personality has to be a successful off-air personality - in other words, not just a "jock" but a gifted communicator whose relationship with their audience is enhanced through social media.
They get to know you better and you get to know them.
Mastering this craft is essential, hence influencers with established followings being attractive to youth stations.
Let me take you back to 2007. Ashley Tabor-King, a man who was very gracious to me personally a few years ago, together with his father, founded Global.
The company bought four established commercial radio brands from Chrysalis: Heart, Galaxy, LBC and The Arrow.
A year later, it acquired GCap (formed by the merger of GWR & Capital Radio Group earlier in the decade) and welcomed The One Network (many local/regional stations across the country), Classic FM, XFM (now Radio X), Choice FM (now Capital XTRA), Gold and Chill (now Smooth Chill) into its portfolio.
Ocean FM (now Heart) and Power FM (now Capital) were part of this deal - two local stations on the South Coast of England where many of the first radio people I met worked.
Some networking had already been introduced prior to the formation of Global but I was too young to understand it. However, I saw the impact of redundancies in 2009 and could tell it wasn’t pretty.
Fast-forward 10 years: I'm still young, I’ve been lucky enough to get on-air and off-air experience as well as present my own show which I've put my heart and soul into for the last 8 years and had an absolute blast.
My Hampshire Hit Radio journey comes to an end in a couple of weeks and I’m proud of all the things our team achieved. I’m ready for the next chapter and can confirm that I'll be presenting a new show somewhere else come autumn.
Deregulation has long been on the horizon. Radiocentre lobbied for years so that stations could gain the freedom to make their own business decisions in accordance with changing market conditions.
By clicking on a petition, I admire your passion, but you’ll achieve nothing.
How can it be right that local FM licences are so heavily regulated with competition from DAB and big tech virtually set free by comparison?
The rules stem from a bygone era.
Take Heart South Wales and Heart North Wales still having to provide a separate local show from each other, despite being in the same approved area, because they have different owners. Listeners don't know, or care, about this.
See also: "full service" licences with speech quotas and other outdated format requirements such as music genres (removal of these was proposed by the government two years ago but is yet to be legislated).
Having been involved for almost a decade, I believe passionately in localness.
There’s still an appetite for content that lives where its listeners live - that understands and truly reflects communities.
In certain markets that could be a linear station, but in others on-demand might be more effective (certainly cheaper!)
I'd like to say to anyone who's lost their show or behind the scenes role not by their own choice: your talent and experience will lead to bigger and better things.
This was just the beginning and a bright future is ahead.
To anyone looking to kick-start their radio career: don't give up! While there are fewer roles at a local level, overall, there are more opportunities in audio today than ever before.
You'll achieve great things by putting the work in, showing your passion, having faith and making the right connections.
Social media has made it easier to get your name out there and make a good impression - in fact, it’s a key skill employers look for today.
Radio is now a multi-platform business and there's more to it than what comes through the speakers.
This year’s changes do not mark not "the end" or "the final nail in the coffin" - they mark the beginning of a new era.
If there's one topic I've blogged on more than any other in recent years, it's positioning community radio.
However, one aspect of the sector I've not touched on is its role in giving aspiring producers, presenters, engineers etc a chance to get experience and shine at the beginning of their careers.
There are some quality local services dedicated to social gain and serving listeners in their respective areas that also have a solid track record in developing new talent.
Good for them - first and foremost fulfilling the former while also excelling at the latter.
In my view, no pure hobbyist or 'work experience' station that isn't audience-focused should occupy valuable FM or DAB spectrum.
The reason it's such an exciting time for audio is because of the opportunities provided by digital and projects like this are best kept online-only.
As Global takes advantage of Ofcom's new localness rules by introducing national breakfast shows, I'm already noticing anoraks rubbing their hands with glee as if their community/internet stations are now guaranteed thousands of ex-Capital/Heart/Smooth listeners.
First of all, this from Keri Jones - who founded and managed Radio Pembrokeshire when it became the most successful small station in UK radio history - is a must-read for anybody in the sector.
Many respected commentators have made excellent points. Here's where I wade in with thoughts on today's radio news. I hope everyone affected finds new opportunities. Radio does offer us a range of useful skills that we may not realise we possess until we find a 'new life' pic.twitter.com/ulNzKRJh3L
— Keri jones (@Kerijonesradio) February 26, 2019
A local radio station doesn't succeed because of where the presenter is sat or where the playout PC is based. It's about truly understanding local life - the people (your listeners) and the places - with a sense of pride in your community and offering unique content that could only have been produced locally.
Think like a surviving independent business on the High Street that has had to carve out an attractive niche to take on neighbouring national/international chains. What is your elevator pitch? What sets you apart? Why should I choose you over others for entertainment?
That business would also need strong marketing and being in the primary shopping destination makes it easy for people to find - in other words, get onto as many radio aggregators as possible.
As part of that clear proposition, any station needs a target audience - to define who the product is for, serve them well and never lose focus; whether that's a particular demographic, mood, genre or more than one of these components.
I've spoken to community radio programmers who insist on serving "the whole family". Pur-lease. It’s 2019, not 1975.
When there was little to no competition, pre-internet and barely any other radio, ILR had to be all things to all people. Today, with so much choice available, media is well-targeted.
You won't get a 22 year-old AND a 72 year-old tuning in because you've segued Adam Faith into Martin Garrix. Ironically, you'll get neither.
Instead, cater for one of them. Look at your broadcast area and find your niche. Does the local population skew older or younger? What about nationality or religion? Exactly who is most likely to tune in?
Consider that localness typically matters more to older listeners who may have called the patch home for many years and are not as well-served by commercial radio anyway.
For an an AC station, playing mainstream hits with variations in era, energy, tempo and genre to avoid sounding predictable - perhaps including some forgotten "spice" tracks to add an element of pleasant surprise (minus any novelty songs or B-sides) - is the way to go.
As with so many things in life, it’s a case of quality not quantity. Most people don’t care how many songs are in the library - they just want to hear their favourites.
Why does Heart have 8 million listeners? Because each of them likes what they hear, and knows they can expect to hear what they like whenever they tune in.
After all, a tight rotation of favourable tunes will always do better than a wide range of non-hits and/or an eclectic mess. It’s not the songs a station doesn’t play that will do it harm.
While jocks could pick from the database, presenters who demand "free plays" need to remember why they're on air - to serve listeners, not themselves.
Creative freedom, yes, but everything you do should be centred on the audience. Are you being useful? Interesting? Making someone smile and laugh or stop and think?
It’s true that the fewer ads or other interruptions you have, the greater scope there is to take risks within the aforementioned format.
For example, you might want to introduce a carefully-crafted new music playlist to keep the station sounding fresh with fitting tracks that complement your "core" categories - just as Radio 2 and others do.
Selections are made based on sound and suitability; and although the same is true of good CHR programming, the charts are less relevant when picking for older audiences.
Off-peak specialist music shows are fine - they have their own audiences so it is for the presenter to understand them and bring genre expertise.
This programming needs to be scheduled at the right time. People generally have more time to listen in the evening, hence "prime time" TV, and a local station aiming to be heard in offices and shops would want to make sure it's after they've closed for the day.
Some community radio folk are very critical of the commercial sector. Are they just spiteful nostalgists? Is it out of frustration that they're not working in it?
Whatever the reason, if they actually recognised why stations are successful and adopted some of that business thinking themselves, while marketing a strong USP, they too could thrive.
If you're a serious player, as I'm sure many are, I wish you the best of luck.
As Global and Bauer move forward with their powerhouse national brands, there is an opportunity to drive audience as a value-added local alternative - but only if you make it an opportunity.
Since Ofcom published updated localness guidelines in October, it has been a case of when, not if, Global would further their ambition and introduce big-name national breakfast shows to take on the BBC.
At around 10am today, it was revealed that a company-wide meeting of Capital, Heart and Smooth staff would be held for an important announcement.
In summary, that announcement was as follows:
My immediate thoughts are with everybody affected, both on and off air.
I know you've faced months of uncertainty, wondering what the future holds for you, your career and livelihood.
While it's easy for others to offer encouragement by outlining opportunities in podcasting and digital media, it doesn’t stop those anxious thoughts racing as you realistically consider what is necessary to maintain an income for you and your family.
At a local level, Global and Communicorp are home to some fine talent for whom I'm sure a bright future lies ahead, whatever that may be.
And take onboard the wise words of radio's Daniel Fox:
Remember that you have an incredible wealth of skills that are not only transferable, but will likely do more good in the wider world.
Opportunities in radio might be shrinking, but this is just the beginning of many companies’ adventure in audio.
Big businesses are recruiting people like you to help craft their sound, make their podcasts, create their flash briefings and design their sound. Help them.
You are more than a radio presenter. You’re a content producer. A social media mogul. A brilliant multi-tasker. You are eminently employable in a multitude of roles in myriad industries.
In the early 70s, generally, there was one ILR (Independent Local Radio) licence in each city which was tasked with serving the whole community.
In those days, stations would attract huge audiences because there was barely any competition.
As you can imagine, regulation was off the scale - from broad music and specialist shows to an ad load cap and lengthy news bulletins. Even studios had to be built to IBA (Independent Broadcasting Authority) standards.
The 90s brought about a shift, with more licences advertised (smaller local, some regional and three national) and the development of DAB.
Two of the only three INR (Independent National Radio) licences to ever be awarded were on medium wave - Virgin 1215 and Talk Radio UK - with the only FM network being Classic FM, which is why consolidation of local frequencies has been necessary to build national brands.
In addition to more radio stations came the internet and new digital media, further increasing the pressure on local revenues and a need to simplify national advertising campaigns.
The harsh reality is if commercial radio was born today, it would not be delivered locally.
Don't get me wrong - as someone with a background in local radio, I've seen first-hand how powerful and effective it can be when gifted with character, pride and the trust of its audience.
While online has revolutionised news consumption, the quality journalism provided by local radio - which is now multi-platform - will forever be essential to our democracy. Ofcom recognises this, hence the requirement for an enhanced local news service in exchange for more networked programming.
As a source of information, decline for linear radio is inevitable but it's the trust of our listeners that we hold onto. As with character and pride, trust is an emotional response. We're a familiar and helpful voice that they can rely on.
People choose a station because of how it makes them feel - from informed commentary and opinion on LBC, to the warmth of Ken Bruce or entertaining guests with Steve Wright on Radio 2.
Friendly personalities who have a deep-rooted understanding of, and fly the flag for, their patch - as well as of the lives led by their listeners locally - can connect like no other when they're interesting and good company. This is what makes local radio unique and adds enormous value.
Of course, when it comes to general entertainment, where the presenter is sat doesn't come into it.
Good radio is good radio and bad radio is bad radio, regardless of where it is made.
Global have made no secret of their ambition. To be able to network big-name breakfast presenters and grow audience with A-list guests as well as run better, simpler S&P campaigns across the country is huge. In fact, it's one of the greatest opportunities commercial radio has ever had.
Some are questioning why drivetime isn't getting the same treatment when an off-peak regional show between 10am & 4pm would also be compliant.
Any business looks at income and expenditure - if the shows generate local revenues that outweigh running costs, it makes sense to keep them (although you could just split content - e.g. presenter links or maybe while most of the network is hearing a song).
Looking to the future:
In a first for UK commercial radio, The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio won't carry spot ads.
Evans explained the groundbreaking move in an appearance on The One Show last night:
Sky have come in as a commercial partner. As we do on Radio 2, talk about BBC content, we'll have Sky's content and use that as part of our programme material. We'll go to Formula 1 venues with listeners and we'll go to the set of Game of Thrones.
(We're turning our) commercial partner into a storyteller.
Sky say their sponsorship will provide investment to create branded content, competitions and events:
The partnership between Virgin Radio UK and Sky means listeners will have the same uninterrupted audio experience they’ve come to expect from Chris Evans’s award-winning BBC Radio 2 show.
This is a bold move and makes a lot of sense when your primary objective is to take a BBC audience. It removes a key barrier for potential listeners deciding whether or not to switch from Radio 2 - and Virgin, as a relatively small player currently, has much more to gain just from having Evans than lose.
However, whilst News UK can afford this, selling a brand built around its new big star to advertisers that won't have access to his audience will be a challenge.
Breakfast or any other flagship show usually comes as part of a wider package. Virgin will be banking on Evans (and perhaps further big-name signings) driving audience for the whole station so there's still an incentive to buy spots in other dayparts.
Is the model here to stay or only a short-term audience-grabbing strategy? Who knows - but as an industry we must embrace innovation, especially with digital rivals monetising in new ways and consumers enjoying fewer or no ads interrupting alternative media.
I wish News UK and Virgin Radio the best of luck and genuinely hope they can make a success of this.
Today's announcement of a new Audio Content Fund feels like one of the most exciting steps forward for UK radio in years.
With £3 million set aside over three years to support new public-service audio, commercial radio suddenly has a way to broadcast the sort of ambitious, high-quality programmes it couldn’t afford to make on its own.
Commercial radio is built on commercial viability. Stations need shows that bring in large audiences and deliver consistent advertising revenue - hit music, familiar formats, and reliable personalities. That’s the engine that keeps the business running.
But it also means content like documentaries, drama, or children’s programming is left behind, not because it wouldn’t be valued by listeners, but because it would be too costly to produce without obvious commercial return. This is why the Fund matters: independent producers get the resources to make bold programmes, and stations get the chance to air them without shouldering the cost.
The structure is smart. Funding goes to independent producers, but with the condition that the content must be broadcast on commercial radio.
That way, listeners benefit from fresh ideas and ambitious production values, stations benefit from being able to air programming they could never have justified from their own budgets, and the independent sector gets real opportunities to flourish. It brings new voices, new perspectives, and new formats to the airwaves in a way that feels genuinely additional, not just more of the same.
Of course, there is a challenge. Stations still have to give up airtime for these programmes, and every slot is precious when schedules are designed to deliver maximum audience and advertising. But with the cost of production covered, the risk for stations is greatly reduced.
The only gamble is whether audiences will embrace the content - and I think that’s the kind of risk commercial radio should be taking more often.
This allows commercial radio to sound richer, braver, and more diverse without crippling itself financially. For years, only the BBC has been able to commission the sort of content that doesn’t chase ratings first and foremost. Now, commercial radio has the chance to be part of that world too, and listeners everywhere stand to gain.
Expensive, ambitious, programmes will find a home on stations that might otherwise never have been able to carry them. Independent producers will get the space to push boundaries. And audiences will hear radio that feels broader, fresher, and more representative.
That’s public value, and it’s something worth celebrating.
