UK

Radiocentre is urging Ofcom to use its powers to reject BBC plans to launch new music radio stations on DAB.
Commercial radio broadcasters are concerned that the planned spin-off stations on DAB+ and online (Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 3 Unwind and a Radio 2 nostalgia service) will largely imitate existing commercial stations, provide limited value for audiences and could put some commercial services out of business.
The BBC’s detailed proposals were published today following an initial consultation, or Public Interest Test, overseen by the BBC itself.
As part of this the BBC concluded that the impact on competition is acceptable and that the new services would ultimately be distinctive. The proposals will now be reviewed by Ofcom as the BBC’s external regulator.
Radiocentre submitted evidence to the BBC’s consultation earlier this year that highlights how the BBC’s proposals:

Are not perceived as distinctive by potential listeners
Could significantly impact commercial radio listening and, in turn, reduce industry advertising revenues by 10% (around £71m pa) and make some services loss-making
May ultimately force commercial radio stations to close, reducing choice for listeners

Radiocentre points out that the BBC remains the biggest single player in the UK audio market and receives significant licence fee funding. As a result, it is required to demonstrate that its proposals deliver public value to audiences and do not have a significant adverse impact on competition.
Matt Payton, Radiocentre CEO said: “The BBC’s proposals for new spin-off radio stations should be rejected by Ofcom. They are still largely an imitation of existing commercial services and appear to provide little in the way of distinctive content.
“Should the new stations be given a green light they would clearly have a material impact on advertising revenues and affect the viability of some stations.
“The process so far has consisted mainly of the BBC marking its own homework. We now look forward to working with Ofcom on an independent assessment of these proposed changes, where we will continue to highlight the negative effect on audiences and competition.”
In reaction, the BBC told us: “Over the past eight months, the BBC has been running an extensive engagement process with the audio and music industry.
“The BBC has conducted robust market and audience analysis and modelling, with the approach to these agreed with Ofcom. As a result, many of the comments and findings have been incorporated into the final plans.”
Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music says: “We have received a wide range of feedback and reflected much of it in our plans, including significantly redeveloping our proposal for the Radio 2 extension to increase its editorial distinctiveness. Our music extensions allow us to support new music, showcase British talent, resurface performances from the BBC’s unrivalled archive, and help audiences discover a greater breadth and range of music than what’s available on the market.
“The continued growth of commercial radio and the global streamers have shown there’s room for multiple ways to bring genres and decades to life for audiences. Our plans are unique, with context, curation and storytelling done in a way only the BBC can do, meeting the evolving expectations of audiences and providing more choice to licence fee payers.”
Boom Radio, which runs a service similar to the proposed BBC Radio 2 extension, is also against the move.

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Phil Riley, Boom Radio CEO, says the plans to continue ahead with launching Radio 2 ‘extra’ “smacks of typical BBC arrogance”.
In a report on the new service, the BBC admits the launch of the proposed Radio 2 extension would significantly hamper Boom Radio’s financial performance, although not to the extent claimed by Boom Radio.
Boom says it wants a million listeners by 2025, and 10 million hours, but the BBC’s plan would impact this goal. It also says its own extra services (Boom Light / Boom Rock) would become unsustainable and be forced to close.
The BBC said in their materiality assessment that when online-only, their service would only generate 3m hours in RAJAR. Ofcom said this would, in their modelling, lead to a 5% audience loss for Boom.
The BBC said across DAB and online together, the service would get 21m hours in RAJAR, so the full service would be seven times as impactful on anyone else – and the clear inference is it would take 35% of Boom Radio’s listening using Ofcom’s own modelling, according to Boom.
The report also notes that Global and Bauer have launched potential competitive stations since the BBC’s plan for spin-off services – namely Greatest Hits Radio 60s and Classic FM Calm.
In a statement, Phil Riley said: “Boom Radio is hugely disappointed that the BBC is pursuing its plans for a BBC Radio 2 spin-off station. This is likely to lead to a 35% drop in our listening and the potential closure of Boom Radio. We shall again make that case to Ofcom which now must review the plan.
“As a new, independent station — launched by a group of old friends with a dream — we’ve always been highly concerned about the damage this could do to us. We were pleased, therefore, that Ofcom found in July that the proposed station could put us at serious risk — even if only available online — as it could have a significant adverse impact on fair and effective competition, and specifically impact Boom Radio.
“Clearly, the BBC has not listened to those concerns. It prefers to spend unnecessary cash to attack what we do, whilst it demolishes its own news content, local radio and much-loved TV drama.
“The BBC has acknowledged this move could have a ‘significant impact’ on us. We agree that their choice to disregard the evidence and plough on could be the death of Boom Radio. It smacks of typical BBC arrogance to effectively dismiss the original Ofcom decision.
“The BBC claims the public value of the proposed service offsets the damage to Boom. We are struggling to see anything of value that we don’t do already. Why on earth should the BBC use public money to replicate the offerings of Boom Radio, its sister station, Boom Light, or the myriad of other commercial oldies stations?
“This is merely a spoiler project effectively designed to kill off our stations which are valued so highly by their audiences.
“Using the BBC’s own figures, the full launch of this service will be seven times as damaging to Boom Radio as the earlier proposal which Ofcom blocked. (SEE NOTE)
“Following Boom’s launch in February 2021 — operating with a programme spend of just 1% of Radio 2’s budget — Boom Radio became the fastest growing independent radio station in the UK, amassing well over two thirds of a million listeners. BBC bosses have seen this success and now want an unfair piece of the pie.
“The bullying BBC is willing to trample all over commercial competitors just to prove a point. Boom Radio was launched because its founders saw a gap in the market to target the baby boomer generation with the music they were not getting on BBC Radio 2 in its desire to target a younger audience.”
Ofcom will now have a six-week window to decide whether to conduct a full review. If the full review goes ahead, it will last six months.
Boom says it will submit more arguments to Ofcom if this happens, with a result announced around the end of June 2025.

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The BBC has outlined revised plans for the BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live extensions and submitted the proposals to Ofcom.

The plans have been significantly redeveloped in response to the consultation feedback from the audio industry to expand their distinctiveness and reduce their potential impact on the market.
As part of the ‘Public Interest Test’ processes to launch the music extensions as radio stations and extend Radio 5 Sports Extra, the updated proposals have now been signed off by the BBC Board.
They are today passed on to Ofcom for the regulatory process to continue over the next six to seven months, as outlined in the BBC’s Charter and Agreement.
The un-named BBC Radio 2 extension would have 60 per cent speech, 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.
A new partnership with the BBC’s local and national radio stations will be made to tell the story of the significance of the music of their specific regions across the UK and an increased volume of archive content, with 20 per cent of the schedule drawing on the BBC’s archive of specially recorded songs, sessions and interviews.
The schedule would include:
An ‘archive show’ every weekday over three hours, surfacing the biggest stars of British music and their live performances at the BBC
A ‘legends show’ every weekday for an hour, drawing on the BBC archive to tell the stories of key artists and groups of the decades
A ‘culture show’ every weekday over three hours, dedicated to new interviews with cultural figures who will relay their memories, shedding new light on the 50s, 60s and 70s, or share their specialist knowledge for a particular aspect of the music and culture of the period
Radio 2 archive shows, revisiting the work of the legends of broadcasting and showcasing past programmes, including bringing the definitive history of pop with 100 episodes of Pick of the Pops, not heard since they were originally broadcast. The show, which will be celebrating 70 years on air in October 2025, would bring iconic tracks from the past seven decades to listeners, fronted by the likes of Tony Blackburn and Alan Freeman.
Simulcasts of Sounds of the 60s with Tony Blackburn, and Sounds of the 70s with Bob Harris, will also air.
At 5 Live, the hours for the new service will be reduced following feedback from the radio industry. The new station would broadcast from 9am till 7pm instead of the proposed 6am till 10.30pm.
This means Radio 5 Sports Extra is not on air during key hours of commercial radio in the mornings and evenings, when they reach sizable audiences outside of live sport commentary.
The updated proposal also removes the plans to simulcast wider Radio 5 Live content on Radio 5 Sports Extra that is not live sports commentary.
In the last few months, Radio 1 Anthems, Radio 3 Unwind and an expanded Radio 1 Dance have launched on BBC Sounds as music streams without the need for consultations.

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Winners of the 2024 Audio Production Awards were announced on Wednesday evening at a gala event at the BFI on London’s South Bank.

The APAs, sponsored by Audible and organised by AudioUK, were hosted by Josh Smith, host of the Reign Podcast and author of Great Chat, and radio and TV broadcaster Yasmin Evans.
Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said: “The audio industry stands at a pivotal moment in its history, with the diversification of content, and resulting opportunity, at an all-time high.
“Audio now means numerous things: podcasts, radio, audiobooks, visualised, audio only, self-published, commissioned, subscriptions, live shows, always on, narrative, branded, drama, gaming. The list goes on…
“Judging so many different types of content alongside each other can be a tricky task, and I’d like to say thank you to this year’s judges for all of the expertise that they showed, and time that they spent, in judging these awards.
“Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners at AudioUK’s 2024 Audio Production Awards. Our aim is to run an awards that celebrate the people who work across all areas of the industry. The talent we have continues to delight and astound, and I can’t wait to see what all of our winners do in the future.
“Thank you to our headline sponsor Audible, who work with us every year to put the awards on, to Amazon Music and Wondery for partnering with us on the Pay What You Can Scheme, and to the Entry Level Audio Network, who partnered with us on the pre-show mixer, for people who are new to the industry or who were coming alone.
“Thank you to the team behind the awards – all of the excellent judges; Chair of Judges Megan Bradshaw; EDI consultant Yassine Senghor; Lead Producer Katie Banham and Producer Naomi Oiku – the amount of work that goes into these awards to enable the celebration of the industry is huge, and should not be underestimated.
“Thank you to all of our category sponsors, BBC Sounds, Everybody Media, Great Big Story, Morley Radio, Sue Terry Voices and The Podcast Show and our drinks reception sponsor BetterHelp. And thank you to our media partners: Biscuit Jim, Cheerful Earful, Community Media Association, Content Is Queen, Creative Mentor Network, Earworm, Falling Tree Productions, North Media Talent, Phonic Content, Pineapple Audio Production, Pod Bible, PodcastingToday, Podcast Rex, podfollow, Podium.me, Podnews, Podmasters, Podomedy, Pod School, Podspike, RadioToday, ReelWorld, Rusty Quill, Sounds Profitable, Soundtruism, Student Radio Association, Sport Social Podcast Network, The Podcast Host, The Radio Academy, Wisebuddah and WIZZFX.
“Partnerships are so important in the growth of the audio industry, and it has been a pleasure working with you all.”
Audio Production Awards
Winners 2024
Best Audiobook Producer sponsored by Sue Terry VoicesGOLD – Kate MacDonald – Penguin Random HouseSILVER – Sophie Ahmed – Audio AlwaysBRONZE – Alfie Thompson – Penguin Random House
NomineesChris Thompson – Penguin Random HouseLily Ridett – Freelance for Penguin Random HouseRosemary O’Dowd – Penguin Random House

Best Arts and Culture ProducerGOLD – Arthur Hagues – Prison Radio AssociationSILVER – Leonie Thomas – Overcoat MediaBRONZE – Sharuna Sagar – BBC
NomineesGeoff Bird – FreelanceSilas Gray – EclectivityLou Mensah – Shade Media

Best Sonic Branding ProducerGOLD – Em Roberts – Kerrang! Radio and Planet Rock Station SoundSILVER – Adam Venton – Little Monster MediaBRONZE – Sam Parker – WIZZFX
NomineesGordon Lundy – Absolute RadioJames Stodd – Greatest Hits RadioMatt Barnard – Bauer Media Group

Best Entertainment ProducerGOLD – Charlie Murrell – Sony Music EntertainmentSILVER – Katie Boden – TBI MediaBRONZE – Helena Webb – BBC Radio 1/BBC Audio
NomineesFaye Lyons-White – Loftus MediaDavid Manero – ListenJosephine McDermott – BBC

Best Comedy ProducerGOLD – Jon Holmes – unusualSILVER – Sasha Bobak – BBC Studios AudioBRONZE – Bertie Moores – Audio Always
NomineesEd Morrish – Lead Mojo ProductionsLyndsay Fenner – Mighty BunnyMatt Tiller – Tillervision

Best Lifestyle and Society Producer sponsored by Everybody MediaGOLD – Catherine Carr – Pocket Productions/WhistledownSILVER – Matt Nielson – Chalk and BladeBRONZE – Beth Madden – Prison Radio Association
NomineesAnne McNaught – Boffin MediaLina Prestwood – Scenery Studios and Social BroadcastsSam Taylor – Prison Radio Association

Best Drama & Fiction ProducerGOLD – Nathan Freeman – AudibleSILVER – Terry Mynott – MoonkartaBRONZE – Charlotte Melén – Almost TangibleHIGHLY COMMENDED – Samuel Robinson – Freelance 
NomineesBoz Temple-Morris – Holy MountainNicolas Jackson – Afonica

Best Ensemble CastGOLD – Zak and Jules – Life After PrisonSILVER – The Ensemble Cast of Green Wing: ResuscitatedBRONZE – Carys Afoko and Gary Younge – Over the Top, Under the Radar
NomineesNish Kumar and Coco Khan – Pod Save the UKSayeeda Warsi and David Baddiel – A Muslim & A Jew Go ThereWilliam Hanson and Jordan North – Help I Sexted My Boss

Best Factual/Documentary Producer sponsored by Great Big StoryGOLD – Jude Shapiro – Peanut & CrumbSILVER – Anna Sinfield – NovelBRONZE – Emma Barnaby – Freelance/Raw TVHIGHLY COMMENDED – Talia Augustidis – Falling Tree Productions
NomineesMeera Kumar – FreelanceRoss Sutherland – Falling Tree Productions

Best Music ProducerGOLD – James Taylor – Overcoat MediaSILVER – Silvia Malnati – Reduced ListeningBRONZE – Rob Littlejohn – Independent
NomineesMatt Tasker – BBC AudioOllie Brookes – Prison Radio AssociationShreni Yajnik – Listen

Little Ears ProducerGOLD – Eloise Stevens – FreelanceSILVER – Lucy Wroe – Small WardourBRONZE – Jake Harris – Yoto
NomineesAlice Homewood – Mags CreativeBecky Green – Audio AlwaysLance Dann – Rezilience

Best NarratorGOLD – Jassa Ahluwalia – Bonnier Books UKSILVER – Hannah Lavery – Almost Tangible and National Theatre of ScotlandBRONZE – Deborah Ayorinde – Unedited
NomineesJoe Jameson – VariousRebecca LaChance – Almost TangibleRuss Bain – W.F. Howes

Best News and Current Affairs ProducerGOLD – Sam Chantarasak – The Times and The Sunday TimesSILVER – Courtney Yusuf – The GuardianBRONZE – Will Roe – The Times and The Sunday Times
NomineesEdward Drummond – The Times and The Sunday TimesJames Shield – Freelance/The Times and The Sunday TimesTim Johns – BBC Radio 2

Best Presenter/HostGOLD – Jake Harris – YotoSILVER – Craig Charles – Audio AlwaysBRONZE – Josie Long – Falling Tree Productions
NomineesDan Snow – History HitJon Holmes – FreelanceJustin Dealey – BBC Three Counties Radio

Best New Producer sponsored by Amazon Music and WonderyGOLD – Taqwa Sadiq – Freelance and BBCSILVER – Nadia Mehdi – FreelanceBRONZE – Cat Gough – Reduced Listening
NomineesJasmine Hill – ListenMasha Chadry – Audio AlwaysVerity de Cala – Transmission Roundhouse

Best Sound Design Producer GOLD – Martin Austwick – FreelanceSILVER – Amber Devereux – Tin Can AudioBRONZE – Tony Churnside – Freelance 
NomineesDavid Chilton – Almost TangibleOlga Reed – AudibleTess Davidson – Freelance

Best New Voice sponsored by BBC SoundsGOLD – Daisy – RAW for AudibleSILVER – Sophiena – Audio AlwaysBRONZE – Anouska Lewis – BBC Sounds Audio Lab & Mags Creative
NomineesJake Shears – Queer the MusicLucinda Rouse – Third Sector & Rethink AudioPetra Barran – Scenery Studios and Social Broadcasts

Best Sports ProducerGOLD – Lochlainn Harte – FreelanceSILVER – Joe Aldridge – IMGBRONZE – Jack Winstanley – IMGHIGHLY COMMENDED – Finn Ranson – Stak
NomineesIlona Toller – Whistledown ProductionsJustin Dealey – BBC Three Counties Radio

AudioUK AwardNicole Logan

Grassroots Production Award sponsored by Morley RadioGOLD – University of Manchester/Imperial College London – Let’s Talk About CoughSILVER – Rosa Schling and Hannah Kemp-Welch – Childcare VoicesBRONZE – Carousel RadioHIGHLY COMMENDED – Lou Mensah – Shade Media
NomineesPrison Radio Association – Life After PrisonPrison Radio Association – Outside In

The Sustainability and Climate AwardGOLD – Peanut & Crumb – Get BirdingSILVER – Eleanor McDowall – Lights Out: DustBRONZE – Audio Always
NomineesBen Weaver-Hincks and Tom Previte – Grounded: A Climate Startup JourneyJames Miller and Bella Lack – Here’s The PlanRobin Markwell and Tracey Williams – Lego Overboard

Producer of the Year sponsored by The Podcast ShowGOLD – Meera Kumar – FreelanceSILVER – Jon Holmes – unusualBRONZE – Talia Augustidis – Falling Tree Productions
NomineesCharlotte Melén – Almost TangibleEd Morrish – Lead Mojo ProductionsLeonie Thomas – Overcoat Media/Whistledown Productions

Publisher or Network of the YearGOLD – ResonanceSILVER – StakBRONZE – Rusty Quill
NomineesBBC Asian NetworkBlack LibrarySky News

Production Company of the Year sponsored by AudibleGOLD – Almost TangibleSILVER – Overcoat MediaBRONZE – Unedited
NomineesBlanchard HouseNovelWhistledown Productions

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Nation Broadcasting is expanding Easy Radio South by adding coverage across Dorset on DAB from tomorrow, Thursday 21st November.

The increase in coverage means the station will serve the same area across the south coast as its sister station Nation Radio South.
Nation’s founder Jason Bryant said: “The latest official listening figures confirmed that Easy Radio is growing at pace across Hampshire, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight.
“By extending our coverage across Dorset and the county’s principal commercial areas of Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and Dorchester, we will significantly broaden listening choice for audiences in the west of our area and add to the marketing opportunities for local and regional businesses.”
Former Wave 105 presenter Stuart McGinley is joining the station to present weekend mornings starting this Saturday.
Stuart said: “Easy Radio’s mix of all-time favourite songs alongside local presenters who know the patch is a winning combination and I can’t wait to get started.”
In other changes, Andy Jackson is to present more shifts across Saturdays and Sundays, meaning Easy will have a full locally presented line up, seven days a week.

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Fix Radio has appointed Andy Shier as its new Programme Director.

Andy, who has worked in the industry for over 30 years, spent 16 years as Programme Director at Wave 105 and also served as Regional Content Director for Bauer South, overseeing stations including Lincs FM, Pirate FM, and The Wave (Swansea), as well as hosting regional programming across Bristol, Norwich, and Southampton.
Andy said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the team at Fix Radio, at a time when the station is already enjoying unprecedented growth.
“I’m looking forward to working with their talented on-air team and helping move the station on to even greater heights in the future.”
Louis Timpany, Fix Radio’s CEO, commented: “We’re thrilled to welcome Andy Shier to the Fix Radio team as our new Programme Director.
“With his wealth of experience and deep expertise in radio, Andy joins us at an exciting time of record growth.
“His leadership will play a key role in shaping our next chapter, and we can’t wait to see the impact he’ll have as we continue to grow and innovate for the UK’s trade community.”

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