UK

The BBC has appointed Robert Thompson as Interim Director of Production, BBC Local from 9th September.

This follows the announcement that Jason Horton has taken up a 12-month attachment to become Chief Operating Officer for BBC Nations.
Robert is currently Senior Head of Content Production for London and East and is a member of the BBC Local Senior Leadership Team.
He has worked across a wide range of BBC output including regional and national news. He has also been involved in developing skills and innovation across BBC Local services.
Robert  said: “Leading BBC Local is a real privilege. In a world that’s changing fast, our role in connecting communities has never been more important. What we do matters – and I’m excited to build on all the incredible work the teams have already done.”
Robert will also join the Nations Board to help shape the BBC’s local strategy across England. The recruitment process for a new Senior Head of Content Production to succeed himwill begin shortly.
Rhuannedd Richards, Director, BBC Nations, said: “Robert has built a broad career across regional and national news, with a strong track record in TV and digital production.
“He has championed local talent and storytelling, whilst also supporting innovation. Robert’s passion for local broadcasting shines through his work, and we’re excited to welcome him into this role.”

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Ofcom has ruled that Absolute Radio breached the Broadcasting Code after finding that a breakfast show competition was not conducted fairly.

The case concerned a feature on The Dave Berry Breakfast Show which ran between 3rd and 7th March this year.
Listeners were invited to text in their names for the chance to be randomly selected to play a quiz on air. Each contestant was given a series of questions, and the amount of money won depended on how they answered and what choices they made at the end of the round.
Two complaints were made to Ofcom about how the promotion was run. The complainants said they were unclear about which day’s draw they had entered, and whether all listeners had an equal chance of being selected.
Station owner, Bauer explained that a single pool of entries was used across the week, instead of separate daily entry pools as the on-air trails had implied. This meant that the chance of being chosen decreased as more people entered over the five days.
Ofcom said this was a “significant condition” that should have been explained to audiences in advance, and therefore the competition misled listeners.
The regulator also found a separate breach on the final day. Ofcom said that 126 people texted in to take part in the competition on 7th March but were excluded from the draw because the three contestants had already been chosen from the earlier pool that morning.
Although Bauer offered those affected the chance to win £2,000 in a follow-up prize draw, Ofcom ruled this did not change the fact that the original competition had not been run fairly.
In response, Bauer accepted that human error was involved and told Ofcom it had taken steps to prevent future issues. These included refreshing training for production teams, clarifying competition terms on air and in writing, and tightening compliance checks around listener promotions.
Ofcom welcomed these changes but concluded that listeners were not given the information they needed to understand how the competition worked, and that Absolute Radio had therefore breached the Broadcasting Code on two counts, Rules 2.13 and 2.15.

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Ofcom has ruled that Boom Rock breached the Broadcasting Code after airing offensive language during a Counting Crows track.

The incident happened on 30th May at 6.35pm, when the song Spaceman in Tulsa was played containing seven uses of one offensive word and one use of another. Ofcom said this was the most offensive language broadcast at a time when children were particularly likely to be listening.
The station said that it “regret[s]” that the track was “inadvertently broadcast” but argued that it is a niche service aimed at older adults and marketed largely online, making it highly unlikely that children were in the audience.
The Licensee told Ofcom that context should be considered under Rule 1.14 and stressed that children were not “particularly likely” to be listening to Boom Rock, even at that time of day. It also referred to Ofcom’s own guidance which recognises the importance of audience composition and expectations.
Ofcom concluded that Rule 1.14 prohibits the broadcast of the most offensive language at times when children are likely to be listening, regardless of audience profile or station type.
It said the repeated use of the strongest language at 6.35pm meant the station failed to comply and ruled the programme was in breach of Rule 1.14.

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Big John, Liesl and James from Hallam FM and Hits Radio are getting back together for a brand-new weekly podcast.

John Harrison hosted Big John at Breakfast on Hallam FM and later Hits Radio South Yorkshire for 25 years before coming to an end in June when Bauer launched a national breakfast show across the network.
The news of the team reuniting for the podcast was announced on Big John’s Facebook page. He said that although he welcomed the change in his life, he’d been feeling guilty that some listeners might think he and the team had “just dumped and ran and abandoned our friends”.
He continued: “However, it was never goodbye forever. It was just a pause. After 25 years of waking up South Yorkshire, we have unfinished business, you and I.  So, let’s do something!
“It starts with a free weekly podcast every Friday called Big John At Breakfast – FRIDAYS!, starting Friday 29th August.
“Liesl and James will be with me – It’ll be like our usual Friday show AND we’ll have the Official Friday Song too.”
The show will be available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible and Amazon Music. It can also be heard on a smart speaker by asking it to “Play Big John At Breakfast – FRIDAYS!” – “Don’t forget the word FRIDAYS or it’ll start playing some random radio station,” says John.

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Hospital station BHBN Radio is to broadcast an interview with Strictly dancer Lauren Oakley on Bank Holiday Monday as the station looks to raise funds to stay on air.

The interview comes at a critical time for the station, which for over 70 years, since 1952, has been broadcasting to hospital patients and care home residents across Birmingham, Solihull, and now Sandwell.
However, in June BHBN was informed that its long-standing funding was being withdrawn, leaving the station with only three months’ notice and a significant loss of its main income source.
To ensure its work continues and remains on air, BHBN Radio says it urgently needs to raise £15,000 annually to cover its day-to-day operating costs.
It adds that every penny donated directly supports the station’s continued broadcast, allowing it to keep providing comfort, companionship, and entertainment to those in hospital and the wider community.
Meanwhile, the special broadcast on Bank Holiday Monday featuring Birmingham born professional dancer Lauren Oakley talking to presenter Andy Chaddick, marks a reunion for the pair, who are old family friends that lost touch a number of years ago.

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kmfm’s annual Tonnes of Tins campaign has broken records this year, collecting 11.1 tonnes of food for 16 food banks across Kent.

Over a five-week period, the appeal raised £11,696 through its JustGiving page, surpassing last year’s total of £7,348.
Physical donations that were dropped off at kmfm studios also played a major role, helping exceed 2024’s previous record of 9.21 tonnes.
The station says the support comes at a time of sharply rising demand for food banks. Usage in Deal has risen by 250%, while Swale has seen a 230% increase. Even more affluent parts of the county have reported a growing need for help, despite a drop in food donations overall.
“The generosity of our listeners, local businesses, and supporters has been incredible,” kmfm said in a statement, noting that every tin and every pound donated has made a tangible difference for families and individuals struggling with the cost of living.
Tonnes of Tins has become a major part of kmfm’s annual community outreach, combining on-air promotion with listener engagement to provide support for those most in need.

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