UK

Preston community station Juice Radio has been found in breach of its licence for not broadcasting local news and sport content.
A complaint was made against the station following its rebrand in January 2024 from Beat, saying it wasn’t compliance with its Key Commitments.
Ofcom listened to recordings of the service and concluded that news and sports programmes, local and community news and information, interviews, magazine programmes and community of interest programming were missing.
The station said it broadcast lots of local and original programming, including a what’s on guide and ‘juice list’, but struggled getting volunteers to do news.
But Ofcom said the content of these items, details about a Dizzee Rascal performance in Liverpool, a band performing at a local venue, a bottomless brunch at a local venue, Steven Sanchez performing at Manchester New Century, Taylor Swift performing at the Manchester O2, a business networking group, a toddler group and events at a local garden centre, did not qualify as relevant news or sport.
Ofcom said: “We acknowledge PCR 23’s (the licence holder) admission of the challenges it has in meeting areas of its Key Commitments and we recognise that it has already started to implement changes to comply with its Key Commitments.
“The Licensee may wish to request a change to its Key Commitments. Such a request must be approved by Ofcom before a licensee makes changes to its output.” […]

Broadcaster Paul Rowley is back on air tonight reporting on his 14th General Election, half a century since his first.
The former BBC Political Correspondent left the corporation two and a half years ago after 28 years as BBC Local Radio’s voice at Westminster.
He returns to his old role this evening, broadcasting throughout the night across the BBC’s 40 Local Radio stations, something he’s done for the last seven General Elections.
“It’s great to be back” says Paul. “General Elections are in my blood. I reckon only the Dimblebys (Richard, David and Jonathan) have done more than me. I suspect I may even have covered more than the BBC’s election guru Professor Sir John Curtice, but I was very young when I started”.
He’ll provide live updates of the national picture into the BBC Central News Service (CNS) bulletins from 2200 when polling closes. He’ll then go live into many of the “Your Voice, Your Vote” programmes which are being carried across local radio though till 0600 tomorrow morning.
“I’m even broadcasting from my old desk at the BBC’s studios at Westminster”, says Rowley, who covered Tony Blair’s three General Election victories from 1997 onwards, the coalition Government of 2010, and the subsequent Conservative victories in 2015, 2017 and 2019. “I think I’m probably using the same ISDN kit”.

His first General Election was as a teenage student in February 1974 on a one year pre-entry NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) course at Preston Polytechnic, reporting for the college newspaper. “I covered a rally at Preston Guild Hall which was addressed by the Labour leader Harold Wilson. A little over a week later he displaced Ted Heath as Prime Minister in a minority Government. It was the lead story in the student magazine. To be honest, I wasn’t that interested in politics at the time, I had eyes on being a music or a sports reporter. I never thought I’d spend so much of my subsequent life as a political specialist”.
That summer Rowley began his newspaper career on Sefton Newspapers on Merseyside, and in October he was covering a second General Election when Harold Wilson went back to the country to secure a full majority. “I was so naïve in those days I presumed there were two elections every year. But it was certainly a great experience at such a young age.”
He moved to Liverpool’s first commercial station Radio City in 1977, becoming its Local Government Editor, covering Margaret Thatcher’s three General Election victories in 1979, 1983 and 1987. He then joined Independent Radio News as Political Correspondent, following John Major around the country when he won the 1992 General Election.

“It’s been a great life” says Rowley. “I’ve also covered nine European elections, five American Presidential elections in Washington, and more than forty years of council elections. I’ve also interviewed ten Prime Ministers, not including the last two who entered Downing Street after I’d left the BBC”.
“Many people may think it odd, but I don’t have political opinions, though I’ve got strong views about broadcasting. I’ve had good contacts in all the parties over the years. I see my role as simply reporting things and trying to make sense of it all”.
And what’s the secret of getting through another long election night ? “Plenty of satsumas. A dozen salmon sandwiches. And gallons of strong tea. They’ve kept me going for most of my previous elections. I’m not changing my routine for this one”. […]

UK audio branding company Noise Fusion has announced a new CHR imaging effects and music library called Ultra.
Created by producer Ben Neidle, Ultra began as a custom FX package for Capital, with the library at the core of their imaging for over five years.
The package has since evolved to become a large and diverse 4000 cut production toolkit and it continues to grow.
Noise Fusion’s Ben Neidle said: “We worked with the team at Capital to create a high-end FX package designed to produce super punchy, hyper exciting imaging while also being an essential sonic toolbox.
“Now with the launch of Ultra we take the concept even further with a next generation, ever-expanding library that’s stamped with our signature sound.
“Ultra is already on air on KIIS in Australia and ZM in New Zealand and I’m pumped to finally release the demo and give more stations access to the imaging producer’s secret weapon!”
Demos of the new library can be heard at www.noisefusion.com/ultra. […]

Bauer has announced details of a new music event in Manchester featuring presenters and musical acts played on Greatest Hits Radio.

Greatest Hits Radio Live will take place at the Co-op Live Arena on Sunday 24th November and feature Ken Bruce, Martin Kemp, Jenny Powell and Kate Thornton.
The singers and groups have yet to be revealed but will focus on the three core decades played by the station, the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Ken Bruce said: ‘Delighted to be taking Greatest Hits Radio Live on the road as we bring the good times to the magnificent Co-Op Live in Manchester.
“I’ve had a sneak peek at the line-up and I’m looking forward to sharing more soon about the brilliant artists we’re bringing to the stage. Tune in to Greatest Hits Radio for all the latest news and see you in November!”
Martin Kemp, who will perform a DJ set at the show, said: ‘We all know that there’s only one musical decade that’s 100% guaranteed to get the party started and that’s the 80s!
“Make sure you get your tickets now for what I guarantee is going to be a banger of an evening. I’ll be there with my ultimate 80s playlist and I’m looking forward to seeing you all there too.” […]

The BBC podcast, Newscast, has been turned into a live radio show by streaming live on BBC Sounds for the Election.

The Newscast Election All-Dayer is live from 11am till 5pm today (Wednesday) with Adam Fleming hosting joined by the Newscast family of hosts and guests.
Adam will interview representatives from seven political parties: Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP, Reform, Greens and Plaid.
You can find the stream in the live dial at the top of the Sounds homepage (between 5 Sports Extra and 6 Music) or on most smart speakers by saying “ask BBC Sounds for Election 2024.
In addition, The Newscast Election All-Nighter will be live on Thursday from 10pm till 7.30am, in person at the BBC Radio Theatre at Broadcasting House in London with an audience of 150 people.
The event will be part of the BBC’s coverage, including BBC One, BBC Radio 4 and BBC 5 Live. There will also be a live stream on BBC iPlayer between 2200 on Thursday and 0730 on Friday.
Chris Mason will join Adam to record an episode of Newscast, which will be available on BBC Sounds at around 0600 on Friday. […]

Roman Kemp is in the passenger seat with host Alex Legouix who drives him around the Hertfordshire Countryside for a new podcast from AutoTrader, talking about joining and leaving Capital.
They go past the sights of his hometown, unlocking memories and stories, including: the park where he had his first kiss, a leisure centre where he worked part time and being on set at EastEnders as a child.
In the first episode of the second season of Show on the Road, Alex drives Roman around the Hertfordshire Countryside in a black Vauxhall Corsa – the same vehicle Roman would have driven in 2010.
Together they drive past the sights of his hometown, unlocking memories and stories.
It was during the World Cup that Roman fell into contact with the right person from Capital FM that led to his radio job. He said: “I kept bumping into this boy in these pubs, and I was going, Are you following me? What’s the deal here?
“And he’s like, no, I work for LBC, and I’m trying to get voice notes of different fans after the games.
“And I said, okay, cool. Would you want a beer? And he goes, well, I can’t really drink until I’ve finished.
“I said, well, how long until you finish? And he goes, Well, I haven’t got any yet. And I said.. give me a microphone. I took it off him and I ran around and I got all this thing done in 10 minutes. I went around every single person in the pub…
“And then I never really heard from him. Then … I get this phone call. Can you come into Capital?
“I was like, all right, weird. But they got me to work on the breakfast show at the time.
“It was Dave Berry and Lisa Snowdon. I was the runaround boy who would go and get vox pops (soundbites of people talking.) And that’s where I met Joe (Lyons) for the first time and then from there it grew …”
Joe Lyons became a best friend and business partner to Roman. Sadly Joe died by suicide in August 2020.
Roman reflected on his friendship with Joe and the great loss he feels. He said: “When you lose someone to suicide, it’s so strange. You know, Joe was the first person I met when I arrived at Capital.
“My best friend, my producer and beyond a work colleague, he’s like my boyfriend.
“We were together nonstop. I had girlfriends that would say Joe was more like the partner in the relationship.
“And here’s someone that you’ve spent all that time with, seemingly living a different life, to the one that you were told, right in front of you.

“I was on air when it was all kind of unfolding, because he just hadn’t turned up for work. And when I found out he had died, I remember calling my mum and I remember hearing my mum just scream, and say what happened and I just said, I don’t know some accident because weirdly me, my mum and him and my dad had all been for dinner and two nights before, but then at around 11am I found out that it was suicide and everything changed.
“My attitude towards him changed. My idea of what suicide is changed. I was someone that thought the conventional thing was antidepressants, therapy, you know.
All of this was wrong. (Joe was) like the happiest person you could ever meet on the outside.
Confident, good looking, good job, got money, got a lovely family, owns his own apartment.
“We had a business together, we were making TV shows together. And now I’m having to wait until they tell his mum and dad that he clearly wasn’t happy enough. And it’s weird. So I guess now four years on, I’m sad. I’m so, so sad. And I’m so sorry that I didn’t push. And there’s people out there that will say to me all the time, it’s not your fault.
“Or they’ll say, you know, there’s nothing you could have done, but I’m here to tell you there was. If I had had a hint, I would have been there. I live two minutes away. The scary thing is that the person that I love and the person that I hold so close to my heart is ending their life on purpose.
“I’m on the other side of this now. And let me tell you, like, if you’re worried about your mate, speak to him because it is not nice on this side of it. You know, the saddest part of leaving Capital is that I feel like I’m leaving him. That’s the God’s honest truth, the only part of it that I cried about was that I feel like I’m letting that go.
“I’ve always been very open with the fact that I’ve big suicidal thoughts, I’ve had really weird parts in my life, where I’ve been heavily depressed. I’m still on and have been on antidepressants for best part of 20 years now. And what does that do to me to be open about that is a good thing.”
On leaving Capital and his health issues Roman said: “What led me to leave Capital? ..Sleep.
“…I didn’t really know that I had sleep apnea until recently. And then I did these tests and the way the doctor described it to me was, I was running a half marathon in my sleep and not resting.
“Because the oxygen intake that I get in my sleep is like 20 percent of what you would get.
“I think leaving Capital for me was a mixture of things. I’m tired. I need to look after myself a little bit.
“I was trying to spin two careers at once. One is telly and the other is radio. But, on the other hand, there have been days where I’ve felt my lowest, and the radio is the thing that has kept me going. I’ve gone through things on air that no one should ever have to go through. You know, so it’s been sad leaving Capital, but I think it’s the right thing.” […]