UK

Rick Jackson has hosted his last breakfast show on Greatest Hits Radio on the south coast today as the BBC announces he’s joining Radio Solent.

He’ll host afternoons on the BBC station in the new year, following 30 years on commercial radio including Wave 105.
Rick was on Drive at Wave for 18 years, before moving to Breakfast seven years ago.
He began his broadcasting career on the Isle of Wight at the age of 17, and has spent his entire career in the commercial sector, including 12 year presenting breakfast on Power FM.
The move means Bauer will no longer have a regional-opt-out at breakfast on the former Wave 105 service (and other local frequencies), following on from the announcement that the regional afternoon shows will end.
Rick said: “I’m very excited to be joining BBC Radio Solent and bringing my blend of music and entertainment to the afternoon show. I promise lots of fun and up to the minute information on the school run and drive home, where everyone can star in the show!”
BBC Radio Solet Executive Editor, Ian Ramsdale, said: “Rick is an exceptionally talented broadcaster, who knows exactly what makes the South-Coast tick.
“His fun and friendly style will fit perfectly at BBC Radio Solent. We’re so excited to have him as part of the team, and looking forward to him entertaining the residents of Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight through the afternoon.”
In responce, Bauer confirmed to RadioToday that Simon Ross will be heard across the South: “We’d like to thank Rick for fifteen incredible years of broadcasting for us across the South and wish him well in his new chapter.
“From Monday we’re delighted to announce that listeners in the region will be able to tune in to Bauer’s biggest breakfast show – Greatest Hits at Breakfast – with the brilliant Rossie.”

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Virgin Radio UK has hired Tim Vernon as Music Producer following his departure from Bauer.
Tim was previously Head of Music for the Absolute Radio Network, and spent 10 years in total at Golden Square/The Lantern.
He helped shape the music policy at Absolute Radio and its decade stations.
Virgin Radio UK Content Director Mike Cass said: “I’m delighted that Tim has joined the best team in broadcasting as we look towards 2025 and beyond.”
Tim added: “It’s such an exciting time at Virgin Radio UK; there’s huge potential for growth at one of the strongest brands in British radio – I can’t wait to get started.”
Bauer recently ‘streamlined‘ its music operations by removing eight schedulers, including Tim.

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Ofcom has today written to the BBC confirming that it will carry out full BBC Competition Assessments of its radio expansion plans.

In November, the BBC published proposals to launch four new DAB+ stations: Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems, a Radio 2 extension, and Radio 3 Unwind.
The Corporation also published proposals to extend the broadcasting hours of Radio 5 Sports Extra.
The un-named BBC Radio 2 extension nicknamed Radio 2 Extra would have 60 per cent speech led programming, made up of added news bulletins and documentaries.
Music would remain from the 50s, 60s and 70s, with at least 6,000 unique tracks a year, including lesser-known album tracks.
Under the BBC Charter and Agreement, the BBC and then Ofcom are required to consider the effects on competition of ‘material’ changes to its TV, radio and online public services.
Ofcom says it must first decide whether the BBC’s proposed changes are ‘material’ and, if so, what form of competition assessment it will carry out.
The regulator stated in November that it were minded to carry out full BCAs, rather than Shorter Assessments, to determine whether the BBC can go ahead with its plans.
Ofcom said today: “We have decided that, as the BBC’s proposals would be a material change and raise a number of contentious issues, potentially affecting several interested parties, in-depth scrutiny through full BCAs is the appropriate course of action.
“We will have up to six months to complete our further assessments, which we will commence on 6 January. This process will include a consultation on our provisional decision, giving interested parties another opportunity to provide their views.”
The announcement has been welcomed by Radiocentre, with CEO Matt Payton saying: “We welcome Ofcom’s independent scrutiny of these proposed new radio stations from the BBC.
“A thorough third-party analysis is necessary to consider the scale and impact of these changes on the UK audio market, rather than relying on the BBC to mark its own homework.
“We look forward to engaging with Ofcom on the process, where we will continue to highlight the lack of distinctiveness and the negative effect on audiences and competition.”

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GB News has announced details of a new schedule for 2025 as two presenters depart.

Mark Dolan and Isabel Webster have left, making way for the new line-up next month.
Mark Dolan made a statement saying: “GB News have made the decision to permanently relieve me of my duties at the channel. I will speak publicly about this in due course.”
Andrew Doyle has also stepped down from the schedule but will continue as a contributor to the channel.
Ellie Costello will now co-host GBN Breakfast five days a week, presenting alongside Eamonn Holmes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and with Stephen Dixon on Thursday and Friday. Stephen and Anne Diamond will continue to co-present GB News Breakfast at Weekends.
As a new, permanent addition to GB News, Miriam Cates will continue to host Dewbs and Co every other Friday, as well as programmes across GB News’ daytime schedule.
Ben Leo will be presenting a new look show, Ben Leo Tonight, on Saturday and Sunday nights. He will also continue to co-host Britain’s Newsroom on a Friday.
Author, political commentator and pollster Professor Matthew Goodwin will join GB News as a permanent presenter in 2025, presenting State of the Nation on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night. Jacob Rees Mogg will continue as the show’s host on Monday and Tuesday.
Comedian Josh Howie, a regular host on GB News’ late night news-review show, Headliners, will become the new presenter of Free Speech Nation on Sunday evenings between 7-9pm.
Commenting on the roles, Ben Briscoe, Head Of Programming and Talent on GB News, said: “2024 has been a truly fantastic year for us. Not only are we regularly beating the other established news channels, but we are also making inroads against the big public serving broadcasters terrestrial channels. Our initiatives will allow us to build on this success with a renewed focus and ambition.”

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The BBC World Service is to offer enhanced services to listeners across the country as local media and digital services are disrupted.

Broadcasting news and information in Arabic, the service will air BBC News Arabic bulletins throughout the day including the BBC News Arabic’s World at One and BBC News Arabic’s Newsnight.
It will also feature packages from the Gaza Lifeline service and contributions from correspondents such as Feras Kilani as well as the BBC’s wealth of reporters based across the region.
There will also be an English offer on the network, curated from World Service English, for those Syrians who speak the language.
Jonathan Munro, Global Director, BBC News, says: “As we have all been watching, listening to and reading about the dramatic changes that have swept through Syria, the Syrian population have been left without essential access to reliable and independent news about the events taking place.
“The BBC World Service’s enhanced services will bring them the latest breaking news and analysis from Syria, the Middle East and the rest of the world.”
The Syrian radio network will go out on medium wave, 720kHz and 639kHz, and on 93.0 FM.

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DC Thomson is rebranding Kingdom FM as Original 106 giving the company one radio brand across Aberdeen, Fife and Tayside.

Kingdom FM has been operating in Fife for over 25 years, and broadcasts on 95.2, 96.1, 96.6, 105.4 and 106.3 FM.
It will continue to have local news and travel, along with split ads.
There will be no changes to programming for listeners in Aberdeen, with Claire and Pete continuing their Original 106 Aberdeen breakfast show, followed by Martin Ingram, Craig Lumsden and Lachlan Mackenzie.
Dave and Vanessa from Kingdom FM Breakfast will continue with their breakfast show in Fife, and extend it to Tayside.
Dave Connor: “Being a born and bred Fifer and one of the first presenters on Kingdom FM, I’m excited to be part of this latest evolution of the station and expand our Dave and Vanessa breakfast show into Tayside.
“We’re committed to continuing to celebrate Fife, still being locally based at our studios in Kirkcaldy, and we look forward to welcoming listeners in Dundee and Perth into our radio family.”
Robin Galloway, Group Head of Presentation at station owners DC Thomson, said: “The Original 106 expansion comes at the perfect time for other parts of Scotland to experience the magic of the Original 106 brand.
“I’d like to thank the Kingdom FM team for what they have achieved over the past 26 years and I’m delighted that our award-winning breakfast show team of Dave and Vanessa will be moving over to Original 106.
“Original 106 has cemented its position as number one in the market with quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year increases over the last 12 months.
“We now have over 90,000 weekly listeners in Aberdeen and the North East enjoying great chat, on-air laughs and fun competitions.”
The new service also has a new logo, as seen above.

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