November 2001 Archive
- Front Page
- About this site
- Freelance bulletin board
- Site audio files
- Radio Stations
- Other links
- Story Archives Index
- Personalities Archive Index
- Organisations Archive Index
- Comment Index
- Your feedback
- Browsers and players
Prime Radio Stations
ABC, Australia
Home
page
Radio
Australia
ABC, Anerica
News
audio
BBC:
World
Service
World
Service Business
Reports
UK--Radio
4
CBC,Canada
Radio
1 live feed
Hourly
newscast
Voice of America
Audio
news link
WORLD
NEWS RADIO
(on-demand
audio reports)
ZDTV Radio
Technical news -home page
November
2001 Archive
Previous
month -
Links- internally where there are follow-up stories we try, at the end of each story, to put a pertinent link to the top of the next relevant story. Regarding external links see note at end of page.
RNW November Comment looks at our fears for radio in recession.
RNW October Comment looks at the fight for minds element of the "War against terrorism", a war we fear the US may be incapable of winning.
Previous
month - Links- internally where there are follow-up stories we try, at the end of each story, to put a pertinent link to the top of the next relevant story. Regarding external links see note at end of page.
RNW November Comment looks at our fears for radio in recession.
RNW October Comment looks at the fight for minds element of the "War against terrorism", a war we fear the US may be incapable of winning.
RNW
September Comment looks
at how US media reacted to the tragic events of the attack on the US
and what we think is needed in the future.
2001-11-30:
Sue MacGregor, one of the BBC's best known voices,
is to leave the flagship Radio 4 Today breakfast programme in February
at the age of 60.
She has been the show's longest serving presenter, joining it as a part-time presenter in 1984 and concentrating on it exclusively from 1987.
Her BBC career began as a secretary on the radio features programme In Town Tonight after which worked in South Africa for the South African Broadcasting Corporation before returning to the BBC and working as a reporter for PM and The World at One on Radio 4.
She then moved to Woman's Hour on the same channel in 1972. working on it for 15 years before her move to Today full time.
Both colleagues and politicians have paid tribute to her; among them was former British Chancellor Kenneth Clarke, who is himself to become a radio 4 host for three jazz programmes- on drummer Kenny Clarke, singer Marion Montgomery and saxophonist John Coltrane.
He told the UK Guardian, "It's very sad. I am a Today addict...I'm sure she will be horrified to be described as a national institution but she is. She is a very nice woman who is also a very good interviewer."
BBC Radio 4 controller Helen Boaden commented, "She is one of those iconic figures in broadcasting who has done a great range of programmes for Radio 4 including Woman's Hour, Tuesday Call and numerous interview programmes."
"She has made a huge contribution to the network and to Today and we look forward to her making more programmes for us."
Jenny Abramsky, Director of Radio and Music (and former editor of Today) said, "From Woman's Hour to the Today programme, Sue MacGregor has been a towering figure on the radio landscape."
"She is now taking a well deserved rest from her 3.00am start and we look forward to her next radio reincarnation, which will reflect the same commitment and professionalism that distinguish her contributions."
Her fellow presenter John Humphrys said Sue MacGregor's departure from the Today programme would leave the nation without its "favourite headmistress", adding," I don't use this word lightly, but I think she is irreplaceable."
"She is impeccably professional and in terms of her skills as a broadcaster she has no equal. She can't be thrown at all. She is stunningly good at dealing with whatever problems come her way."
Another fellow Today presenter, James Naughtie said, "Sue is one of the great figures of radio. Her voice and style are part of our lives."
"We're all going to miss her on the programme - you get to know someone very well at 4am - and the Today family will seem strange without her."
"Her breadth and subtlety have made her a friend to millions of listeners over the years, because her natural intimacy makes them feel they know her."
MacGregor herself commented, "Working on Today over all these years has been enormously enjoyable, challenging, stimulating and - yes - occasionally exhausting!"
"For a presenter, it's just about the best programme on BBC radio, and it's been an great privilege to have been there for so long."
"But now it's time to move on. I shall miss it hugely."
She will be back on the channel shortly after hanging up her Today show microphone, as a castaway on its Desert Island Discs programme.
Previous Abramsky:
Previous Boaden:
Previous Humphrys:
Previous MacGregor:
Previous Naughtie;
BBC news release:
UK Guardian site -has several items in Guardian and Media Guardian:
She has been the show's longest serving presenter, joining it as a part-time presenter in 1984 and concentrating on it exclusively from 1987.
Her BBC career began as a secretary on the radio features programme In Town Tonight after which worked in South Africa for the South African Broadcasting Corporation before returning to the BBC and working as a reporter for PM and The World at One on Radio 4.
She then moved to Woman's Hour on the same channel in 1972. working on it for 15 years before her move to Today full time.
Both colleagues and politicians have paid tribute to her; among them was former British Chancellor Kenneth Clarke, who is himself to become a radio 4 host for three jazz programmes- on drummer Kenny Clarke, singer Marion Montgomery and saxophonist John Coltrane.
He told the UK Guardian, "It's very sad. I am a Today addict...I'm sure she will be horrified to be described as a national institution but she is. She is a very nice woman who is also a very good interviewer."
BBC Radio 4 controller Helen Boaden commented, "She is one of those iconic figures in broadcasting who has done a great range of programmes for Radio 4 including Woman's Hour, Tuesday Call and numerous interview programmes."
"She has made a huge contribution to the network and to Today and we look forward to her making more programmes for us."
Jenny Abramsky, Director of Radio and Music (and former editor of Today) said, "From Woman's Hour to the Today programme, Sue MacGregor has been a towering figure on the radio landscape."
"She is now taking a well deserved rest from her 3.00am start and we look forward to her next radio reincarnation, which will reflect the same commitment and professionalism that distinguish her contributions."
Her fellow presenter John Humphrys said Sue MacGregor's departure from the Today programme would leave the nation without its "favourite headmistress", adding," I don't use this word lightly, but I think she is irreplaceable."
"She is impeccably professional and in terms of her skills as a broadcaster she has no equal. She can't be thrown at all. She is stunningly good at dealing with whatever problems come her way."
Another fellow Today presenter, James Naughtie said, "Sue is one of the great figures of radio. Her voice and style are part of our lives."
"We're all going to miss her on the programme - you get to know someone very well at 4am - and the Today family will seem strange without her."
"Her breadth and subtlety have made her a friend to millions of listeners over the years, because her natural intimacy makes them feel they know her."
MacGregor herself commented, "Working on Today over all these years has been enormously enjoyable, challenging, stimulating and - yes - occasionally exhausting!"
"For a presenter, it's just about the best programme on BBC radio, and it's been an great privilege to have been there for so long."
"But now it's time to move on. I shall miss it hugely."
She will be back on the channel shortly after hanging up her Today show microphone, as a castaway on its Desert Island Discs programme.
Previous Abramsky:
Previous Boaden:
Previous Humphrys:
Previous MacGregor:
Previous Naughtie;
BBC news release:
UK Guardian site -has several items in Guardian and Media Guardian:
2001-11-30:
Non -compete clauses, which prevent a broadcaster from moving to
a competing station for a period, even when they have been laid off
or fired, aresoon to be illegal in Illinois.
In his Chicago Sun-Times column, Robert Feder reports that the Illinois House voted 94-22 to override Republican state governor George Ryan's veto of a bill that outlaws such clauses.
The law only affect employees whose contracts have ended; it does not prohbit enforcement of non-compete clauses for an employee whose contract is still running or who has breached their contract.
The Illinois Senate had voted 48-10 to override the veto a fortnight ago and the Broadcast Industry Free Market Act will now become law on January 1.
The move had been passed by both houses in Illinois at the end of April (See RNW April 30 ) before it was vetoed.
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the union representing broadcast talent, had strongly backed the measure and Dick Kay, president of AFTRA's Chicago local and WMAQ-Channel 5's political editor, called the passage "the most significant achievement for broadcasters in AFTRA's recent history."
"This is a day of liberation especially for broadcasters--union and non-union--on local station staffs," he told the paper.
"No longer can management in Illinois restrict competition for talent and keep wages artificially low. We moved a mountain."
Eileen Willenborg, AFTRA's executive director, said she hoped other states would follow suit and pass similar legislation.
The Illinois Broadcasters Association, which had strongly opposed the measure, did not respond to calls for comment from Feder but its President & CEO Dennis Lyle told RBR, "We're naturally disappointed with the override and remain puzzled as to why the Illinois Legislature 'singled out' the broadcast industry."
"Other Illinois industries should now be concerned that they could also become the target of selective interference in these matters that are best left in the courts."
"We stand by our argument that government should not intrude on private contracts."
Previous Feder:
RBR site -see daily news Nov 29:
Sun-Times - Feder column:
In his Chicago Sun-Times column, Robert Feder reports that the Illinois House voted 94-22 to override Republican state governor George Ryan's veto of a bill that outlaws such clauses.
The law only affect employees whose contracts have ended; it does not prohbit enforcement of non-compete clauses for an employee whose contract is still running or who has breached their contract.
The Illinois Senate had voted 48-10 to override the veto a fortnight ago and the Broadcast Industry Free Market Act will now become law on January 1.
The move had been passed by both houses in Illinois at the end of April (See RNW April 30 ) before it was vetoed.
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), the union representing broadcast talent, had strongly backed the measure and Dick Kay, president of AFTRA's Chicago local and WMAQ-Channel 5's political editor, called the passage "the most significant achievement for broadcasters in AFTRA's recent history."
"This is a day of liberation especially for broadcasters--union and non-union--on local station staffs," he told the paper.
"No longer can management in Illinois restrict competition for talent and keep wages artificially low. We moved a mountain."
Eileen Willenborg, AFTRA's executive director, said she hoped other states would follow suit and pass similar legislation.
The Illinois Broadcasters Association, which had strongly opposed the measure, did not respond to calls for comment from Feder but its President & CEO Dennis Lyle told RBR, "We're naturally disappointed with the override and remain puzzled as to why the Illinois Legislature 'singled out' the broadcast industry."
"Other Illinois industries should now be concerned that they could also become the target of selective interference in these matters that are best left in the courts."
"We stand by our argument that government should not intrude on private contracts."
Previous Feder:
RBR site -see daily news Nov 29:
Sun-Times - Feder column:
2001-11-29: A
group claiming to represent Irish emigrants, Irish Overseas Broadcasting,
is contesting the sale of long-wave station Atlantic 252,
according to the Irish Times.
The group says it wants the channel, the only one with full coverage of Ireland, north and south, to be used as a national alert channel.
"Before it is too late, we ask for your support in having the State redirect its [the station's] use to the exclusive service of the Irish nation to which it was allocated at the signing of the Geneva Agreement in 1975," said a statement released by the group.
Irish state broadcaster RTÉ owns a fifth of Atlantic and also holds its licence; British group TEAMtalk Media, which intends to turn the station into a sports outlet TEAMtalk 252, is paying GBP2 million for 80% of Radio Tara, the organisation that operates Atlantic 252, which currently has a dance music format (See RNW Oct 10):
Previous Atlantic 252:
Previous RTÉ:
The group says it wants the channel, the only one with full coverage of Ireland, north and south, to be used as a national alert channel.
"Before it is too late, we ask for your support in having the State redirect its [the station's] use to the exclusive service of the Irish nation to which it was allocated at the signing of the Geneva Agreement in 1975," said a statement released by the group.
Irish state broadcaster RTÉ owns a fifth of Atlantic and also holds its licence; British group TEAMtalk Media, which intends to turn the station into a sports outlet TEAMtalk 252, is paying GBP2 million for 80% of Radio Tara, the organisation that operates Atlantic 252, which currently has a dance music format (See RNW Oct 10):
Previous Atlantic 252:
Previous RTÉ:
2001-11-29:
UK Chrysalis Group, whose improved radio and television
profits in the past year were wiped out by its new media losses (See
RNW Nov 23) has now limited
its potential losses from its main remaining Internet asset by teaming
up with 365 Corporation to transfer them into a new company, Newco.
This will bring together both the Chrysalis and 365's Internet content and related assets in European digital sports field.
Chrysalis will provide operating funds of GBP1.3 million and 365 GBP500000 to the Newco and each will provide a further GBP250000 to Newco for future acquisitions.
Both Chrysalis and 365 will retain significant, but non-controlling, interests in Newco, but will have no further operational involvement or funding obligations.
Marcus Leaver, CEO of Rivals, Chrysalis's Internet content business, will become non-executive chairman of Newco whilst its managing director will be Richard Pembroke, Managing Director of 365's Internet division, which includes Football365, Planet Rugby, Cricket365 and Planet-F1.
Previous Chrysalis:
This will bring together both the Chrysalis and 365's Internet content and related assets in European digital sports field.
Chrysalis will provide operating funds of GBP1.3 million and 365 GBP500000 to the Newco and each will provide a further GBP250000 to Newco for future acquisitions.
Both Chrysalis and 365 will retain significant, but non-controlling, interests in Newco, but will have no further operational involvement or funding obligations.
Marcus Leaver, CEO of Rivals, Chrysalis's Internet content business, will become non-executive chairman of Newco whilst its managing director will be Richard Pembroke, Managing Director of 365's Internet division, which includes Football365, Planet Rugby, Cricket365 and Planet-F1.
Previous Chrysalis:
2001-11-29:
Internet radio fans are already tuning into stations streaming Christmas
music according to the latest ratings from Measurecast.
It reports a significant increase in the listening to Cablemusic Network's Christmas Classic network (listening up 60% from 12000 to 19000 hours in the week to November 18) and Christmas Rock stations (listening up around 45% from 1200 to 1700 hours).
This came despite a fall in overall listening which took its Internet Radio Index, based on 100 at the start of the year, down 10% to 282.
Amongst the top five stations ranked by total time spent listening (TTSL) there was one new entrant and significant shuffling which ended up with two classical stations in the ranks but lower down.
The top five were, ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) and with, where applicable, previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets:
1): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 193781 (175975); CP 60400 (57966) Previously third - listening and reach up.
2): Jazz station Jazz FM TTSL 140100 (177371); CP 64831 (72929) Same position but listening and reach down.
3): Classical station WXQR-FM TTSL 130509 (213585); CP 10267 (10539) Previously first - listening and reach way down.
4): Classical music King FM TTSL 126593 (130061); CP 23493 (23439) - Same position but listening and reach down.
5): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 106975 (104812); CP 17762 (18457) - Same position. Listening up but reach down.
Previous MeasureCast weekly ratings:
MeasureCast web site:
It reports a significant increase in the listening to Cablemusic Network's Christmas Classic network (listening up 60% from 12000 to 19000 hours in the week to November 18) and Christmas Rock stations (listening up around 45% from 1200 to 1700 hours).
This came despite a fall in overall listening which took its Internet Radio Index, based on 100 at the start of the year, down 10% to 282.
Amongst the top five stations ranked by total time spent listening (TTSL) there was one new entrant and significant shuffling which ended up with two classical stations in the ranks but lower down.
The top five were, ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) and with, where applicable, previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets:
1): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 193781 (175975); CP 60400 (57966) Previously third - listening and reach up.
2): Jazz station Jazz FM TTSL 140100 (177371); CP 64831 (72929) Same position but listening and reach down.
3): Classical station WXQR-FM TTSL 130509 (213585); CP 10267 (10539) Previously first - listening and reach way down.
4): Classical music King FM TTSL 126593 (130061); CP 23493 (23439) - Same position but listening and reach down.
5): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 106975 (104812); CP 17762 (18457) - Same position. Listening up but reach down.
Previous MeasureCast weekly ratings:
MeasureCast web site:
2001-11-28:
Politicians from all parties have pledged support
for staff of Irish language station Raidió na Gaeltachta,
which would have to make budget cuts of IRP370000 under cutbacks planned
by Irish state broadcaster RTÉ.
Supporters staged a public protest meeting in Dublin on Tuesday evening that included speakers from Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin.
And in another state broadcaster dispute, technicians at English-language Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio and television stations voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike, which could start as early as today, depending upon talks that are continuing.
Their union said 86% of the 1600 technicians had voted in favour of the strike.
Previous CBC:
Previous RTÉ:
Supporters staged a public protest meeting in Dublin on Tuesday evening that included speakers from Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Sinn Féin.
And in another state broadcaster dispute, technicians at English-language Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio and television stations voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike, which could start as early as today, depending upon talks that are continuing.
Their union said 86% of the 1600 technicians had voted in favour of the strike.
Previous CBC:
Previous RTÉ:
2001-11-28:
Sirius Satellite Radio's new President and CEO is to be Joseph
P Clayton, an electronics and telecommunications veteran.
He joins the company from Global Crossing, the Internet and long-distance services provider, where he was vice-chairman.
Clayton has also worked for Thomson MultiMedia, GE's Consumer Electronics Division and RCA Corp.
He succeeds David Margolese, Sirius' founder and chairman, who stepped down as CEO in October.
Clayton said that he was "very excited to take the helm of Sirius" and added that the company "offers a tremendous opportunity - a unique, branded service that will revolutionize the way people listen to radio."
He takes on a company that has problems through its delayed launch with first commercial services not now expected until a limited roll-out next February.
It's also facing around five class-action lawsuits that allege Sirius breached securities law by issuing false and misleading information regarding launch dates and thus boosting share prices. The lawsuits have been stacking up since the first was announced last month(See RNW Oct 10 ).
Sirius is not alone in facing class-action lawsuits. Amongst others still pending are:
*A suit against Radio Unica that claims that is IPO (Initial public Offering) underwriters received excessive undisclosed commissions from some investors in return for issuing them blocks of shares.
*A similar lawsuit against Radio One Inc over its IPO.
Previous Margolese:
Previous Radio One Inc:
Previous Sirius:
Previous Unica:
He joins the company from Global Crossing, the Internet and long-distance services provider, where he was vice-chairman.
Clayton has also worked for Thomson MultiMedia, GE's Consumer Electronics Division and RCA Corp.
He succeeds David Margolese, Sirius' founder and chairman, who stepped down as CEO in October.
Clayton said that he was "very excited to take the helm of Sirius" and added that the company "offers a tremendous opportunity - a unique, branded service that will revolutionize the way people listen to radio."
He takes on a company that has problems through its delayed launch with first commercial services not now expected until a limited roll-out next February.
It's also facing around five class-action lawsuits that allege Sirius breached securities law by issuing false and misleading information regarding launch dates and thus boosting share prices. The lawsuits have been stacking up since the first was announced last month(See RNW Oct 10 ).
Sirius is not alone in facing class-action lawsuits. Amongst others still pending are:
*A suit against Radio Unica that claims that is IPO (Initial public Offering) underwriters received excessive undisclosed commissions from some investors in return for issuing them blocks of shares.
*A similar lawsuit against Radio One Inc over its IPO.
Previous Margolese:
Previous Radio One Inc:
Previous Sirius:
Previous Unica:
2001-11-28: The
trial date for the animal cruelty case against Florida DJ Todd Clem,
Bubba the Love Sponge, WXTB producer Brent Hatley and
two others who were charged following the February castration and killing
of a wild boar has now been set for February 11 next year.
The defendants had files motions last week to have the charges dismissed but the motions have been denied.
Previous Bubba:
The defendants had files motions last week to have the charges dismissed but the motions have been denied.
Previous Bubba:
2001-11-28:
After New York, Washington DC: News helicopters are back in the
air above the US capital after the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
granted a waiver to the flight ban to Fetter Aviation, a company that
flies traffic reporters for most of the major radio and television stations
in the area.
Fetter's customers include two Westwood One outlets, Metro Traffic and Shadow Broadcast Services.
The US Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), which has been fighting the ban, says that the FAA is still grounding aircraft that are owned by the stations themselves.
Its President Barbara Cochran said that the FCC had now re-defined its ban to say that "no circling, loitering or unpredictable flight patterns" are allowed.
Previous Cochran:
Previous RTNDA:
Fetter's customers include two Westwood One outlets, Metro Traffic and Shadow Broadcast Services.
The US Radio-Television News Directors Association (RTNDA), which has been fighting the ban, says that the FAA is still grounding aircraft that are owned by the stations themselves.
Its President Barbara Cochran said that the FCC had now re-defined its ban to say that "no circling, loitering or unpredictable flight patterns" are allowed.
Previous Cochran:
Previous RTNDA:
2001-11-27: US
shock jock, Howard Stern, the self-styled "King of All Media"
whose US ratings have been declining, has now been dumped from the Canadian
airwaves.
His last show on Corus-owned Toronto station Q107 was aired on Friday and the station has returned to a Classic Rock format.
The station had been broadcasting the Howard Stern Show since 1997 and has a contract valued at around USD600000 a year running until 2003 but the show had lost around half its audience share since his debut, although he still remained in the lead in the adult male demographic.
The Toronto Star quoted Corus Radio President John P Hayes as describing the decision to drop the show as a good one and saying, "What radio does best is react instantly to the needs and interests of the local community... the Stern morning show just wasn't able to do that."
"From a ratings standpoint, and from a local marketing standpoint, we believe we can do better by making the move now."
When Stern's show was first aired by Q107, says the Globe, the station was losing listeners and advertisers and needed a shot in the arm.
The shock jock provided this, it says, but as the shock began to wane the show often came across as tedious and repetitive even though there were sill thousands of fiercely loyal fans in Toronto.
These, however, points out the Globe, could tune in to Buffalo's WBUF-FM to hear an unedited version of the show if they had a good quality receiver and the fact that many had done so helped to seal his fate.
JJ Johnston, general manager for the Corus Toronto stations told the paper that the move was a plus for advertising.
"A lot of clients refused to have commercials inside Howard Stern," he said.
"There was huge amount of business that would not go anywhere near that show."
Since Q107 announced it would be dropping Stern, he added, at least half dozen advertisers have called to get on the new format and only one existing advertiser has left.
Previous Corus:
Previous Stern:
Toronto Star site (Search for Stern):
His last show on Corus-owned Toronto station Q107 was aired on Friday and the station has returned to a Classic Rock format.
The station had been broadcasting the Howard Stern Show since 1997 and has a contract valued at around USD600000 a year running until 2003 but the show had lost around half its audience share since his debut, although he still remained in the lead in the adult male demographic.
The Toronto Star quoted Corus Radio President John P Hayes as describing the decision to drop the show as a good one and saying, "What radio does best is react instantly to the needs and interests of the local community... the Stern morning show just wasn't able to do that."
"From a ratings standpoint, and from a local marketing standpoint, we believe we can do better by making the move now."
When Stern's show was first aired by Q107, says the Globe, the station was losing listeners and advertisers and needed a shot in the arm.
The shock jock provided this, it says, but as the shock began to wane the show often came across as tedious and repetitive even though there were sill thousands of fiercely loyal fans in Toronto.
These, however, points out the Globe, could tune in to Buffalo's WBUF-FM to hear an unedited version of the show if they had a good quality receiver and the fact that many had done so helped to seal his fate.
JJ Johnston, general manager for the Corus Toronto stations told the paper that the move was a plus for advertising.
"A lot of clients refused to have commercials inside Howard Stern," he said.
"There was huge amount of business that would not go anywhere near that show."
Since Q107 announced it would be dropping Stern, he added, at least half dozen advertisers have called to get on the new format and only one existing advertiser has left.
Previous Corus:
Previous Stern:
Toronto Star site (Search for Stern):
2001-11-27:
The British Government Consultation Document on Media Ownership
Rules just released goes some of the way along the de-regulatory road
wanted by some media owners but not enough to satisfy them.
In particular in a number of cases, rather than backing the removal of regulations it has hedged it bets and sought views on whether it should remove them.
It also proposes to retain restrictions on non-European ownership of media.
The document says that the government, noting New Zealand research suggests that" an almost completely deregulated market has led to a significant decline in the quality and diversity of programming a de-regulated market" continues to believe that content regulation of media is essential.
It adds that it wants "to ensure that citizens receive a diverse range of content from a plurality of sources" and says that diversity, the range of services available, and plurality, the ability to choose between different providers of services, are both essential.
In this light, although it says it favours de-regulation it says its task "is to find a middle ground that safeguards both competition and democracy, re-aligning ownership rules to adapt to the new market that is emerging."
"In other words, we should act to encourage a dynamic market whilst at the same time guaranteeing plurality, diversity and quality for the consumer."
Democracy, it says requires keeping a ban on political organizations from controlling TV and radio stations although it says local authorities and advertising agencies should be allowed to hold broadcasting licences.
It also proposes to keep the current ban on non-European control of media companies, noting that the US prohibits foreigners from owning more than a quarter interest in broadcasters.
As far as radio is concerned, it has disappointed some by asking for comments on whether the current "points" system should be retained rather than going directly for its abolition.
Under the system licences are awarded points according to the size of the population covered by the service and nobody can control licences accounting for more than 15% of the total number of points.
The paper has also asked for comment on whether it should lift the specific disqualification from ownership of more than one national radio licence rather than suggesting such a change.
On digital services, it says it would favour a scheme that ensured at least 3 owners of local digital sound programme service licences in each area, and also ensured plurality of ownership of multiplex licences and asks for views on whether the new OFCOM regulator should be asked to institute such a scheme.
Concerning onward sale of licences, it notes concerns about these resulting in a change in character of a station but also that in France the effect of a moratorium on all onward sales has often been that local radio stations have simply stopped broadcasting.
It therefore asks for views on whether OFCOM should be able to prevent the onward sale of licences for a two-year period after their award, where it believed a change of control would jeopardize the character of the service.
Concerning religious radio licences it proposes lifting an anomaly that allows religious organizations to have a local analogue licence but not a digital one and also asks for comment on whether it should remove all restrictions on religious organizations holding broadcasting licences, in particular a ban on holding a national licence.
Hedging its options concerning cross-media ownership, the paper suggests cross-media laws may be to secondary legislation, which would allow the new super-regulator, OFCOM, to recommend swift changes to the rules.
UK Department for Media, Culture and Sport Consultation Document (28 page 143kb PDF):
In particular in a number of cases, rather than backing the removal of regulations it has hedged it bets and sought views on whether it should remove them.
It also proposes to retain restrictions on non-European ownership of media.
The document says that the government, noting New Zealand research suggests that" an almost completely deregulated market has led to a significant decline in the quality and diversity of programming a de-regulated market" continues to believe that content regulation of media is essential.
It adds that it wants "to ensure that citizens receive a diverse range of content from a plurality of sources" and says that diversity, the range of services available, and plurality, the ability to choose between different providers of services, are both essential.
In this light, although it says it favours de-regulation it says its task "is to find a middle ground that safeguards both competition and democracy, re-aligning ownership rules to adapt to the new market that is emerging."
"In other words, we should act to encourage a dynamic market whilst at the same time guaranteeing plurality, diversity and quality for the consumer."
Democracy, it says requires keeping a ban on political organizations from controlling TV and radio stations although it says local authorities and advertising agencies should be allowed to hold broadcasting licences.
It also proposes to keep the current ban on non-European control of media companies, noting that the US prohibits foreigners from owning more than a quarter interest in broadcasters.
As far as radio is concerned, it has disappointed some by asking for comments on whether the current "points" system should be retained rather than going directly for its abolition.
Under the system licences are awarded points according to the size of the population covered by the service and nobody can control licences accounting for more than 15% of the total number of points.
The paper has also asked for comment on whether it should lift the specific disqualification from ownership of more than one national radio licence rather than suggesting such a change.
On digital services, it says it would favour a scheme that ensured at least 3 owners of local digital sound programme service licences in each area, and also ensured plurality of ownership of multiplex licences and asks for views on whether the new OFCOM regulator should be asked to institute such a scheme.
Concerning onward sale of licences, it notes concerns about these resulting in a change in character of a station but also that in France the effect of a moratorium on all onward sales has often been that local radio stations have simply stopped broadcasting.
It therefore asks for views on whether OFCOM should be able to prevent the onward sale of licences for a two-year period after their award, where it believed a change of control would jeopardize the character of the service.
Concerning religious radio licences it proposes lifting an anomaly that allows religious organizations to have a local analogue licence but not a digital one and also asks for comment on whether it should remove all restrictions on religious organizations holding broadcasting licences, in particular a ban on holding a national licence.
Hedging its options concerning cross-media ownership, the paper suggests cross-media laws may be to secondary legislation, which would allow the new super-regulator, OFCOM, to recommend swift changes to the rules.
UK Department for Media, Culture and Sport Consultation Document (28 page 143kb PDF):
2001-11-27:
The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA)has now
advertised the new commercial FM licence planned for Perth.
Applications have to be in by December 20 and the licence will be allocated to the highest bidder at an auction-style licence allocation exercise.
The reserve price for the licence is $1 million but forecasts are that it will fetch more like AUD70 million (around USD37 million).
Within the last two years there have been auctions of new commercial licences for Sydney, which fetched a record AUD 155 million (see RNW May 25, 2000); Melbourne, which fetched AUD70 million (see RNW Dec 15, 2000) and Brisbane, which fetched AUD67 million (See RNW May 31).
DMG, which has building up an Australian metropolitan network, has been involved in all the previous successful bids and is expected to be a leading contender in Perth.
Previous ABA:
Previous DMG:
ABA announcement:
Applications have to be in by December 20 and the licence will be allocated to the highest bidder at an auction-style licence allocation exercise.
The reserve price for the licence is $1 million but forecasts are that it will fetch more like AUD70 million (around USD37 million).
Within the last two years there have been auctions of new commercial licences for Sydney, which fetched a record AUD 155 million (see RNW May 25, 2000); Melbourne, which fetched AUD70 million (see RNW Dec 15, 2000) and Brisbane, which fetched AUD67 million (See RNW May 31).
DMG, which has building up an Australian metropolitan network, has been involved in all the previous successful bids and is expected to be a leading contender in Perth.
Previous ABA:
Previous DMG:
ABA announcement:
2001-11-26:
From the new to the old this week, spurred by a flowering of US
articles concerning XM satellite radio and a look into the past from
the newspapers in London and New York.
XM does pretty well in the write-ups, which have been following its final rollout over the US.
We hope satellite radio succeeds but, however good the product may turn out to be, the finances are also vital.
On this, we quote XM Satellite's vice president of marketing strategy, Tricia Kesling, courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle.
"We've got a great product in a bad economy."
"We just have to be very strong and be very smart about what we're going to do."
XM'S 100-channel output includes 71 music channels of which 30 are commercial free, and 29 other channels including news, sports and talk and more esoteric channels such as the Hindi-language Radio Taj and Mandarin-language C-Wave and it hopes to pick up its break-even 4 million subscribers by 2002.
To do so, it will have to beat off competition from existing terrestrial stations, from its soon-to-launch competition Sirius Satellite Radio, and maybe from the advent of digital terrestrial radio broadcasting in the US.
The Chronicle spoke to John Stone, senior satellite analyst with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., who said he recently drove from Los Angeles to New York listening to XM radio.
"From a technical perspective, the service works," Stone said.
"I had very few dropouts, typically less than one second, like in a deep canyon or in tunnels. There was no static, no hiss, no hum, no popping or cracking."
Stone believes satellite radio will eventually succeed because it provides more choices, especially in smaller radio markets but another analyst Thilo Koslowski, lead automotive industry analyst for GartnerG2, was more cautious about satellite radio's future.
He believes the market isn't big enough for both XM and Sirius, and expects one to fold or be bought by the other. "I think we'll know by the middle of next year if satellite radio will be successful or not," he told the paper.
A Baltimore Sun report, pegged to XM's unveiling in Maryland, also quotes John Stone although with a more cautious spin on the finances: "What's not resolved yet is whether people are really going to buy this. Even if they do, XM does not have enough cash to get them to break even, so they'll have to go back to the financial markets and raise more."
So why would anybody pay for a radio service? For an advertiser the answer is obvious but has a downside for the listener.
For the listener it's content and in his article in the Washington Post technology column Rob Pegoraro takes that issue head on.
" Under normal circumstances," he writes, " setting out for a drive of any duration without a stack of CDs is a dumb idea."
"It means putting up with the playlist-strangled selection of commercial FM radio, where, with depressingly few exceptions, the mainstream has gone stagnant and most things non-mainstream are being herded to extinction."
"Faced with the steady diet of nothing served up by "modern rock" stations, the most odious example of this trend, I've actually shut off the radio in favour of listening to my car's engine."
"This Sunday and Monday, however, I clocked 225 miles without the aid of a single CD or tape. What kept me from going batty was XM Satellite Radio."
After listing details of channels on offer, Pegoraro continues," individual channels show a creative independence absent from most FM stations."
"In other words, they sound as though they are run by people who actually like music."
"Playlists leave room for artists who will never show up on the likes of MTV's "Total Request Live," such as John Hiatt, Suzanne Vega and D.C. rockers Fugazi and the Dismemberment Plan."
"Shows need not stick to one market-tested genre; on an alternative-music channel, hip-hop followed hard rock, just like it does when people shuffle through their CD racks and MP3 collections."
"And longer material isn't chopped up for commercial breaks -- a classical channel played a six-movement Schubert symphony uninterrupted."
"I wholeheartedly and unreservedly applaud this."
"XM's the best way to check out new music since Napster." Content, of course, was once different on radio, a point made in a New York Times article by James Barron.
He starts by writing of "when radio was more than all news, all talk or all-pre-programmed disc jockeys, one of the biggest stars on the air was a baggy-eyed, nasal-sounding former juggler" and goes on to reminisce about the "Fred Allen Show" and the eponymous artist whose memory has been dimmed because he did not make the transition to television.
In so doing, Barron notes example after example of features on today's TV shows that were pre-dated by those in Allen's including "Mighty Allen Art Players" who preceded The "Mighty Carson Art Players" on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" and The "Jay Walking" segment on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" which he describes as the "Allen's Alley" segment of the radio show without the precision of Allen's script.
All gone you might think, except perhaps where there is a state system, which allows broadcasters like the BBC to continue with a broad range of offerings.
Not always so it would seem if a couple of other US newspaper offerings this week were a guide
Also from the New York Times the heading "Like the BBC Without Accents, or 'NPR on Drugs'" precedes an article by Glenn Collins on the "Batchelor and Alexander" running on WABC-AM in New York.
Since September 12 it says, John Batchelor and Paul Alexander have been delivering "a content-rich circus featuring guests ranging from United States senators and representatives to think- tank warriors, Afghanistan mavens and even their own correspondent in Uzbekistan, one Timur Shakirov."
Batchelor is quoted as saying, "Our model is the BBC World Service, with music and live interviews, but without English accents" whilst his partner adds, "We're not NPR, where they do set-ups to things on tape…Well, we could be NPR on drugs."
And from the Chicago Tribune, an article by its media critic, Steve Johnson, headed "Radio documentary's roots are growing in Chicago."
In it he says, "Probably more than at any time since TV, great documentaries -- great stories because, let's face it, "documentary" is a cold sore of a word -- are being produced for radio."
"The result can be more deeply affecting than almost anything else in contemporary media. I've had tears rolling on the elevated, listening to haunting tapes made decades ago by a Vietnam War soldier who planned to go into radio if he returned."
" I've sat in my car -- and this has become the stereotypical anecdote about radio documentaries precisely because it is true -- well after turning the engine off, hoping I'll get to the end of the story before the mall security guard comes out to break the spell." The article, written in the form of a script, deals with various people and programmes involved in radio documentaries, but there is a sting in one segment: "Narrator: Be assured, this is a public radio story. Documentaries don't fit into a commitment to provide traffic and weather on the ones. But it is also a story of a medium coming into its new self, and that is what's most encouraging."
Indeed! Like whole symphonies.
But the article does provide a fitting lead to mention of forthcoming BBC programme (2000GMT on BBC Radio 4 on November 29 for anyone who cares to listen on the Internet or off air) that is the subject of Paul Donovan's radio column in the UK Sunday Times. The programme, "The Angry Brigade" is, he writes, "pithy, 30- minute account of the background to, and activities of, the group of anarchist bombers who produced that name for themselves with a John Bull printing set."
Donovan goes on to say that this documentary "manifests two great truths about radio, one of which programme- makers know full well but the other they often forget."
"First, it is quite possible to make a programme in which the subjects themselves keep si-lent, as the men and women of the Angry Brigade always have."
"Second, you frustrate listeners if you do not raise the questions they will be forming in their minds - even if you cannot answer them."
Amongst the questions, says Donovan, are "why has not a single one of them, or even a member of their support group, ever spoken to the media?"
"Have they changed their names?"
"Are they still trying to destroy capitalism or have they become like the rest of us, worried about their mortgages, pensions and children?"
Some points well made and a great pity that the programme won't be available "on demand" on the web site.
Previous Columnists:
Previous Donovan:
Previous Steve Johnson:
Baltimore Sun on XM:
Chicago Tribune - Johnson:
New York Times on Batchelor and Alexander::
New York Times on Fred Allen:
San Francisco Chronicle on XM:
UK Sunday Times - Donovan:
Washington Post on XM:
XM does pretty well in the write-ups, which have been following its final rollout over the US.
We hope satellite radio succeeds but, however good the product may turn out to be, the finances are also vital.
On this, we quote XM Satellite's vice president of marketing strategy, Tricia Kesling, courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle.
"We've got a great product in a bad economy."
"We just have to be very strong and be very smart about what we're going to do."
XM'S 100-channel output includes 71 music channels of which 30 are commercial free, and 29 other channels including news, sports and talk and more esoteric channels such as the Hindi-language Radio Taj and Mandarin-language C-Wave and it hopes to pick up its break-even 4 million subscribers by 2002.
To do so, it will have to beat off competition from existing terrestrial stations, from its soon-to-launch competition Sirius Satellite Radio, and maybe from the advent of digital terrestrial radio broadcasting in the US.
The Chronicle spoke to John Stone, senior satellite analyst with Ladenburg Thalmann & Co., who said he recently drove from Los Angeles to New York listening to XM radio.
"From a technical perspective, the service works," Stone said.
"I had very few dropouts, typically less than one second, like in a deep canyon or in tunnels. There was no static, no hiss, no hum, no popping or cracking."
Stone believes satellite radio will eventually succeed because it provides more choices, especially in smaller radio markets but another analyst Thilo Koslowski, lead automotive industry analyst for GartnerG2, was more cautious about satellite radio's future.
He believes the market isn't big enough for both XM and Sirius, and expects one to fold or be bought by the other. "I think we'll know by the middle of next year if satellite radio will be successful or not," he told the paper.
A Baltimore Sun report, pegged to XM's unveiling in Maryland, also quotes John Stone although with a more cautious spin on the finances: "What's not resolved yet is whether people are really going to buy this. Even if they do, XM does not have enough cash to get them to break even, so they'll have to go back to the financial markets and raise more."
So why would anybody pay for a radio service? For an advertiser the answer is obvious but has a downside for the listener.
For the listener it's content and in his article in the Washington Post technology column Rob Pegoraro takes that issue head on.
" Under normal circumstances," he writes, " setting out for a drive of any duration without a stack of CDs is a dumb idea."
"It means putting up with the playlist-strangled selection of commercial FM radio, where, with depressingly few exceptions, the mainstream has gone stagnant and most things non-mainstream are being herded to extinction."
"Faced with the steady diet of nothing served up by "modern rock" stations, the most odious example of this trend, I've actually shut off the radio in favour of listening to my car's engine."
"This Sunday and Monday, however, I clocked 225 miles without the aid of a single CD or tape. What kept me from going batty was XM Satellite Radio."
After listing details of channels on offer, Pegoraro continues," individual channels show a creative independence absent from most FM stations."
"In other words, they sound as though they are run by people who actually like music."
"Playlists leave room for artists who will never show up on the likes of MTV's "Total Request Live," such as John Hiatt, Suzanne Vega and D.C. rockers Fugazi and the Dismemberment Plan."
"Shows need not stick to one market-tested genre; on an alternative-music channel, hip-hop followed hard rock, just like it does when people shuffle through their CD racks and MP3 collections."
"And longer material isn't chopped up for commercial breaks -- a classical channel played a six-movement Schubert symphony uninterrupted."
"I wholeheartedly and unreservedly applaud this."
"XM's the best way to check out new music since Napster." Content, of course, was once different on radio, a point made in a New York Times article by James Barron.
He starts by writing of "when radio was more than all news, all talk or all-pre-programmed disc jockeys, one of the biggest stars on the air was a baggy-eyed, nasal-sounding former juggler" and goes on to reminisce about the "Fred Allen Show" and the eponymous artist whose memory has been dimmed because he did not make the transition to television.
In so doing, Barron notes example after example of features on today's TV shows that were pre-dated by those in Allen's including "Mighty Allen Art Players" who preceded The "Mighty Carson Art Players" on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" and The "Jay Walking" segment on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" which he describes as the "Allen's Alley" segment of the radio show without the precision of Allen's script.
All gone you might think, except perhaps where there is a state system, which allows broadcasters like the BBC to continue with a broad range of offerings.
Not always so it would seem if a couple of other US newspaper offerings this week were a guide
Also from the New York Times the heading "Like the BBC Without Accents, or 'NPR on Drugs'" precedes an article by Glenn Collins on the "Batchelor and Alexander" running on WABC-AM in New York.
Since September 12 it says, John Batchelor and Paul Alexander have been delivering "a content-rich circus featuring guests ranging from United States senators and representatives to think- tank warriors, Afghanistan mavens and even their own correspondent in Uzbekistan, one Timur Shakirov."
Batchelor is quoted as saying, "Our model is the BBC World Service, with music and live interviews, but without English accents" whilst his partner adds, "We're not NPR, where they do set-ups to things on tape…Well, we could be NPR on drugs."
And from the Chicago Tribune, an article by its media critic, Steve Johnson, headed "Radio documentary's roots are growing in Chicago."
In it he says, "Probably more than at any time since TV, great documentaries -- great stories because, let's face it, "documentary" is a cold sore of a word -- are being produced for radio."
"The result can be more deeply affecting than almost anything else in contemporary media. I've had tears rolling on the elevated, listening to haunting tapes made decades ago by a Vietnam War soldier who planned to go into radio if he returned."
" I've sat in my car -- and this has become the stereotypical anecdote about radio documentaries precisely because it is true -- well after turning the engine off, hoping I'll get to the end of the story before the mall security guard comes out to break the spell." The article, written in the form of a script, deals with various people and programmes involved in radio documentaries, but there is a sting in one segment: "Narrator: Be assured, this is a public radio story. Documentaries don't fit into a commitment to provide traffic and weather on the ones. But it is also a story of a medium coming into its new self, and that is what's most encouraging."
Indeed! Like whole symphonies.
But the article does provide a fitting lead to mention of forthcoming BBC programme (2000GMT on BBC Radio 4 on November 29 for anyone who cares to listen on the Internet or off air) that is the subject of Paul Donovan's radio column in the UK Sunday Times. The programme, "The Angry Brigade" is, he writes, "pithy, 30- minute account of the background to, and activities of, the group of anarchist bombers who produced that name for themselves with a John Bull printing set."
Donovan goes on to say that this documentary "manifests two great truths about radio, one of which programme- makers know full well but the other they often forget."
"First, it is quite possible to make a programme in which the subjects themselves keep si-lent, as the men and women of the Angry Brigade always have."
"Second, you frustrate listeners if you do not raise the questions they will be forming in their minds - even if you cannot answer them."
Amongst the questions, says Donovan, are "why has not a single one of them, or even a member of their support group, ever spoken to the media?"
"Have they changed their names?"
"Are they still trying to destroy capitalism or have they become like the rest of us, worried about their mortgages, pensions and children?"
Some points well made and a great pity that the programme won't be available "on demand" on the web site.
Previous Columnists:
Previous Donovan:
Previous Steve Johnson:
Baltimore Sun on XM:
Chicago Tribune - Johnson:
New York Times on Batchelor and Alexander::
New York Times on Fred Allen:
San Francisco Chronicle on XM:
UK Sunday Times - Donovan:
Washington Post on XM:
2001-11-25:
It's been a fairly quiet week on the licence front over the past
seven days with Australia's main news
concerning the High Court decision to dismiss with costs an application
for a judicial review of the radio plans set out by the Australian
Broadcasting Authority (ABA) for the Gosford area of New South
Wales ( See RNW Nov 21).
This will now allow the auctioning of a new commercial FM licence for the area.
Elsewhere there was nothing in note in Ireland, a takeover approval in Canada and both analogue and digital activity in the UK.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved Corus Radio's CAD4 million acquisition of Tri-Co Broadcasting Limited, licensee of CJUL-AM, CFLG-FM and CJSS-FM, in Cornwall Ontario.
The Commission felt that other media services available in the area, including the radio service of Radio Communautaire Cornwall-Alexandria inc., meant that the takeover was allowable in terms of preserving a diversity of voices in the area.
In line with the country's Canadian benefits policy 6% of the transaction amount, in this case a total of CAD242500, will be used for Canadian talent development.
The Commission also noted a number of Corus' commitments including those to ensure continued diversity of programming, to provide access to capital for upgrading of equipment and conversion to digital and to allow the stations to become part of the new Local Media Internet Venture (LMIV) project.
Also in Ontario, the CRTC has also approved a power increase for CIKR-FM Kingston from 42000 watts to 24000 watts.
The station had originally been granted a licence for the higher power transmissions from a new tower to be constructed on Wolfe Island but abandoned the plan and instead co-sited its transmitter at the existing CKWS-TV site on Wolfe Island.
It has, however, refused an application by CKDX-FM Newmarket to vary the conditions of its licence and allow it to broadcast more than 50% hit material.
The station has argued that as a "small station" with a "small signal" it was operating at a competitive disadvantage because the strong signals of Toronto's major stations; to compete with them it had developed a "Dancing Oldies" music format, not duplicated by its competitors, that focuses on dance music drawn from the 70's, 80's and 90's and for which it needed access to a large pool of 70's disco hits.
The rules under which the station operates do not restrict it to the selection of 80s and 90s hits and the Commission held that this gave the station sufficient flexibility for its format.
In the UK, the Radio Authority, has advertised a new licence to serve Worthing in West Sussex; it has also announced that it has received two applications for the Leicester digital multiplex.
They are from EMAP Digital Radio Ltd and Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd.
Both have to carry BBC Radio Leicester in addition to which EMAP is proposing ten programmes and Now Digital eight.
Emap's proposed mix is:
*Chart and current hits -- Leicester Sound (provider: GWR Group plc) - subject to agreement.
*Asian programming -- Sabras Radio (provider: Sabras Radio Ltd.) -- subject to agreement.
*Adult contemporary music and speech -- Century Radio (provider: Capital Radio plc) - subject to agreement.
*East Midlands regional service II -- Format and provider not yet known.
*Local service for Loughborough area -- Oak FM (provider: CN Group Ltd.)
*Young Asian -- TAP (provider: Asian Sound Radio Ltd.)
*Gold -- Provider: to be advertised
*New rock -- Xfm (provider: Capital Radio plc) - subject to agreement.
*Dance -- Kiss (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.)
*Jazz and soul -- Provider: to be advertised.
Now Digital's proposed services are:
*Contemporary hit radio -- Leicester Sound (provider: Leicester Sound Ltd.)
*Asian music and speech -- Sabras Radio (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.)
*Talk and predominantly adult contemporary music -- 106 Century FM (provider: Capital Radio plc)
*Adult rock -- The Arrow (provider: Chrysalis Radio Ltd.)
*Pop hits from the past four decades -- Pop Hits (provider: GWR Group plc)
*Music for today's teenagers and pre-teens -- Cube (provider: Capital Radio plc)
*New regional service (or alternative) -- Format and provider not yet known
*Young Asian and Asian communities -- Asian Plus (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.).
Applications have to be submitted by the end of January and a decision is expected early in the New Year.
In the US , all was fairly quiet, although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now to consider a petition to bar Clear Channel from purchasing WKKJ-FM Chillicothe, Ohio (See RNW Nov 24): Clear Channel has until December 5 to respond to the petition.
Previous ABA:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous UK Radio Authority:
ABA web site:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
UK Radio Authority web site
This will now allow the auctioning of a new commercial FM licence for the area.
Elsewhere there was nothing in note in Ireland, a takeover approval in Canada and both analogue and digital activity in the UK.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has approved Corus Radio's CAD4 million acquisition of Tri-Co Broadcasting Limited, licensee of CJUL-AM, CFLG-FM and CJSS-FM, in Cornwall Ontario.
The Commission felt that other media services available in the area, including the radio service of Radio Communautaire Cornwall-Alexandria inc., meant that the takeover was allowable in terms of preserving a diversity of voices in the area.
In line with the country's Canadian benefits policy 6% of the transaction amount, in this case a total of CAD242500, will be used for Canadian talent development.
The Commission also noted a number of Corus' commitments including those to ensure continued diversity of programming, to provide access to capital for upgrading of equipment and conversion to digital and to allow the stations to become part of the new Local Media Internet Venture (LMIV) project.
Also in Ontario, the CRTC has also approved a power increase for CIKR-FM Kingston from 42000 watts to 24000 watts.
The station had originally been granted a licence for the higher power transmissions from a new tower to be constructed on Wolfe Island but abandoned the plan and instead co-sited its transmitter at the existing CKWS-TV site on Wolfe Island.
It has, however, refused an application by CKDX-FM Newmarket to vary the conditions of its licence and allow it to broadcast more than 50% hit material.
The station has argued that as a "small station" with a "small signal" it was operating at a competitive disadvantage because the strong signals of Toronto's major stations; to compete with them it had developed a "Dancing Oldies" music format, not duplicated by its competitors, that focuses on dance music drawn from the 70's, 80's and 90's and for which it needed access to a large pool of 70's disco hits.
The rules under which the station operates do not restrict it to the selection of 80s and 90s hits and the Commission held that this gave the station sufficient flexibility for its format.
In the UK, the Radio Authority, has advertised a new licence to serve Worthing in West Sussex; it has also announced that it has received two applications for the Leicester digital multiplex.
They are from EMAP Digital Radio Ltd and Now Digital (East Midlands) Ltd.
Both have to carry BBC Radio Leicester in addition to which EMAP is proposing ten programmes and Now Digital eight.
Emap's proposed mix is:
*Chart and current hits -- Leicester Sound (provider: GWR Group plc) - subject to agreement.
*Asian programming -- Sabras Radio (provider: Sabras Radio Ltd.) -- subject to agreement.
*Adult contemporary music and speech -- Century Radio (provider: Capital Radio plc) - subject to agreement.
*East Midlands regional service II -- Format and provider not yet known.
*Local service for Loughborough area -- Oak FM (provider: CN Group Ltd.)
*Young Asian -- TAP (provider: Asian Sound Radio Ltd.)
*Gold -- Provider: to be advertised
*New rock -- Xfm (provider: Capital Radio plc) - subject to agreement.
*Dance -- Kiss (provider: Emap Performance Ltd.)
*Jazz and soul -- Provider: to be advertised.
Now Digital's proposed services are:
*Contemporary hit radio -- Leicester Sound (provider: Leicester Sound Ltd.)
*Asian music and speech -- Sabras Radio (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.)
*Talk and predominantly adult contemporary music -- 106 Century FM (provider: Capital Radio plc)
*Adult rock -- The Arrow (provider: Chrysalis Radio Ltd.)
*Pop hits from the past four decades -- Pop Hits (provider: GWR Group plc)
*Music for today's teenagers and pre-teens -- Cube (provider: Capital Radio plc)
*New regional service (or alternative) -- Format and provider not yet known
*Young Asian and Asian communities -- Asian Plus (provider: Sabras Sound Ltd.).
Applications have to be submitted by the end of January and a decision is expected early in the New Year.
In the US , all was fairly quiet, although the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now to consider a petition to bar Clear Channel from purchasing WKKJ-FM Chillicothe, Ohio (See RNW Nov 24): Clear Channel has until December 5 to respond to the petition.
Previous ABA:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous UK Radio Authority:
ABA web site:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
UK Radio Authority web site
2001-11-25: Staff
at Irish State Broadcaster RTÉ's Lyric FM are claiming
that regional services are being affected disproportionably as the broadcaster
cuts back to save some IRP24 million (See RNW
Nov 2).
Various radio services are being cut back significantly including Limerick-based Lyric Fm, which has to save IRP555000 from its annual budget of IRP 2.3 million and is planning to close its news service and TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta, both of which have headquarters in the Connemara Gaeltacht and have to save some IRP7000.
In Cork, Radio One World, the AM service for ethnic minorities disappears. Lyric FM's news staff of five full-time and three part-time journalists are lobbying politicians.
"There is a direct link between the proposed job cuts and the lack of an adequate licence fee increase,"journalist Marian Malone told the Irish Times.
"We are the first and only news staff ever to be made compulsorily redundant," she added.
If the cuts go ahead, the current news service is expected to be taken by Dublin and read by the station's music presenters.
"Even the smallest local radio station has its own news service," said Malone.
"What they are proposing is a 'rip and read' service as far as we can ascertain."
The journalists claim that the move will add to the Dublin bias of news and lose Lyric's distinctiveness.
Previous RTÉ:
Irish Times report:
Various radio services are being cut back significantly including Limerick-based Lyric Fm, which has to save IRP555000 from its annual budget of IRP 2.3 million and is planning to close its news service and TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta, both of which have headquarters in the Connemara Gaeltacht and have to save some IRP7000.
In Cork, Radio One World, the AM service for ethnic minorities disappears. Lyric FM's news staff of five full-time and three part-time journalists are lobbying politicians.
"There is a direct link between the proposed job cuts and the lack of an adequate licence fee increase,"journalist Marian Malone told the Irish Times.
"We are the first and only news staff ever to be made compulsorily redundant," she added.
If the cuts go ahead, the current news service is expected to be taken by Dublin and read by the station's music presenters.
"Even the smallest local radio station has its own news service," said Malone.
"What they are proposing is a 'rip and read' service as far as we can ascertain."
The journalists claim that the move will add to the Dublin bias of news and lose Lyric's distinctiveness.
Previous RTÉ:
Irish Times report:
2001-11-25:
US News aircraft and helicopters, which had been banned from US
airspace thus significantly affecting traffic reporting as well as news
operations (See RNW
Oct 2), have been back in operation in some parts of
the US.
Following complaints by businesses in New York, the Federal Aviation Authority has begun granting waivers to allow flights over the city, some of which have been by news organisations.
The New York Times reports that they include a TV helicopter covering the Thanksgiving Day Parade and delivering traffic reports.
New York Times report
Following complaints by businesses in New York, the Federal Aviation Authority has begun granting waivers to allow flights over the city, some of which have been by news organisations.
The New York Times reports that they include a TV helicopter covering the Thanksgiving Day Parade and delivering traffic reports.
New York Times report
2001-11-24: The
chairperson of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission ( CRTC) , David Colville,
has sounded an upbeat note in an address on the Canadian Broadcasting
System to the country's Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting
in Ottawa.
After noting that change had been the dominant theme since the country's Broadcasting Act was last updated in 1991, he said that the Act allowed flexibility to amend policies to meet changing conditions in attaining the objectives of providing a choice and diversity of services whilst maintaining a strong Canadian presence and promotion of services reflecting Canadian values.
The CRTC, said Wylie, had undertaken comprehensive reviews of all its major policies and regulations to reflect demographic and technological change and the results were now taking hold and producing positive effects.
Commenting on the renewals of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation licences, he said the Commission had taken the view that the CBC should devote its resources to existing services rather than expanding into new areas.
In its decisions, the Commission emphasized the essential role the Corporation plays in providing high-quality Canadian programming that informs and entertains.
The Commission took the view that, in a period of fiscal uncertainty, the CBC should devote all available resources to the existing radio & TV services rather than expand into new ventures.
It had encouraged CBC radio, both English and French, to extend their services so that a majority of each language group will receive these services throughout the country.
Concerning Canadian commercial radio he spoke of three objectives: pride of place for Canadian artists; a strong French-language presence in radio, and a well-financed radio industry better poised to meet the objectives of the Act.
The Commission, he said, has increased the required levels of Canadian content in popular music selections, which had been around 2% before such minimums were first introduced in 1971, to 35%.
On the question of radio industry strength, he said that in the early 90s Canadian commercial radio was in financial trouble but this had now changed as a result of the Commission developing a model that allowed consolidations whilst balancing the concerns that there should be competitions and a diversity of news voices.
To do the latter in the new regulatory regime the policy included measures to encourage new entrants into the industry and 39 of 44 licences issued had gone to smaller players or new entrants including new aboriginal and multicultural programming services.
The Canadian radio industry, Wylie added, continues to take advantage of the revised ownership guidelines and as a result transfer benefits, which are used to develop emerging Canadian talent, have totalled CAD51.4 million from the introduction of the policy in 1998 until July 2001.
Previous CRTC:
After noting that change had been the dominant theme since the country's Broadcasting Act was last updated in 1991, he said that the Act allowed flexibility to amend policies to meet changing conditions in attaining the objectives of providing a choice and diversity of services whilst maintaining a strong Canadian presence and promotion of services reflecting Canadian values.
The CRTC, said Wylie, had undertaken comprehensive reviews of all its major policies and regulations to reflect demographic and technological change and the results were now taking hold and producing positive effects.
Commenting on the renewals of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation licences, he said the Commission had taken the view that the CBC should devote its resources to existing services rather than expanding into new areas.
In its decisions, the Commission emphasized the essential role the Corporation plays in providing high-quality Canadian programming that informs and entertains.
The Commission took the view that, in a period of fiscal uncertainty, the CBC should devote all available resources to the existing radio & TV services rather than expand into new ventures.
It had encouraged CBC radio, both English and French, to extend their services so that a majority of each language group will receive these services throughout the country.
Concerning Canadian commercial radio he spoke of three objectives: pride of place for Canadian artists; a strong French-language presence in radio, and a well-financed radio industry better poised to meet the objectives of the Act.
The Commission, he said, has increased the required levels of Canadian content in popular music selections, which had been around 2% before such minimums were first introduced in 1971, to 35%.
On the question of radio industry strength, he said that in the early 90s Canadian commercial radio was in financial trouble but this had now changed as a result of the Commission developing a model that allowed consolidations whilst balancing the concerns that there should be competitions and a diversity of news voices.
To do the latter in the new regulatory regime the policy included measures to encourage new entrants into the industry and 39 of 44 licences issued had gone to smaller players or new entrants including new aboriginal and multicultural programming services.
The Canadian radio industry, Wylie added, continues to take advantage of the revised ownership guidelines and as a result transfer benefits, which are used to develop emerging Canadian talent, have totalled CAD51.4 million from the introduction of the policy in 1998 until July 2001.
Previous CRTC:
2001-11-24: The
suggestion that Clear Channel may be playing a "shell
game" is contained in a Salon story concerning a petition by
Ohio carpet dealer David Ringer who has filed a petition with the US
Federal Communications Commission to deny the sale by Secret Communications
of WKKJ-FM Chillicothe to Clear Channel (See RNW
Oct 6).
Ringer also says that Clear Channel is illegally operating the station.
He bases this on a series of events starting with what he says was a forced divestiture of the station in 1998 following its takeover of Jacor, which had in turn agreed to sell the station following its takeover of Nationwide.
Ringer says that Concord Media entered into a time brokerage deal with the Country format station in 1999 but that Clear Channel has been the organisation paying the employees, and in effect using Concord as a front and thus gaining a monopoly on advertising in the town since Clear Channel owns the other three stations there.
Ringer's petition also notes similar CCU/Concord alliances in other parts of the country, including Pensacola, Youngstown and Jacksonville, where the website for WQIK-FM has a link to a page listing Clear Channel's Jacksonville stations.
BIA data, according to R&R Online shows that Clear Channel bought the station outright in September this year and that Secret Communications had bought it from Jacor in 1998.
The story is made even more complicated because WKKJ-FM has a construction permit to move to Ashland Ohio and is also said to be considering another to change the license to Williamsport, Ohio.
Either of these changes would enhance Clear Channel's market dominance in the area but would be within currently permitted ownership regulations.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Concord:
Ringer also says that Clear Channel is illegally operating the station.
He bases this on a series of events starting with what he says was a forced divestiture of the station in 1998 following its takeover of Jacor, which had in turn agreed to sell the station following its takeover of Nationwide.
Ringer says that Concord Media entered into a time brokerage deal with the Country format station in 1999 but that Clear Channel has been the organisation paying the employees, and in effect using Concord as a front and thus gaining a monopoly on advertising in the town since Clear Channel owns the other three stations there.
Ringer's petition also notes similar CCU/Concord alliances in other parts of the country, including Pensacola, Youngstown and Jacksonville, where the website for WQIK-FM has a link to a page listing Clear Channel's Jacksonville stations.
BIA data, according to R&R Online shows that Clear Channel bought the station outright in September this year and that Secret Communications had bought it from Jacor in 1998.
The story is made even more complicated because WKKJ-FM has a construction permit to move to Ashland Ohio and is also said to be considering another to change the license to Williamsport, Ohio.
Either of these changes would enhance Clear Channel's market dominance in the area but would be within currently permitted ownership regulations.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Concord:
2001-11-23: A Canadian-designed
telephone exchange could aid talk stations to screen out unwanted
callers according to an article in the New Scientist magazine.
The exchange, designed by Mitel, builds a database of voiceprints that can then be put on an "exclusion" list that would permit the exchange to hang up on the caller almost as soon as they start speaking.
Stations already exclude some regular callers whom they consider a nuisance through caller ID systems but these rely on calls being made from a known number and leave considerable screening and weeding out to be done by comparatively expensive humans.
The exchange, designed by Mitel, builds a database of voiceprints that can then be put on an "exclusion" list that would permit the exchange to hang up on the caller almost as soon as they start speaking.
Stations already exclude some regular callers whom they consider a nuisance through caller ID systems but these rely on calls being made from a known number and leave considerable screening and weeding out to be done by comparatively expensive humans.
2001-11-23: UK media
group Chrysalis has reported strong performances by
its core radio and TV arms but has plunged into a GBP4.5 million loss
for the year to the end of August because of losses and write-offs
totalling GBP22.4 million at its now largely defunct or disposed of
New Media operations.(See RNW
Aug 5)
It's loss before tax was GBP16.8 million compared to a profit of GBP900000 in 2000.
The group's preliminary results which include a total of GBP9.4 million exceptional charges connected with exit losses and write-down of values of the New Media business show group turnover excluding New Media up 14% to GBP191.7 million, EDITDA up 31% to GBP12.4 million and profits before interest and tax up 54% to GBP8.2 million.
Chrysalis is the UK's fourth largest radio group and its Radio Division increased turnover by 18.3% to GBP44.0m compared with a UK radio industry decline of 0.2 % in the same period and analogue radio profits were up 45% to GBP7.24million, underpinned by strong audience growth.
Within the division, revenue growth across the company's two Heart stations, in London and the Midlands station, was up 16.6% in the financial year whilst revenue growth across its Galaxy network was 18.1% in the last twelve months.
On the digital front, Chrysalis, which holds nearly 40% of the MXR consortium, has been involved in the winning bids for all the regional licences applied for by the consortium.
MXR now has licences in four of the five regions outside London in which Chrysalis operates and is awaiting a decision on the Yorkshire regional licence.
Digital cost the company GBP570.000 over the year and it estimates costs will peak around GBP2million a year over the next few years before digital radio develops more fully.
The group says that it is aiming to continue to outperform the industry averages for revenue growth and also to achieve a 30% return on sales although it warns, "prevailing market conditions create poor visibility in the outlook for advertising led revenue."
"However," it adds, "with relatively short lead times compared to other media we expect radio to be an early beneficiary of an economic upturn when it comes."
Previous Chrysalis:
Previous MXR:
Chrysalis results (354kb Word document):
It's loss before tax was GBP16.8 million compared to a profit of GBP900000 in 2000.
The group's preliminary results which include a total of GBP9.4 million exceptional charges connected with exit losses and write-down of values of the New Media business show group turnover excluding New Media up 14% to GBP191.7 million, EDITDA up 31% to GBP12.4 million and profits before interest and tax up 54% to GBP8.2 million.
Chrysalis is the UK's fourth largest radio group and its Radio Division increased turnover by 18.3% to GBP44.0m compared with a UK radio industry decline of 0.2 % in the same period and analogue radio profits were up 45% to GBP7.24million, underpinned by strong audience growth.
Within the division, revenue growth across the company's two Heart stations, in London and the Midlands station, was up 16.6% in the financial year whilst revenue growth across its Galaxy network was 18.1% in the last twelve months.
On the digital front, Chrysalis, which holds nearly 40% of the MXR consortium, has been involved in the winning bids for all the regional licences applied for by the consortium.
MXR now has licences in four of the five regions outside London in which Chrysalis operates and is awaiting a decision on the Yorkshire regional licence.
Digital cost the company GBP570.000 over the year and it estimates costs will peak around GBP2million a year over the next few years before digital radio develops more fully.
The group says that it is aiming to continue to outperform the industry averages for revenue growth and also to achieve a 30% return on sales although it warns, "prevailing market conditions create poor visibility in the outlook for advertising led revenue."
"However," it adds, "with relatively short lead times compared to other media we expect radio to be an early beneficiary of an economic upturn when it comes."
Previous Chrysalis:
Previous MXR:
Chrysalis results (354kb Word document):
2001-11-23: Police
now say that BBC Radio 1 disc jockey Horace Pinnock, DJ Village, was
shot and fatally injured (See RNW
Nov 22 ) a few hours after he and a group of friends
were robbed by armed of jewellery plus around USD10000 in cash.
They say the robbery took place as the DJ tried to park his car at a northwest London hotel.
Most of the money belonged to Jamaican recording artist "Elephant Man" and he, the DJ, and a friend reported the robbery to hotel staff. Several hours later the three men were involved in a dispute with a group of men who met them in the hotel lobby and Pinnock was shot after the dispute spilled outside.
The shooting is not the first to involve Radio ! personalities; in 1999 Tim Westwood presenter of the Radio 1 Rap Show was shot in the arm by a gunman who pulled alongside his vehicle in south London.
They say the robbery took place as the DJ tried to park his car at a northwest London hotel.
Most of the money belonged to Jamaican recording artist "Elephant Man" and he, the DJ, and a friend reported the robbery to hotel staff. Several hours later the three men were involved in a dispute with a group of men who met them in the hotel lobby and Pinnock was shot after the dispute spilled outside.
The shooting is not the first to involve Radio ! personalities; in 1999 Tim Westwood presenter of the Radio 1 Rap Show was shot in the arm by a gunman who pulled alongside his vehicle in south London.
2001-11-22: Canadian
broadcasters CHUM, Newfoundland
Capital Corporation (Newcap), and Standard
Broadcasting Corporation have teamed up in an Internet radio
deal. The deal involves CHUM exchanging its Bonzaroo.com Internet
radio portal and $1.5-million in radio advertising inventory for a
16.5-per-cent stake in Iceberg Media.com
Inc.
Iceberg in turn is issuing 5.25 million shares to CHUM, thus giving it an equal stake in Iceberg with the other two broadcasters.
Jim Waters, president of CHUM Radio commented that he didn't think anyone had yet figured things out for Internet radio and it made sense to co-operate rather than compete in this area. The three broadcasters will work together to direct listeners and advertisers to Iceberg with a concentration of national advertisements.
Previous CHUM:
Previous Iceberg:
Previous NewCap:
Previous Standard Broadcasting:
Iceberg in turn is issuing 5.25 million shares to CHUM, thus giving it an equal stake in Iceberg with the other two broadcasters.
Jim Waters, president of CHUM Radio commented that he didn't think anyone had yet figured things out for Internet radio and it made sense to co-operate rather than compete in this area. The three broadcasters will work together to direct listeners and advertisers to Iceberg with a concentration of national advertisements.
Previous CHUM:
Previous Iceberg:
Previous NewCap:
Previous Standard Broadcasting:
2001-11-22: Kentucky-based
Regent Communications is to raise some USD5 million through a private
placement of around 900,000 newly issued shares at USD5.75 a share.
Net proceeds will be used to repay current outstanding debt and for general corporate purposes.
Regent says this will enable it to raise funds in future to pay for its pending and future acquisitions.
Regent currently has some 60 stations in 12 mid-sized and small markets.
Previous Regent:
Regent web site:
Net proceeds will be used to repay current outstanding debt and for general corporate purposes.
Regent says this will enable it to raise funds in future to pay for its pending and future acquisitions.
Regent currently has some 60 stations in 12 mid-sized and small markets.
Previous Regent:
Regent web site:
2001-11-22: BBC Radio
1 reggae disc jockey DJ Village, whose real name is Horrace
Pinnock, has died in hospital after being shot outside the Plaza Hotel
in Wembley, North West London.
Police said he was shot several times after an argument between a group of black males but they were keeping an open mind about the motive.
Police said he was shot several times after an argument between a group of black males but they were keeping an open mind about the motive.
2001-11-22:
David H. Fiske has been appointed Director of
the Office of Media Relations for the US Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) having been Acting Director since January.
He joined the FCC in April 1995 as a Deputy Director of the former Office of Public Affairs, before which he covered the FCC as a reporter for Warren Publications' Communications Daily and Television Digest.
Previous FCC:
He joined the FCC in April 1995 as a Deputy Director of the former Office of Public Affairs, before which he covered the FCC as a reporter for Warren Publications' Communications Daily and Television Digest.
Previous FCC:
2001-11-21: Interim results
for UK radio group GWR show a 70% drop in profits despite
strongest ever audiences in the six months to the end of September.
Turnover was up by 6.3 % to GBP62.4 million but on a like-for-like basis excluding acquisitions this represented a fall of 3.4%.
The like for like fall compares to a drop in UK advertising revenues for GWR of 5.9% and for the UK radio industry of 9.4%.
Aain national revenues were down more - by 8% for the period but 15% in the first three month followed by a recovery to stay even in the second quarter.
GWR local revenues were down 3% for the six months. Operating profit before goodwill and exceptional items fell by more than 40% from GBP212.2 million in 2000 to GBP7.2 million this year.
For the companies analogue radio operations, profits were down by a 41% from GBP 14.9 million to GBP8.8million
Pre-tax profits for the group before exceptionals and goodwill fell even more sharply, by 70% from GBP9.4 million to GBP2.8million.
Ralph Bernard, Executive Chairman commented, "It is a difficult market but ours is a robust business strongly supported by excellent assets."
"During the period we have recorded the best ever audiences for Classic FM and The Mix. We are focussing our resources on our core radio business with the objective of achieving increasing margins."
(See RNW Nov 20 regarding reports that GWR may sell some of its holdings).
As well as its UK interests, which comprise Classic FM 38 local analogue licences, seven digital multiplexes and a 63% in the national Digital one franchise plus a 20% share in London News Radio, which owns LBC and News Direct, GWR has interests in Europe and Australia.
In Europe it says that the period has seen best-ever audience figures for its main Austrian operation, Antenne Wien, which together with Antenne Salzburg expect to "benefit competitively from a recent government ruling forbidding the state broadcaster to sell advertising time for private companies." "New, more relaxed ownership rules." it adds, "have now been introduced by the Austrian government and are expected to lead to a round of consolidation."
(RNW comment - maybe increasing likelihood of a disposal).
In Hungary, it says, "Radio Danubius maintains its position as the country's leading commercial broadcaster. In fulfilment of an agreement reached last year with our local partner Wallis Group, we have increased our shareholding in Danubius."
In Australia, GWR holds 25% of DMG Radio, which has successfully bid for the new commercial FM licences in Sydney, where Nova FM launched successfully in April (See RNW April 2); in Brisbane where its joint venture station run by ARN has launched; and in Melbourne where Nova 100 is due to launch on December 3.
The group also intends to bid for the new Perth commercial FM licence, which is expected to be auctioned early next year.
Looking ahead GWR says it "is planning its business on the assumption that the present difficult trading conditions will continue some time." "Nonetheless, ours is a robust business strongly supported by excellent assets," it adds.
Previous ARN:
Previous Bernard:
Previous DMG:
Previous GWR:
GWR Results:
Turnover was up by 6.3 % to GBP62.4 million but on a like-for-like basis excluding acquisitions this represented a fall of 3.4%.
The like for like fall compares to a drop in UK advertising revenues for GWR of 5.9% and for the UK radio industry of 9.4%.
Aain national revenues were down more - by 8% for the period but 15% in the first three month followed by a recovery to stay even in the second quarter.
GWR local revenues were down 3% for the six months. Operating profit before goodwill and exceptional items fell by more than 40% from GBP212.2 million in 2000 to GBP7.2 million this year.
For the companies analogue radio operations, profits were down by a 41% from GBP 14.9 million to GBP8.8million
Pre-tax profits for the group before exceptionals and goodwill fell even more sharply, by 70% from GBP9.4 million to GBP2.8million.
Ralph Bernard, Executive Chairman commented, "It is a difficult market but ours is a robust business strongly supported by excellent assets."
"During the period we have recorded the best ever audiences for Classic FM and The Mix. We are focussing our resources on our core radio business with the objective of achieving increasing margins."
(See RNW Nov 20 regarding reports that GWR may sell some of its holdings).
As well as its UK interests, which comprise Classic FM 38 local analogue licences, seven digital multiplexes and a 63% in the national Digital one franchise plus a 20% share in London News Radio, which owns LBC and News Direct, GWR has interests in Europe and Australia.
In Europe it says that the period has seen best-ever audience figures for its main Austrian operation, Antenne Wien, which together with Antenne Salzburg expect to "benefit competitively from a recent government ruling forbidding the state broadcaster to sell advertising time for private companies." "New, more relaxed ownership rules." it adds, "have now been introduced by the Austrian government and are expected to lead to a round of consolidation."
(RNW comment - maybe increasing likelihood of a disposal).
In Hungary, it says, "Radio Danubius maintains its position as the country's leading commercial broadcaster. In fulfilment of an agreement reached last year with our local partner Wallis Group, we have increased our shareholding in Danubius."
In Australia, GWR holds 25% of DMG Radio, which has successfully bid for the new commercial FM licences in Sydney, where Nova FM launched successfully in April (See RNW April 2); in Brisbane where its joint venture station run by ARN has launched; and in Melbourne where Nova 100 is due to launch on December 3.
The group also intends to bid for the new Perth commercial FM licence, which is expected to be auctioned early next year.
Looking ahead GWR says it "is planning its business on the assumption that the present difficult trading conditions will continue some time." "Nonetheless, ours is a robust business strongly supported by excellent assets," it adds.
Previous ARN:
Previous Bernard:
Previous DMG:
Previous GWR:
GWR Results:
2001-11-21:
Latest ratings from MeasureCast show New York Times classical station
WXQR-FM holding on to its top ranking and with only one change in the
top five where sports talk ESPN has moved back in at number five and
pushed Virgin down to sixth place ranked by total time spent listening
(TTSL).
The organisation also reports an - unsurprising - increase in listening to Talk and News stations when there is a big story as with the New York plane crash but an overall fall back in listening in the week to November 11 with MeasureCast's Internet Radio Listening Index dropping 4% to 315.
The top five were, ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) and with, where applicable, previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets:
1): Classical station WXQR-FM TTSL 213585 (290699); CP 10539 (11843) Same position but listening and reach down.
2): Jazz station Jazz FM TTSL 177371 (189948); CP 72929 (76422) Same position but listening and reach down.
3): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 175975 (153293); CP 57966 (53537) Same position but listening and reach up.
4): Classical music King FM TTSL 130061 (124682); CP 23439 (23054) - Previously fifth. Reach and listening up.
5): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 104812 (118824); CP 18457 (20630) - Previously sixth with higher numbers.
Previous MeasureCast weekly ratings:
MeasureCast web site:
The organisation also reports an - unsurprising - increase in listening to Talk and News stations when there is a big story as with the New York plane crash but an overall fall back in listening in the week to November 11 with MeasureCast's Internet Radio Listening Index dropping 4% to 315.
The top five were, ranked by Total Time Spent Listening (TTSL) and with, where applicable, previous week's TTSL and Cume persons (CP), a measure of the cumulative audience, in brackets:
1): Classical station WXQR-FM TTSL 213585 (290699); CP 10539 (11843) Same position but listening and reach down.
2): Jazz station Jazz FM TTSL 177371 (189948); CP 72929 (76422) Same position but listening and reach down.
3): Listener Formatted MediaAmazing TTSL 175975 (153293); CP 57966 (53537) Same position but listening and reach up.
4): Classical music King FM TTSL 130061 (124682); CP 23439 (23054) - Previously fifth. Reach and listening up.
5): Sports-talk ESPN Radio TTSL 104812 (118824); CP 18457 (20630) - Previously sixth with higher numbers.
Previous MeasureCast weekly ratings:
MeasureCast web site:
2001-11-21:
The Australian High Court has dismissed with costs an application
by RG Capital Pty Limited seeking a judicial review of the plan by the
Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) for a single new
commercial service in the Gosford area of New South Wales (see
Licence News Sept 10, 2000).
The Authority had to suspend the licence auction in November 2000 when the case was brought (See RNW Nov 21, 2000 ).
Previous ABA:
The Authority had to suspend the licence auction in November 2000 when the case was brought (See RNW Nov 21, 2000 ).
Previous ABA:
2001-11-20:
Cumulus shares, already on a roll, have gone even higher
following its announcement of a USD200 million-plus deal to buy Aurora
Communications, which owns 18 stations in Bridgeport and Danbury,
Connecticut plus Newburgh-Middletown, Westchester County, and Poughkeepsie,
New York.
Cumulus shares had been rising since early November when they were under USD7 and ended last week at USD12, adding another 40 cents on Monday.
This compares to a 52-week high of USD14.90 and low of USD3.06.
Under the deal, Cumulus will pay around USD93 million in cash or assumed debt plus around USD127 million in Cumulus stock.
In addition Cumulus will issue warrants to Aurora's shareholders to purchase an additional 833,333 shares of Cumulus stock (worth around USD10million).
Cumulus also announced an USD84 million deal to buy three radio stations in DBBC LLC, a Nashville, Tennessee owner of three stations which is in turn owned by Cumulus Chairman and CEO Lew Dickey Jr. and other members of the Dickey family.
Under the deal, Cumulus will transfer 5.250M shares of stock to DBBC's owners and assume approximately $21M in debt.
DBBC's owners will also receiver warrants to purchase 250K additional shares of Cumulus stock.
Commenting on the deals, Lew Dickey, "The transactions we are announcing today represent another important milestone in the development of this Company."
"We are adding a total of 21 stations across six markets, and approximately $44 million of gross revenue on a trailing twelve-month basis that will increase our pro forma EBITDA by approximately 40%. "
Furthermore, we are adding great assets and talented people to our Company, and positioning Cumulus for future growth… This acquisition will increase Cumulus' presence in the Northeast Region and provide Cumulus with an entrée into the strategically vital metropolitan New York markets."
Aurora's CEO Frank Osborn, who will be joining the Cumulus Board of Directors following the completion of the transaction, said, "We believe this transaction is highly beneficial to both the stockholders of Aurora and the operations of the stations."
"Station management will remain unchanged with Vince Cremona continuing to oversee day-to-day operations of the stations."
"At the same time, the stations will have access to the resources and capital of a larger company. We look forward to working with the Cumulus team to contribute to a company at the forefront of the broadcasting industry.''
Bank of America Capital Investors is a major investor in both companies; it holds 840,000 Cumulus class A common shares and about 2 million class B nonvoting shares and also owns a majority of the equity in Aurora.
This deal gives the bank about 9 million shares of a new class of Cumulus nonvoting common stock, which will convert to voting shares when transferred to another party.
Both deals are subject to regulatory approval and that of Cumulus shareholders and are expected to be completed in the first half of next year.
The deal to acquire DBBC LLC was negotiated by a special committee of the Cumulus Board and the Cumulus letter of intent is non-binding with the acquisition subject to negotiation and execution of a definitive acquisition agreement.
Cumulus is also involved in a row over a Florida deal to sell WWLD-FM, Tallahassee, to Triad Broadcasting.
Triad has launched a lawsuit to force Cumulus to close the USD1.72 million sale, which was due on October 26.
Cumulus says the delay is because a linked USD1.5 million deal to buy WSLE-FM, Cairo is contingent on regulatory approval of a signal upgrade that would move it into the Tallahassee market.
If the deals go through, Triad will end up with four FMs in the Tallahassee market and Cumulus will still have one AM and four FMs.
If all pending acquisitions and divestitures go through, Cumulus Media will end up owning and operating 245 radio stations in 51 mid-size U.S. media markets.
That would put it second to Clear Channel in terms of number of stations owned; in revenue terms it will add about USD44 million a year through the acquisitions to move to a total of around USD280 million, thus overtaking Hispanic Broadcasting and Susquehanna and not far behind Radio One Inc.
Previous Cumulus:
Previous Lew Dickey:
Previous Hispanic:
Previous Radio One:
Previous Susquehanna:
Cumulus news release :
Cumulus shares had been rising since early November when they were under USD7 and ended last week at USD12, adding another 40 cents on Monday.
This compares to a 52-week high of USD14.90 and low of USD3.06.
Under the deal, Cumulus will pay around USD93 million in cash or assumed debt plus around USD127 million in Cumulus stock.
In addition Cumulus will issue warrants to Aurora's shareholders to purchase an additional 833,333 shares of Cumulus stock (worth around USD10million).
Cumulus also announced an USD84 million deal to buy three radio stations in DBBC LLC, a Nashville, Tennessee owner of three stations which is in turn owned by Cumulus Chairman and CEO Lew Dickey Jr. and other members of the Dickey family.
Under the deal, Cumulus will transfer 5.250M shares of stock to DBBC's owners and assume approximately $21M in debt.
DBBC's owners will also receiver warrants to purchase 250K additional shares of Cumulus stock.
Commenting on the deals, Lew Dickey, "The transactions we are announcing today represent another important milestone in the development of this Company."
"We are adding a total of 21 stations across six markets, and approximately $44 million of gross revenue on a trailing twelve-month basis that will increase our pro forma EBITDA by approximately 40%. "
Furthermore, we are adding great assets and talented people to our Company, and positioning Cumulus for future growth… This acquisition will increase Cumulus' presence in the Northeast Region and provide Cumulus with an entrée into the strategically vital metropolitan New York markets."
Aurora's CEO Frank Osborn, who will be joining the Cumulus Board of Directors following the completion of the transaction, said, "We believe this transaction is highly beneficial to both the stockholders of Aurora and the operations of the stations."
"Station management will remain unchanged with Vince Cremona continuing to oversee day-to-day operations of the stations."
"At the same time, the stations will have access to the resources and capital of a larger company. We look forward to working with the Cumulus team to contribute to a company at the forefront of the broadcasting industry.''
Bank of America Capital Investors is a major investor in both companies; it holds 840,000 Cumulus class A common shares and about 2 million class B nonvoting shares and also owns a majority of the equity in Aurora.
This deal gives the bank about 9 million shares of a new class of Cumulus nonvoting common stock, which will convert to voting shares when transferred to another party.
Both deals are subject to regulatory approval and that of Cumulus shareholders and are expected to be completed in the first half of next year.
The deal to acquire DBBC LLC was negotiated by a special committee of the Cumulus Board and the Cumulus letter of intent is non-binding with the acquisition subject to negotiation and execution of a definitive acquisition agreement.
Cumulus is also involved in a row over a Florida deal to sell WWLD-FM, Tallahassee, to Triad Broadcasting.
Triad has launched a lawsuit to force Cumulus to close the USD1.72 million sale, which was due on October 26.
Cumulus says the delay is because a linked USD1.5 million deal to buy WSLE-FM, Cairo is contingent on regulatory approval of a signal upgrade that would move it into the Tallahassee market.
If the deals go through, Triad will end up with four FMs in the Tallahassee market and Cumulus will still have one AM and four FMs.
If all pending acquisitions and divestitures go through, Cumulus Media will end up owning and operating 245 radio stations in 51 mid-size U.S. media markets.
That would put it second to Clear Channel in terms of number of stations owned; in revenue terms it will add about USD44 million a year through the acquisitions to move to a total of around USD280 million, thus overtaking Hispanic Broadcasting and Susquehanna and not far behind Radio One Inc.
Previous Cumulus:
Previous Lew Dickey:
Previous Hispanic:
Previous Radio One:
Previous Susquehanna:
Cumulus news release :
2001-11-20: British
radio group GWR, whose interim results are due out today,
is reported to be thinking of selling its stake in the London radio
stations LBC and News Direct and its European assets.
The group, which owns Classic FM and 38 local UK stations, is strapped for cash and has been hit by the advertising downturn.
It has instituted a strategic review of what are "core" and "non-core" assets and is said to have decided to concentrate on its UK operations, which would mean that European stations such as Danubius in Hungary and Antenne Wien in Austria could be up for sale.
GWR has a 20% share in London News Radio, which owns LBC and News Direct; the other shares are held by Reuters and ITN (Independent Television News).
Talk-format LBC has become more valuable after it was allowed to switch from AM to FM whilst News Direct moved the other way.
Previous GWR:
The group, which owns Classic FM and 38 local UK stations, is strapped for cash and has been hit by the advertising downturn.
It has instituted a strategic review of what are "core" and "non-core" assets and is said to have decided to concentrate on its UK operations, which would mean that European stations such as Danubius in Hungary and Antenne Wien in Austria could be up for sale.
GWR has a 20% share in London News Radio, which owns LBC and News Direct; the other shares are held by Reuters and ITN (Independent Television News).
Talk-format LBC has become more valuable after it was allowed to switch from AM to FM whilst News Direct moved the other way.
Previous GWR:
2001-11-20: Conservative
US talk show host Rush Limbaugh told his listeners on Monday
that he is now totally deaf and that the medication he had taken had
not worked.
He added that he's now to go under the surgeon's knife and have cochlear implants soon.
If all goes to plan he hopes to have his hearing back at the start of next year; he said the implants take a month to six weeks to work and have around a 99% success rate and that they might allow him to hear radio and TV and even use the telephone.
Limbaugh's show is syndicated by Premiere Networks, which has made special arrangements for transcriptions of calls to allow him to continue his broadcasts (See RNW Oct 12).
Previous Limbaugh:
Previous Premiere:
Limbaugh web site
Premiere web site:
He added that he's now to go under the surgeon's knife and have cochlear implants soon.
If all goes to plan he hopes to have his hearing back at the start of next year; he said the implants take a month to six weeks to work and have around a 99% success rate and that they might allow him to hear radio and TV and even use the telephone.
Limbaugh's show is syndicated by Premiere Networks, which has made special arrangements for transcriptions of calls to allow him to continue his broadcasts (See RNW Oct 12).
Previous Limbaugh:
Previous Premiere:
Limbaugh web site
Premiere web site:
2001-11-19:
A farewell this week, with Frank Ahren's last "Radio Listener"
column in the Washington Post after three years; we can only hope
that a successor is appointed but fear that the subject will be downgraded.
The fear arises from the demise of the Saturday radio columns of Peter Barnard in the London Times and the lack of a replacement when Jim Kirk moved over at the Chicago Tribune.
Maybe it's co-incidence but the UK Sunday Times this week no longer has its Irish radio column and severe cuts are feared at the Irish Times so Harry Browne's column could be at risk. The Ahrens column itself?
He starts by remembering his first column which featured a group of "pirate" radio broadcasters marching on the Federal Communications Commission and the National Association of Broadcasters, pulling down the NAB's flag and hoisting a Jolly Roger in its place.
His final column looks both backwards over the three years and forwards.
In the backward looking section Ahrens notes his listening and issues a number of awards including a Worst Taste One (won unsurprisingly, perhaps, by a Clear Channel outlet) to a "You didn't think I'd forget Don and Mike, did you?" note.
That note is a good "out" for Ahrens. It reads, "For more than two years, the WJFK (106.7) duo of Don Geronimo and Mike O'Meara have fragged my butt, purposefully mispronouncing my name, opining that I'm an "idiot radio reporter" and even once staging a week-long drama called 'As the A-herns Turns,' in which I was depicted as either a eunuch or a homosexual. "
"Now it's my turn: Don and Mike are the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human beings I've ever known in my life."
"Phew! Almost brainwashed by Don and Mike! Listen -- these guys run a strong radio show, in terms of entertainment and ratings."
"They are both big-talent pros. They sometimes broadcast material that I wish I -- and kids -- never heard on the radio."
"To me, some conversations that are appropriate between guys in a bar are not suitable for broadcast. The general coarsening of radio over the past three years has been dispiriting."
"To wit, the raunch-talk of recent WJFK additions Opie and Anthony (Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia) make Don and Mike sound as risqué as the "Car Talk" boys."
"Bottom line with Don and Mike and me: It was all radio shtick. Good fun. Soon there will be a new idiot radio reporter, and Don and Mike won't have this Listener to kick around anymore. I bet we'll all miss it. "
We here would certainly miss Harry Browne were his column to disappear.
Although it is sometimes too closely tied to the particulars of Irish programmes to travel, he has a good way with words and a wry sense of humour.
Take this week's column which starts on the promotion of his book by former Vanity Fair journalist Toby Young. Browne writes of his interview with Eamon Dunphy , "Take any given listener - even, for the sake of argument, one who shares Eamon Dunphy's fascination with insider tales of the media."
"Better yet, take me. Here I am, listening to Dunphy start the interview with Young."
"My interest is piqued by Eamon's extravagant-even-for-Dunphy praise for the book; I like the sound of Young, master of the very English art of self-deprecating arrogance; I smilingly envy him the good fortune of having an autobiographical tale that justifies snatching one of the all-time great book titles-in-waiting off the shelf: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People."
T hen Browne continues, "Half-an-hour and more later, I'm sated. It's been great, Toby - I love your description of Vanity Fair as 'the in-flight magazine of the Gulfstream-jet-owning classes'."
"I love what happened after you offended an actor with your questions: your editor bawled you out with 'You can't ask a Hollywood star if he's Jewish and if he's gay! Just assume they're all Jewish and they're all gay!'"
"I even love the way you caused Eamon to tell us what other gossipy books he's been reading lately."
"But your book, Toby? Why bother? I've just had its entire trajectory carefully charted for me and heard its best anecdotes."
"What would I be doing buying your book? Your best hope is that someone who couldn't give a damn about this stuff switched off the interview after two minutes - but made a mental note to pick up the book as a Christmas gift for some pathetic media junkie. "
RNW comment: A good example of the efficacy of the medium and of the law of unintended consequences at the same time.
And while on "regulars", this week's column by Sunday Times stalwart Paul Donovan deals with the results of a BBC appeal for tapes of missing programmes (See RNW Nov 9).
"The best radio news of recent days is that four missing episodes of Hancock's Half Hour have just been discovered" he writes.
"The bad news is that 27 are still missing."
However he says at it's a plus whatever has turned up - and also a lesson for the future.
"The BBC has learnt an important lesson from all this. Successful series will not be wiped in future, but preserved for posterity."
RNW note: The same story of loss by companies -but in many cases preservation by individuals - also applies elsewhere, dating back to times when preservation was comparatively costly and little value was placed on archives.
Nowadays we'd like to think the same rules don't apply and, even more, that for worthy programmes the big companies could start a comprehensive on-demand system that would allow archive downloads from the Internet.
That, we feel, would be worth a subscription.
Previous Ahrens:
Previous Browne:
Previous Columnists:
Previous Donovan:
Irish Times - Browne:
UK Sunday Times - Donovan:
Washington Post - Ahrens:
The fear arises from the demise of the Saturday radio columns of Peter Barnard in the London Times and the lack of a replacement when Jim Kirk moved over at the Chicago Tribune.
Maybe it's co-incidence but the UK Sunday Times this week no longer has its Irish radio column and severe cuts are feared at the Irish Times so Harry Browne's column could be at risk. The Ahrens column itself?
He starts by remembering his first column which featured a group of "pirate" radio broadcasters marching on the Federal Communications Commission and the National Association of Broadcasters, pulling down the NAB's flag and hoisting a Jolly Roger in its place.
His final column looks both backwards over the three years and forwards.
In the backward looking section Ahrens notes his listening and issues a number of awards including a Worst Taste One (won unsurprisingly, perhaps, by a Clear Channel outlet) to a "You didn't think I'd forget Don and Mike, did you?" note.
That note is a good "out" for Ahrens. It reads, "For more than two years, the WJFK (106.7) duo of Don Geronimo and Mike O'Meara have fragged my butt, purposefully mispronouncing my name, opining that I'm an "idiot radio reporter" and even once staging a week-long drama called 'As the A-herns Turns,' in which I was depicted as either a eunuch or a homosexual. "
"Now it's my turn: Don and Mike are the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human beings I've ever known in my life."
"Phew! Almost brainwashed by Don and Mike! Listen -- these guys run a strong radio show, in terms of entertainment and ratings."
"They are both big-talent pros. They sometimes broadcast material that I wish I -- and kids -- never heard on the radio."
"To me, some conversations that are appropriate between guys in a bar are not suitable for broadcast. The general coarsening of radio over the past three years has been dispiriting."
"To wit, the raunch-talk of recent WJFK additions Opie and Anthony (Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia) make Don and Mike sound as risqué as the "Car Talk" boys."
"Bottom line with Don and Mike and me: It was all radio shtick. Good fun. Soon there will be a new idiot radio reporter, and Don and Mike won't have this Listener to kick around anymore. I bet we'll all miss it. "
We here would certainly miss Harry Browne were his column to disappear.
Although it is sometimes too closely tied to the particulars of Irish programmes to travel, he has a good way with words and a wry sense of humour.
Take this week's column which starts on the promotion of his book by former Vanity Fair journalist Toby Young. Browne writes of his interview with Eamon Dunphy , "Take any given listener - even, for the sake of argument, one who shares Eamon Dunphy's fascination with insider tales of the media."
"Better yet, take me. Here I am, listening to Dunphy start the interview with Young."
"My interest is piqued by Eamon's extravagant-even-for-Dunphy praise for the book; I like the sound of Young, master of the very English art of self-deprecating arrogance; I smilingly envy him the good fortune of having an autobiographical tale that justifies snatching one of the all-time great book titles-in-waiting off the shelf: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People."
T hen Browne continues, "Half-an-hour and more later, I'm sated. It's been great, Toby - I love your description of Vanity Fair as 'the in-flight magazine of the Gulfstream-jet-owning classes'."
"I love what happened after you offended an actor with your questions: your editor bawled you out with 'You can't ask a Hollywood star if he's Jewish and if he's gay! Just assume they're all Jewish and they're all gay!'"
"I even love the way you caused Eamon to tell us what other gossipy books he's been reading lately."
"But your book, Toby? Why bother? I've just had its entire trajectory carefully charted for me and heard its best anecdotes."
"What would I be doing buying your book? Your best hope is that someone who couldn't give a damn about this stuff switched off the interview after two minutes - but made a mental note to pick up the book as a Christmas gift for some pathetic media junkie. "
RNW comment: A good example of the efficacy of the medium and of the law of unintended consequences at the same time.
And while on "regulars", this week's column by Sunday Times stalwart Paul Donovan deals with the results of a BBC appeal for tapes of missing programmes (See RNW Nov 9).
"The best radio news of recent days is that four missing episodes of Hancock's Half Hour have just been discovered" he writes.
"The bad news is that 27 are still missing."
However he says at it's a plus whatever has turned up - and also a lesson for the future.
"The BBC has learnt an important lesson from all this. Successful series will not be wiped in future, but preserved for posterity."
RNW note: The same story of loss by companies -but in many cases preservation by individuals - also applies elsewhere, dating back to times when preservation was comparatively costly and little value was placed on archives.
Nowadays we'd like to think the same rules don't apply and, even more, that for worthy programmes the big companies could start a comprehensive on-demand system that would allow archive downloads from the Internet.
That, we feel, would be worth a subscription.
Previous Ahrens:
Previous Browne:
Previous Columnists:
Previous Donovan:
Irish Times - Browne:
UK Sunday Times - Donovan:
Washington Post - Ahrens:
2001-11-19:
The Pacifica Radio National Board of Directors has
agreed a formula under which control of the network will be turned
over to an interim board that will set up a structure for what the
Save Pacifca campaigners term "the democratisation of Pacifica".
The agreement came after the Board, which was meeting in Crystal City Virginia, had heard the views of listeners and staff from round the network and then gone into closed session after.
Announcement of the deal came from dissident Tomás Moran in a statement broadcast on Pacifica Berkeley station KPFA.
Under the agreement, which is subject to legal review, dissidents and majority factions would each appoint five members to the new board with an additional five members being appointed by the heads of the five Pacifica Local Advisory Boards(LABs), although they may not appoint themselves.
The LAB elections are to be held within six months and until then board decisions will require a two thirds majority.
Current board members will resign to make way for the new board, which will oversee the transition.
The new board will be authorised among other things to hire a new national director, who will have reduced powers, to deal with the four lawsuits now pending against the board andto relax Pacifica's gag rule so that Pacifica stations can carry discussions concerning the new Pacifica.
It will also review the status of staff who have been fired or banned and of the Free Speech Radio News reporters who have struck against Pacifica Network News.
The "Democracy Now!" programme, which has been broadcast only over KPFA for many weeks, would return to its broadcast slot over the entire network, pending resolution of complaints filed against Pacifica by Democracy Now! staff.
An immediate audit of Pacifica's finances will be ordered as soon as the new board takes control.
Moran said he understood the finances were in a "very dire" condition following the expenditure by the present Pacifica board of an estimated two million dollars in legal, security, and public relations fees but, he added, a guarantee had been given that no assets are to be sold or leased.
Previous Pacifica:
Pacifica web site:
Save Pacifica news release:
The agreement came after the Board, which was meeting in Crystal City Virginia, had heard the views of listeners and staff from round the network and then gone into closed session after.
Announcement of the deal came from dissident Tomás Moran in a statement broadcast on Pacifica Berkeley station KPFA.
Under the agreement, which is subject to legal review, dissidents and majority factions would each appoint five members to the new board with an additional five members being appointed by the heads of the five Pacifica Local Advisory Boards(LABs), although they may not appoint themselves.
The LAB elections are to be held within six months and until then board decisions will require a two thirds majority.
Current board members will resign to make way for the new board, which will oversee the transition.
The new board will be authorised among other things to hire a new national director, who will have reduced powers, to deal with the four lawsuits now pending against the board andto relax Pacifica's gag rule so that Pacifica stations can carry discussions concerning the new Pacifica.
It will also review the status of staff who have been fired or banned and of the Free Speech Radio News reporters who have struck against Pacifica Network News.
The "Democracy Now!" programme, which has been broadcast only over KPFA for many weeks, would return to its broadcast slot over the entire network, pending resolution of complaints filed against Pacifica by Democracy Now! staff.
An immediate audit of Pacifica's finances will be ordered as soon as the new board takes control.
Moran said he understood the finances were in a "very dire" condition following the expenditure by the present Pacifica board of an estimated two million dollars in legal, security, and public relations fees but, he added, a guarantee had been given that no assets are to be sold or leased.
Previous Pacifica:
Pacifica web site:
Save Pacifica news release:
2001-11-18:
New community and short-term licences dominate this week's licence
news, at least in numerical terms, although Ireland is now set for
a new regional radio licence.
In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) has allocated three new community radio licences for the Gold Coast.
They start in December and go to Christian Air Broadcasters Ltd, to serve the Christian community; to Hott FM Ltd, to serve the youth community and to Radio Hope Island Ltd, to serve the over 50s community.
In Tasmania, the ABA's revised preliminary plans for radio would make an additional five national radio services available plus two new open narrowcasting services one each in Burnie and Devonport.
The new national services would be four channels for the Burnie/Wynyard area and one channel for the Launceston area.
In addition the authority proposes extending the 7RPH Hobart service to also serve the Launceston area.
These proposals add to existing ones to make licences available for new commercial radio services in Burnie and Scottsdale; for new community radio services in George Town, the Northern Midlands, Scottsdale and Hobart and an open narrowcasting service in Hobart; and also to extend the licence areas of the 7HFC Hobart and 7RGY Geeveston community radio services.
The Authority has also proposed new conditions on three Sydney community licences that were allocated in May to Free Broadcast Incorporated (FBI), Gadigal Information Service Aboriginal Corporation (Gadigal) and Muslim Community Radio (MCR). (See Licence News May 27).
The proposal follows an investigation into the applications of two other groups for the licences, those from Sydney Youth Radio Inc and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Broadcasters Inc.
They are intended to ensure that broadcasts are clearly for community purposes and not operated for profit or as an adjunct to a profit-making enterprise; as a result of the investigation Sydney Youth Radio Inc was found to be an integral part of an enterprise relating to the production and sale of compact discs bearing the WILD name and logo and was therefore considered to have been operated as part of a profit-making enterprise.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been quite busy over the last fortnight with extensions of time limits for the implementation of licences.
They include those for
*A new transmitter for CHIM-FM Timmins, Ontario at Red Deer, Alberta.
* The implementation of the transmitter site of CKKS-FM at Whistler British Columbia.
*A new transmitter for CKGN-FM Kapuskasing, Ontario.
*A new transmitter in Fermont, Quebec, to rebroadcast the programming of CBSI-FM Sept-Îles, Quebec.
* The implementation of CJRP Saint-Nicolas, Quebec. *The implementation of CHYP-FM at Junction of Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 21, Saskatchewan.
* The implementation of CHHP-FM at Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Saskatchewan.
The Commission has also approved NewCap's acquisition of CHNO-FM, Sudbury, Ontario from the Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.
It expressed concern over the acquisition and sale for a profit after a short time of broadcasting undertakings and noted that Haliburton had only bought CHNO two years ago.
However in this case the CRTC said it was willing to consider the situation as a special case, noting, "Haliburton will use the proceeds from the transaction to acquire another radio station."
"The profits from the transaction will therefore remain within the broadcasting system. The benefits from the current transaction, as well as the one Haliburton is concluding in Parry Sound, will serve to increase funds for Canadian talent development and thus enrich the Canadian broadcasting system."
In an allied decision it also approved Haliburton's acquisition of CKLP-FM, Parry Sound, Ontario, but issued a shorter-term licence for the acquisition to expire at the end of August 2003.
This, it said, would allow an early assessment of measures to ensure CKLP-FM's compliance with radio regulations and conditions imposed concerning the promotion of Canadian talent and music as well as the upgrading of facilities, the expansion of its news department and provision of weekly live programming for First Nations.
In Ireland, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) has advertised a new regional FM licence to cover the South East of Ireland region comprising Counties Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary.
It is also considering Scottish Radio Holdings acquisition of the 76% it did not own of national commercial station Today FM (See RNW Nov 15).
In the UK, the Radio Authority has allowed the acquisition by the Kent Messenger newspaper group of CTFM Ltd, which holds the local radio licence for Canterbury, South East Radio Ltd, which holds the local radio licence for Dover and Folkestone and broadcasts as Neptune Radio
The Authority had to consider the application in public interest terms under cross-media ownership regulations.
( See RNW Sept 4).
It has also issued a record number of 22 restricted service licences for broadcasts associated with the Moslem Holy month of Ramadan (See RNW Nov 16)
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set up a new Homelands Security Council to deal with maintaining communications in case of any threats to the US (see RNW Nov 16 ).
It has also dropped a fine of USD4000 on Infinity Broadcasting concerning the use of a phone conversation (See RNW Nov 15) but has confirmed another fine, this time of USD9,500 on Oklahoma pirate Klaus D Kramer for unauthorised operation of a radio station on Citizen's Band frequencies.
Kramer's station had been traced in February this year following complaints of a CB radio station operating with excessive power in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the fine was levied in July.
Kramer had admitted the offences and voluntarily gave up his equipment but had queried the amount of the fine.
In making its decision, the commission said," We are not persuaded by Mr. Kramer's arguments that the forfeiture amount is excessive and unfair… after inspections of similar operations by Mr. Kramer on two separate occasions in March 1998 and October 1999, Mr. Kramer voluntarily surrendered the offending equipment and on at least one occasion stated that the violations would not be repeated."
"Nonetheless, our investigation revealed that Mr. Kramer again violated our rules in February 2001."
"Thus, imposition of a forfeiture in at least the amount of $9,500 is warranted."
Previous ABA:
Previous BCI:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous UK Radio Authority:
ABA web site:
BCI web site:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
UK Radio Authority web site
In Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) has allocated three new community radio licences for the Gold Coast.
They start in December and go to Christian Air Broadcasters Ltd, to serve the Christian community; to Hott FM Ltd, to serve the youth community and to Radio Hope Island Ltd, to serve the over 50s community.
In Tasmania, the ABA's revised preliminary plans for radio would make an additional five national radio services available plus two new open narrowcasting services one each in Burnie and Devonport.
The new national services would be four channels for the Burnie/Wynyard area and one channel for the Launceston area.
In addition the authority proposes extending the 7RPH Hobart service to also serve the Launceston area.
These proposals add to existing ones to make licences available for new commercial radio services in Burnie and Scottsdale; for new community radio services in George Town, the Northern Midlands, Scottsdale and Hobart and an open narrowcasting service in Hobart; and also to extend the licence areas of the 7HFC Hobart and 7RGY Geeveston community radio services.
The Authority has also proposed new conditions on three Sydney community licences that were allocated in May to Free Broadcast Incorporated (FBI), Gadigal Information Service Aboriginal Corporation (Gadigal) and Muslim Community Radio (MCR). (See Licence News May 27).
The proposal follows an investigation into the applications of two other groups for the licences, those from Sydney Youth Radio Inc and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Broadcasters Inc.
They are intended to ensure that broadcasts are clearly for community purposes and not operated for profit or as an adjunct to a profit-making enterprise; as a result of the investigation Sydney Youth Radio Inc was found to be an integral part of an enterprise relating to the production and sale of compact discs bearing the WILD name and logo and was therefore considered to have been operated as part of a profit-making enterprise.
In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has been quite busy over the last fortnight with extensions of time limits for the implementation of licences.
They include those for
*A new transmitter for CHIM-FM Timmins, Ontario at Red Deer, Alberta.
* The implementation of the transmitter site of CKKS-FM at Whistler British Columbia.
*A new transmitter for CKGN-FM Kapuskasing, Ontario.
*A new transmitter in Fermont, Quebec, to rebroadcast the programming of CBSI-FM Sept-Îles, Quebec.
* The implementation of CJRP Saint-Nicolas, Quebec. *The implementation of CHYP-FM at Junction of Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 21, Saskatchewan.
* The implementation of CHHP-FM at Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Saskatchewan.
The Commission has also approved NewCap's acquisition of CHNO-FM, Sudbury, Ontario from the Haliburton Broadcasting Group Inc.
It expressed concern over the acquisition and sale for a profit after a short time of broadcasting undertakings and noted that Haliburton had only bought CHNO two years ago.
However in this case the CRTC said it was willing to consider the situation as a special case, noting, "Haliburton will use the proceeds from the transaction to acquire another radio station."
"The profits from the transaction will therefore remain within the broadcasting system. The benefits from the current transaction, as well as the one Haliburton is concluding in Parry Sound, will serve to increase funds for Canadian talent development and thus enrich the Canadian broadcasting system."
In an allied decision it also approved Haliburton's acquisition of CKLP-FM, Parry Sound, Ontario, but issued a shorter-term licence for the acquisition to expire at the end of August 2003.
This, it said, would allow an early assessment of measures to ensure CKLP-FM's compliance with radio regulations and conditions imposed concerning the promotion of Canadian talent and music as well as the upgrading of facilities, the expansion of its news department and provision of weekly live programming for First Nations.
In Ireland, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) has advertised a new regional FM licence to cover the South East of Ireland region comprising Counties Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary.
It is also considering Scottish Radio Holdings acquisition of the 76% it did not own of national commercial station Today FM (See RNW Nov 15).
In the UK, the Radio Authority has allowed the acquisition by the Kent Messenger newspaper group of CTFM Ltd, which holds the local radio licence for Canterbury, South East Radio Ltd, which holds the local radio licence for Dover and Folkestone and broadcasts as Neptune Radio
The Authority had to consider the application in public interest terms under cross-media ownership regulations.
( See RNW Sept 4).
It has also issued a record number of 22 restricted service licences for broadcasts associated with the Moslem Holy month of Ramadan (See RNW Nov 16)
In the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set up a new Homelands Security Council to deal with maintaining communications in case of any threats to the US (see RNW Nov 16 ).
It has also dropped a fine of USD4000 on Infinity Broadcasting concerning the use of a phone conversation (See RNW Nov 15) but has confirmed another fine, this time of USD9,500 on Oklahoma pirate Klaus D Kramer for unauthorised operation of a radio station on Citizen's Band frequencies.
Kramer's station had been traced in February this year following complaints of a CB radio station operating with excessive power in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and the fine was levied in July.
Kramer had admitted the offences and voluntarily gave up his equipment but had queried the amount of the fine.
In making its decision, the commission said," We are not persuaded by Mr. Kramer's arguments that the forfeiture amount is excessive and unfair… after inspections of similar operations by Mr. Kramer on two separate occasions in March 1998 and October 1999, Mr. Kramer voluntarily surrendered the offending equipment and on at least one occasion stated that the violations would not be repeated."
"Nonetheless, our investigation revealed that Mr. Kramer again violated our rules in February 2001."
"Thus, imposition of a forfeiture in at least the amount of $9,500 is warranted."
Previous ABA:
Previous BCI:
Previous CRTC:
Previous FCC:
Previous Licence News:
Previous UK Radio Authority:
ABA web site:
BCI web site:
CRTC web site:
FCC web site:
UK Radio Authority web site
2001-11-18:
Whilst the media are ever prone to offer advice to others, publicity
about internal dissent is usually unpopular and
the latest warning concerning this has come from the BBC
where Director General Greg Dyke has sent
an e-mail to staff warning that they will not continue to get away
with this. The note follows recent comments by TV reporter Kate Adie
who spoke of news chiefs hiring staff with "cute faces and cute bottoms"
and Radio 5 presenter Nicky Campbell
who recently went public to say he had been offered
the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast slot currently hosted by Jimmy Young
(See RNW Nov 2).
Campbell described Young's show as "a bit about the price of lamb chops"
In his message Dyke writes," "I want to say something about some BBC on-air talent who seem to think it is fair game for them to criticise the BBC while continuing to receive its money."
"It is not acceptable for certain people to think it is OK to go on public platforms, or into the press, and criticise the organisation."
"Actions like this do enormous damage to the BBC's reputation and while this might have been tolerated as acceptable behaviour in the past, I want everyone to know that it will not be acceptable from now on."
Previous BBC:
Previous Dyke:
Previous Campbell:
Previous Jimmy Young:
UK Telegraph report:
Campbell described Young's show as "a bit about the price of lamb chops"
In his message Dyke writes," "I want to say something about some BBC on-air talent who seem to think it is fair game for them to criticise the BBC while continuing to receive its money."
"It is not acceptable for certain people to think it is OK to go on public platforms, or into the press, and criticise the organisation."
"Actions like this do enormous damage to the BBC's reputation and while this might have been tolerated as acceptable behaviour in the past, I want everyone to know that it will not be acceptable from now on."
Previous BBC:
Previous Dyke:
Previous Campbell:
Previous Jimmy Young:
UK Telegraph report:
2001-11-18: Jonathan
Adelstein, telecommunications aide to US Senate majority leader Tom
Daschle, (Democrat- South Dakota) looks set to take the Democrat position
on the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
left vacant by Gloria Tristani.
Daschle has written to President Bush recommending his appointment. He said in a statement, "Jonathan's expertise in telecommunications issues to seeing rural America share in the telecommunications revolution make him the perfect candidate for this job at this time."
An Adelstein nomination would be welcomed by the US National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) whose President/CEO Eddie Fritts said, "NAB strongly supports the nomination of Jonathan Adelstein to the FCC. "Jonathan's commitment to public service and his firm grasp of broadcasting and telecommunications issues will serve him well at the Commission. We expect a speedy confirmation and look forward to working with Jonathan at the FCC."
Previous FCC:
Previous Fritts:
Previous NAB:
Previous Tristani:
Daschle has written to President Bush recommending his appointment. He said in a statement, "Jonathan's expertise in telecommunications issues to seeing rural America share in the telecommunications revolution make him the perfect candidate for this job at this time."
An Adelstein nomination would be welcomed by the US National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) whose President/CEO Eddie Fritts said, "NAB strongly supports the nomination of Jonathan Adelstein to the FCC. "Jonathan's commitment to public service and his firm grasp of broadcasting and telecommunications issues will serve him well at the Commission. We expect a speedy confirmation and look forward to working with Jonathan at the FCC."
Previous FCC:
Previous Fritts:
Previous NAB:
Previous Tristani:
2001-11-17:
US giant Clear Channel is on the acquisition
path again. This time it is adding the radio network division of Agri
Broadcast Network (ABN) to its portfolio.
ABN, based in Columbus, Ohio, is the leading farm programming provider in the State of Ohio and has 72 radio affiliates.
The deal was signed at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters' annual convention in Kansas City and after completion before the year's end ABN will be merged with Clear Channel's own Ohio agri-network.
Announcing the deal, Clear Channel said the network merger was "the first step toward a national build out in farm programming" under which Clear Channel would have a national operation.
It already has farm networks in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.
For Emmis the tale is different. It's slimming down because of the continuing soft market-- not stations, but salaries although it's cushioning the blow with a stock award.
All employees will have to take a 10% pay cut and in its place will be allocated a corresponding stock award.
As well as the basic plan, under which staff can take control of the shares or sell them every two-weeks, Emmis is also offering a restricted stock plan under which the shares have to be held for a year but are purchased at a 10% discount on the market price.
CEO Jeff Smulyan said the announcement "asks all of us to draw from our early Emmis days when everyone, by necessity, carried an entrepreneurial spirit."
"This plan not only provides an immediate cut in our expenses," he added, "but also gives our employees a great opportunity to invest in the company's future success while aligning their interests with that of our stockholders."
Earlier in the week, Emmis announced the resignation from March next year of its Radio President Doyle Rose, although he has signed a deal to continue working for the company for four years.
His successor will be Executive Vice President (Programming) Rick Cummings.
The Emmis action follows on the heels of a 5% pay cut for 140 top managers announced by the Tribune Company.
Tribune also froze pay for employees not covered by union contracts.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Emmis:
Previous Rose:
Previous Smulyan:
Clear Channel site:
Emmis site:
ABN, based in Columbus, Ohio, is the leading farm programming provider in the State of Ohio and has 72 radio affiliates.
The deal was signed at the National Association of Farm Broadcasters' annual convention in Kansas City and after completion before the year's end ABN will be merged with Clear Channel's own Ohio agri-network.
Announcing the deal, Clear Channel said the network merger was "the first step toward a national build out in farm programming" under which Clear Channel would have a national operation.
It already has farm networks in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.
For Emmis the tale is different. It's slimming down because of the continuing soft market-- not stations, but salaries although it's cushioning the blow with a stock award.
All employees will have to take a 10% pay cut and in its place will be allocated a corresponding stock award.
As well as the basic plan, under which staff can take control of the shares or sell them every two-weeks, Emmis is also offering a restricted stock plan under which the shares have to be held for a year but are purchased at a 10% discount on the market price.
CEO Jeff Smulyan said the announcement "asks all of us to draw from our early Emmis days when everyone, by necessity, carried an entrepreneurial spirit."
"This plan not only provides an immediate cut in our expenses," he added, "but also gives our employees a great opportunity to invest in the company's future success while aligning their interests with that of our stockholders."
Earlier in the week, Emmis announced the resignation from March next year of its Radio President Doyle Rose, although he has signed a deal to continue working for the company for four years.
His successor will be Executive Vice President (Programming) Rick Cummings.
The Emmis action follows on the heels of a 5% pay cut for 140 top managers announced by the Tribune Company.
Tribune also froze pay for employees not covered by union contracts.
Previous Clear Channel:
Previous Emmis:
Previous Rose:
Previous Smulyan:
Clear Channel site:
Emmis site:
2001-11-17:
Britain now has 22 new radio stations for broadcasts focussing
on the observance of Ramadan, the annual Moslem period of abstinence
that has now begun.
All have been issued by the UK Radio Authority with short-term restricted service licences (RSL's), the highest number of such Ramadan licences yet issued.
The stations involved are in locations that include Bolton, Bradford, Cardiff, Derby, Dudley in the West Midlands, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Keighley in Yorkshire, Leeds, Leicester, London, Luton, Middlesborough, Nelson in Lancashire, Nottingham, Odham, Rochdale in Lancashire Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, and Sutton in Surrey.
Last year the UK Radio Authority licensed 74 RSLs for religious purposes including RSLs for Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh cultural and religious events and it expects to issue a similar number this year.
Normally RSLs are issued for a maximum 28 days but in the case of these licences they run a few days longer so as to also include the Festival of Eid at the end of the period.
Previous UK Radio Authority:
UK Radio Authority news release:
All have been issued by the UK Radio Authority with short-term restricted service licences (RSL's), the highest number of such Ramadan licences yet issued.
The stations involved are in locations that include Bolton, Bradford, Cardiff, Derby, Dudley in the West Midlands, Glasgow, Huddersfield, Keighley in Yorkshire, Leeds, Leicester, London, Luton, Middlesborough, Nelson in Lancashire, Nottingham, Odham, Rochdale in Lancashire Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, and Sutton in Surrey.
Last year the UK Radio Authority licensed 74 RSLs for religious purposes including RSLs for Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh cultural and religious events and it expects to issue a similar number this year.
Normally RSLs are issued for a maximum 28 days but in the case of these licences they run a few days longer so as to also include the Festival of Eid at the end of the period.
Previous UK Radio Authority:
UK Radio Authority news release:
2001-11-17: Today sees
the last edition of US radio shock-jock Howard Stern's Saturday
night TV programme, the Howard Stern Radio Show.
It was launched in 1998 on a number of CBS owned and operated stations and made up of highlights from Stern's daily morning radio show.
At that time it was seen as a vehicle to trim the audience of NBC's Saturday Night Live but some stations dropped it fairly soon on content grounds although it improved ratings in the 11.30 PM Saturday slot in which most aired it.
Syndication was later taken over by King World Productions from CBS' Eyemark and it has recently been faring poorly in ratings and income.
King World is said to be considering the development of a replacement late night weekend series to replace the show.
Broadcasting and Cable reports that the replacement may be another Stern show, syndicated sitcom "Kane" based around an off-the-wall Southern family that Stern and King World Productions are developing and for which Stern would be an executive producer.
Broadcasting and Cable site:
Previous Stern:
It was launched in 1998 on a number of CBS owned and operated stations and made up of highlights from Stern's daily morning radio show.
At that time it was seen as a vehicle to trim the audience of NBC's Saturday Night Live but some stations dropped it fairly soon on content grounds although it improved ratings in the 11.30 PM Saturday slot in which most aired it.
Syndication was later taken over by King World Productions from CBS' Eyemark and it has recently been faring poorly in ratings and income.
King World is said to be considering the development of a replacement late night weekend series to replace the show.
Broadcasting and Cable reports that the replacement may be another Stern show, syndicated sitcom "Kane" based around an off-the-wall Southern family that Stern and King World Productions are developing and for which Stern would be an executive producer.
Broadcasting and Cable site:
Previous Stern: