UK

Former CFM presenter Bekah Fowler to host breakfast on CRFM

Former CFM presenter Bekah Fowler is to host breakfast on Carlisle’s community radio station CRFM.
She will replace Pete Moss who is leaving to open a new bar in the city.
Programme Director Darrell Thomas told RadioToday: “We are delighted to welcome Bekah as hostess of our breakfast show.
“Bekah will be fantastic on the breakfast show as she is an early bird herself and will brighten up your day Monday to Friday on CRFM.
“I look forward to listening to the new features and competitions she will bring to entertain the listeners throughout the Carlisle area.”
Bekah adds: “I’m so honoured to have been offered the breakfast show at CRFM. I’ve known Pete for about 20 years, and he is a hard act to follow – he’s such a professional.
“The radio station is undoubtedly my ‘Happy Place’, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Pete will be continuing to present his local artists and bands show ‘Cumbriana’ on a Tuesday evening plus co-hosting the CRFM Top 40 Chart on a Saturday with Chloe Quinn and Sunday evenings 7-10pm.

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ASIA

Hot FM Remains No.1 Radio in Malaysia: Nielsen

The latest report from the Nielsen Consumer & Media View (CMV) Survey 1, 2024 (July 2023 – June 2024) once again proves the close relationship between Malaysians and their favorite radio stations. With 5.8 million fans listening every week, radio remains an integral part of daily life across the country offering comfort, music, and heartwarming stories.Hot FM continues to be the #1 radio station in the country with 3.8 million fans. In the time slot of 9am to 11:59am, the station recorded an increase of 12.3 percent.“We are very proud to maintain this top position—it is a reflection of the deep bond we share with our fans,” said Raja Khairil Idris Raja Aznan, Hot FM’s Senior Content Director. “Every show, song, and content available on Hot FM is specially made for our fans. This is because we want to make sure that we are always close to the fans and the community in Malaysia. Because they listen to us, we listen to them. We also always strive to create content that they enjoy, whether through unforgettable experiences such as the Bekpes Hot 5KM Fun Run, OB on the train, or exciting contests.”Media Prima Audio’s other stations also recorded good numbers.Its English language station Fly FM has grown by 12.8 percent, gaining 2.4 million fans.Kool 101 recorded an increase of 65.4 percent, with the number of fans reaching 387,000 people.Malay language station Molek FM recorded an increase of 202,000 listeners with a total of 1.07 million listeners, strengthening its position as the leading station on the East CoastChinese-language station Eight FM remains the loyal choice of 363,000 fans. […]

ASIA

RØDE releases pocket-sized wireless mic for smartphone creators

RØDE has announced its smallest, simplest and sleekest wireless microphone to date – the Wireless Micro.RØDE has been the premier brand for cutting-edge, high-quality wireless microphones for over a decade. The WirelessGO™ was the world’s first compact wireless microphone system, revolutionizing on-camera audio for creators around the world. Its small size, clip-and-go design, professional sound quality and in-built microphones formed the foundation of the RØDE wireless range, which soon grew to include wireless audio solutions for creators at every level and across every category. Now, the Wireless Micro is changing the game again, revolutionizing smartphone content creation by delivering RØDE’s wireless foundation in its most accessible format yet.The Wireless Micro is a pocket-sized wireless microphone system tailor-made for smartphone creators. Available in both black and white, and with versions for either USB-C or Lightning devices, the slimline receiver connects directly to a phone with no need for cables, making for a super compact and tidy recording setup.It features two ultra-compact, ultra-lightweight transmitters with integrated clips and magnetic attachments that are incredibly easy to mount on a subject while remaining discreet on camera. The built-in microphones are housed in acoustic chambers with a patent-pending design, purpose-built to capture exceptionally clear and intelligible audio while mitigating wind noise.Combining this innovative design with RØDE’s legacy of pristine wireless audio transmission and intelligent GainAssist technology, the Wireless Micro delivers perfectly balanced audio, every time. Finally, the super sleek charging case is perfectly pocket-sized and delivers two full recharges for up to 21 hours of battery life, all while keeping the system safe and secure – the ideal grab-and-go solution for smartphone creators. […]

UK

Forth 1, Northsound 1, MFR and Tay FM to share breakfast as Boogie in the Morning expands

Forth’s Boogie in the Morning is expanding to more areas of Scotland replacing the breakfast shows on MFR, Northsound 1 and Tay FM.
The breakfast show, hosted by Boogie, Arlene and Marty, will be heard in Tayside, Perthshire and the North and North East of Scotland from January.
It will mean all four stations will broadcast the same programmes 24/7, following the new Media Bill becoming law.
MFR’s Jodie, and Northsound 1’s Jeff and Lauren will be leaving after their final shows at the end of December.
Current Tay FM breakfast duo Gregor & Lynsey will host a new networked weekday breakfast show. The programme will air every weekday from 4am to 6am across all Hits Radio Network stations in Scotland which also includes Clyde 1 Glasgow and the West and Clyde 1 Ayrshire.
Greigsy’s 10am till 1pm weekday show will also end this year, but he will continue to host on weekends.
As a result, Grant Thomson, Garry Spence and Callum Gallacher are all getting an extra hour on air as they extend their shows to 10am-2pm, 2pm-6pm and 6pm-10pm respectively.
George Bowie continues to host Breakfast in Glasgow and the West on Clyde 1 and in the recently expanded area of Ayrshire. Superscoreboard also remains on air 6pm-8pm on both Clyde 1 stations.
Victoria Easton-Riley, Content Director for Hits Radio Portfolio in Scotland said, “Audiences across Scotland love Boogie and Arlene. Their Saturday show is hugely popular and is Scotland’s most listened to weekend radio show.
“Also, their Forth 1 Breakfast show Boogie in the Morning is welcoming its biggest number of listeners for seven years, as well as bagging national awards, so I’m delighted that we’re able to bring it to more of our listeners across the country each weekday morning.
“I’m equally excited for our brand-new Scotland-wide early Breakfast show from Gregor and Lynsey, who currently host Tay FM breakfast and a national weekend show across our stations. Bringing overnighters and early risers the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks, it’ll be the much-needed injection of energy for the start of the day.”
Victoria added, “We share our huge thanks with Jodie, Jeff and Lauren for all they’ve contributed. Each brilliant broadcasters, we wish them all the very best on their last few weeks with us and for everything in the future.”
Here’s how the new schedules will look..
Forth 1, MFR, Tay FM schedule from January 2025
Monday – Thursday4am-6am – Gregor & Lynsey6am-10am – Boogie in the Morning10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence6pm – 10pm – Callum Gallacher10pm – 1am – Amber
Friday4am-6am – Gregor & Lynsey6am-10am – Boogie in the Morning10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence6pm – 10pm – The GBXperience10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Saturday6am-9am – Amber9am – 12pm – Boogie and Arlene12-2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – The Big Saturday Football Show6pm – 10pm – Greigsy’s Saturday Night Anthems10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Sunday6am-9am – Gavin Pearson9am – 12pm – Greigsy12-4pm – Gregor & Lynsey4-7pm – The Hits UK Chart7pm – 10pm – Garry Spence’s Sunday Night Anthems10pm – 1am – Amber
Clyde 1 Glasgow and the West and Clyde 1 Ayrshire schedule from 6th January 2025
Monday- Thursday4am-6am – Gregor & Lynsey6am-10am – Bowie at Breakfast10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence6pm – 8pm – Clyde 1 Superscoreboard8pm – 10pm – Callum Gallacher10pm – 1am – Amber
Friday4am-6am – Gregor & Lynsey6am-10am – Bowie at Breakfast10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence6pm – 8pm – Clyde 1 Superscoreboard8pm – 10pm – The GBXperience10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Saturday6am-9am – Amber9am – 12pm – Boogie and Arlene12-2pm – Grant Thomson2pm – 6pm – Clyde 1 Superscoreboard6pm – 10pm – The GBXperience10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Sunday6am-9am – Gavin Pearson9am – 12pm – Greigsy12-4pm – Gregor & Lynsey4-7pm – The Hits UK Chart7pm – 10pm – Garry Spence’s Sunday Night Anthems10pm – 1am – Amber

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UK

Ofcom to remove the vast majority of Key Commitments quotas for community radio stations

Ofcom is going to remove the vast majority of Key Commitments quotas for all community radio stations, following a consultation.
Changes are coming to:
• The types of programming to be broadcast such as the main types of music and speech output.
• The number of hours of original output broadcast each week.
• The number of hours of locally-produced output broadcast each week.
• The languages broadcast on the service.
In return for more flexible on-air content, Ofcom will develop some additional principles for compliance with off-air social gain requirements.
In terms of the music relaxations, Ofcom said the music requirements are not central to the character of a community radio service. In their responce, Radiocentre argued that this proposal could lead to ‘mission drift’ in parts of the community radio sector, with some stations becoming similar to local commercial stations, rather than providing unique services as community radio was established to do.
Ofcom replied saying where specialist music is a particularly important part of a station’s character of service (for example genre-based stations), they will ensure that this is reflected in the station’s character of service requirements.
Speech would be treated the same, and Ofcom would ensure any specialist speech programming which is particularly relevant to a station’s character of service is captured in the new Key Commitments format.
Community radio stations will now have no quotas with regards to original and locally-produced output, meaning more programmes can be shared and produced outside of their service area. Ofcom expects stations will still broadcast local programmes, as without original, locally-relevant content, it is unlikely they could effectively serve their target communities.
Ofcom said: “We want to ensure that licensees have more flexibility to determine how best to serve their community, while ensuring appropriate rules remain in place to protect the overarching character of a service.
“We will now write to all analogue community radio licensees to start the formal licence variation process and propose new draft character of service descriptions.
“These will be based on the character of service description already included in each respective licence, with standardised wording and including any aspects of programming which we consider to be fundamental to the station’s character.”
Twenty-one responses were received to the to the consultation, most of which were in favour of the move.
Ofcom added that it does not expect to see significant changes in the service provided by most community radio stations as a result of these proposals, which are instead about providing greater flexibility for stations in considering how best to deliver a service to their audiences.
They continued: “We believe that the remaining Key Commitments (relating to the character of the service and the off-air Key Commitments) will be sufficient to ensure that the community radio sector remains distinct from commercial radio and continues to deliver for its audiences.”
Read the full document here.

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