Mike TV aka
Did you know Mike TV is the only DJ to have aired with three names on Capital Gold. "I'm lucky enough to have helped Capital Gold get it's one and only market leadership when I Produced Caesar The Geezer (bless him) and it's unlikely to happen ever again.
After too long without moral fibre I decided enough was enough ... " More on this soon

Douglas defends Evans' appointment
Lesley Douglas, Controller of BBC Radio 2, has defended her decision to give Chris Evans the station's drivetime show. The BBC has received hundreds of complaints from fans upset about appointing Evans to take over from Johnnie Walker. There have even been demonstrations outside Radio 2's HQ in London. In response, Douglas today posted a message on the Radio 2 website, indicating she has no intention of changing her mind, despite the wave of dissent from listeners. (Posted 13 Mar)

US radio giant 'took payola'
A US radio giant took payment from record companies in exchange for playing songs on air, according to New York's attorney general. Eliot Spitzer has taken legal action against Entercom Communications, which operates more than 105 US radio stations, in a crackdown on 'payola'. Spitzer said the firm sold air time for $1,000 (£575) or more per song. Entercom, based in Pennsylvania, denied the accusation.

BBC welcomes 'long overdue' reforms
The BBC has welcomed the Government's White Paper on the future of the corporation.
Its chairman Michael Grade said overhaul of the BBC's governance structure was "long overdue", adding that the changes would "ensure the continuing independence of the BBC."
The BBC accepts it has a responsibility to take account of its potential impact on the wider market, he said.
Mr Grade said: "An overhaul of the BBC's governance to a modern structure that serves the licence-fee paying public is long overdue. Promises of delivery and sincere words of assurance are no longer enough: the BBC has to demonstrate sustained commitment.
"The BBC must operate only in the public interest, ensuring value for money and high-quality output. But in doing so, the BBC accepts it has a responsibility to take account of its potential impact on the wider market and to demonstrate through transparent decision-making processes how it delivers public value to the United Kingdom."
He added: "The new BBC Trust - separated from BBC management - will be equipped to make this a reality. The new system of service licences and purpose remits will ensure expectations and measures of performance are clear and consistent. The Trust will work with Ofcom to deliver assessments of market impact in which all parties can be confident.
"In the end all these structural changes are designed to deliver the highest quality and the most innovative programmes for audiences.
"Those appointed as Trustees will be the champions of licence fee payers, and ensure that decisions made on their behalf are rooted in evidence that demonstrates delivery of audience expectations or wider public value."
BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said: "The public purposes set out in the White Paper are a clear remit for the BBC to deliver, but achieving them will be a challenge and not a simple box-ticking exercise.
"The BBC is passionate about quality content and we want to deliver on every appropriate platform programmes that are innovative, distinctive and entertaining." (Posted 14 Mar)

By George, a weekly radio show George Galloway has been signed up to host a weekly current affairs phone-in show on Talksport radio. The Respect MP, who was criticised for taking part in Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother, will discuss political and non-political subjects.

Mr Galloway said: "I intend to make this the most talked-about talk show on radio - I think I have a pretty good track record of stimulating debate."
The MP was expelled from Labour in 2003 but won an east London seat last year.
Mr Galloway, who represents Bethnal Green and Bow, was ridiculed for pretending to be a cat and performing a robot dance in a leotard on Celebrity Big Brother. He said: "Most politicians - and most politics - are boring. I don't think even my worst enemy could call me that."
Programme director Bill Ridley said: "We are delighted to have George on our team. "He's a natural broadcaster. We like our presenters to have strong opinions and they don't come much stronger than George Galloway. I can't wait for him to start. To coin a phrase, it promises to be the Mother of All One Man Shows."
The show will be broadcast from 2000GMT on Saturdays and Sundays from March 11. (Posted 9 Mar)

It could happen here
Just imagine sitting in traffic on your way to work and hearing this.
Many Sydney folks DID hear this on the FOX FM morning show in Sydney.
The DJs play a game where they award winners great prizes. The game is Called "Mate Match". The DJs call someone at work and ask if they are married or seriously involved with someone. If the contestant answers "yes",he or she is then asked 3 random yet highly personal questions.
The person is also asked to divulge the name of their partner (with phone number) for verification. If their partner answers those same three questions correctly, they both win the prize.
One particular game, however, several months ago made the Harbour City stop in it's tracks, here's how it went:.

DJ: "Hey! This is Ed on FOX-FM. Have you ever heard of 'Mate Match'?"

Contestant: (laughing) "Yes, I have."

DJ: "Great! Then you know we're giving away a trip to the Gold Coast if you win. What is your name? First only please."

Contestant: "Brian."

DJ: "Brian, are you married or what?"

Brian: (laughing nervously) "Yes, I am married."

DJ: "Thank you. Now, what is your wife's name? First only please."

Brian: "Sara."

DJ: "Is Sara at work, Brian?"

Brian: "She is gonna kill me."

DJ: "Stay with me here, Brian! Is she at work?"

Brian: (laughing) "Yes, she's at work."

DJ: "Okay, first question - when was the last time you had sex?"

Brian: "About 8 o'clock this morning."

DJ: "Atta boy, Brian."

Brian: (laughing sheepishly) "Well..."

DJ: "Question #2 - How long did it last?"

Brian: "About 10 minutes."

DJ: "Wow! You really want that trip, huh? No one would ever have said That if a trip wasn't at stake."

Brian: "Yeah, that trip sure would be nice."

DJ: "Okay. Final question. Where did you have sex at 8 o'clock this morning?

Brian: (laughing hard) "I, ummm, I, well..."

DJ: "This sounds good, Brian. Where was it at?"

Brian: "Not that it was all that great, but her mum is staying with us for a couple of weeks..."

DJ: "Uh huh..."

Brian: "...and the Mother-In-Law was in the shower at the time."

DJ: "Atta boy, Brian."

Brian: "On the kitchen table."

DJ: "Not that great?? That is more adventure than the previous hundred Times I've done it. Okay folks, I will put Brian on hold, get this wife's Work number and call her up. You listen to this."

[ 3 minutes of commercials follow. ]

DJ: "Okay audience; let's call Sarah, shall we?"
(Touchtones.....ringing....)

Clerk:" Kinkos."

DJ: "Hey, is Sarah around there somewhere?"

Clerk: "This is she."

DJ: "Sarah, this is Ed with FOX-FM. We are live on the air right now and I've been talking with Brian for a couple of hours now."

Sarah: (laughing) "A couple of hours?"

DJ: "Well, a while now. He is on the line with us. Brian knows not to Give any\answers away or you'll lose. Sooooooo... do you know the rules of 'Mate Match'?"

Sarah: "No."

DJ: "Good!"

Brian: (laughing)

Sarah: (laughing) "Brian, what the hell are you up to?"

Brian: (laughing) "Just answer his questions honestly, okay? Be completely honest."

DJ: "Yeah yeah yeah. Sure. Now, I will ask you 3 questions, Sarah.If your answers match Brian's answers, then the both of you will be off to the Gold Coast for 5 days on us.

Sarah: (laughing) "Yes."

DJ: "Alright. When did you last have sex, Sarah?"

Sarah: "Oh God, Brian....uh, this morning before Brian went to work."

DJ: "What time?"

Sarah: "Around 8 this morning."

DJ: "Very good. Next question. How long did it last?"

Sarah: "12, 15 minutes maybe."

DJ: "Hmmmm. That's close enough. I am sure she is trying to protect his manhood. We've got one last question,

Sarah. You are one question away from a trip to the Gold Coast. Are you ready?"

Sarah: (laughing) "Yes."

DJ: "Where did you have it?"

Sarah: "OH MY GOD, BRIAN!! You didn't tell them that did you?"

Brian: "Just tell him, honey."

DJ: "What is bothering you so much, Sarah?"

Sarah: "Well..."

DJ: Come on Sarah.....where did you have it?

Sarah: "Up the a?se....."

After a long pause, the DJ managed to utter "We need to take a station break"

Lords warns of Licence fee rise
The BBC licence fee will rise to £180 and will be raising over £4.25bn from the public by 2014, according to a House of Lords inquiry. With a Government white paper on BBC charter renewal due imminently, the Lords select committee report has accused the Government of piling costs onto the BBC, thereby pushing up the licence fee. (Posted 5 Mar)

GCap sale in doubt over low bids
BIDS for GCap Media’s regional radio assets have come in at such a low level that Britain’s largest commercial radio group may abort the sale.
This would mirror a similar move by the Daily Mail & General Trust, which pulled the sale of its Northcliffe regional papers after failing to receive an acceptable price for the 120 titles.
For GCap, a failure to raise the £70m (E102m, $122m) it expected for the nine radio stations would be another blow to the group which has been suffering from a slump in advertising revenues. Industry sources say GCap has six months to show signs of improvements before shareholders start pushing for more management changes.
Last Monday was the deadline for regional bids for the nine radio stations which include CoastFM in Wales, Gemini FM in the south-west and Plymouth Sound.
Interested parties fell away with most of the venture-capital firms dropping out because of the poor cashflow. Industry sources suggest the Local Radio Company and Absolute Radio, which were tipped as interested parties, struggled to raise funds. Ulster TV, which bought the Wireless Group last year, and the Swansea Bay Radio consortium have also shown interest. Bids have struggled to hit £35m.
GCap has lurched from crisis to ­crisis since its merger in May last year, when the group was valued at £700m – the market capitalisation has now slumped to £372m after a clear-out of senior management. Some analysts suggest the wrong management were kept on.
Last year, GCap took the unusual step of cutting the amount of advertising at its flagship Capital Radio property in a high-risk bid to boost audience figures.
The sale process of its regional radio assets has not been helped by the process being conducted in-house by its own legal and corporate finance team to save money. Those involved in the bidding process suggest there was a lack of detailed information. (By Rupert Steiner, Posted 5 Mar)

Evans gets Radio 2 Drivetime
Former Radio 1 Breakfast DJ Chris Evans is to take over from Johnnie Walker as host of BBC Radio 2's Drivetime show.
Evans - who currently presents a Radio 2 show on Saturday afternoons - will start his weekday show on 18 April.
"To take over from Johnnie Walker is an absolute honour," said the 39-year-old. "The guy is a legend; he helped me get my first job at the BBC back in 1990. Drivetime is hugely important, in many ways it mirrors the breakfast show as a transition for people between work and home. It's our job to help that journey be less of a thing to dread and more of a thing to look forward to."
Walker announced he was stepping down earlier this week after seven years as host of the popular early evening show.
"After seven years on one show I feel it's time for a change," he said.
"Johnnie Walker is a hard act to follow," said Lesley Douglas, controller of Radio 2. "Chris Evans is a brilliant radio talent who has already scored a hit with his weekend show. I know he will give the audience a great new show for weekdays." This time the Beeb will be paying nowhere near the 1.3 million pounds a year it paid Evans company to do Radio One Breakfast ten years ago.
Walker moves to a new Sunday Show from April and will concentrate on rock interviews. He was also host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show when Terry Wogan is on leave. "I've had a wonderful time presenting Drivetime and enjoyed it enormously. After seven years on one show I feel it's time for a change," he said. The 60-year-old collected an MBE for services to broadcasting last week. Walker - who previously worked on pirate station Radio Caroline - began at the BBC on Radio 1 in 1969, moving to Radio 2 in 1998. He took over the Drivetime slot from John Dunn in 1999, boosting the show's audience by two million. "The new Sunday show will be give me the opportunity to present a programme with a spiritual angle, something I've been talking to Radio 2 about for over a year," he said. "And after getting such positive feedback for my Eric Clapton special last summer, I'm keen to do more interviews with the major names in rock." Is this the end for Stewpot? (Posted 2 Mar)

GCap sell-off closes today
The deadline for bids on the nine radio stations being sold by GCap Media passes today, with interest from foreign companies appearing to have vanished along with up to half the original selling price of £70m.
Final bids for the stations are expected to be lodged exclusively from radio companies who already operate within the UK, after foreign companies had expressed initial interest.
And as interest in the stations has dwindled, so has the price tag attached. Originally it was expected that the sale could fetch up to £70m, but are now more likely to pull in £30-£35m, according to City analysts.
The Local Radio Company, Cornwall-based UKRD and Absolute Radio were among the domestic companies to have expressed interest in the sale. Belfast-based Ulster TV was initially interested in the sale but decided not to enter the final round of bidding.
Despite several foreign companies showing keen interest in breaking in to the UK radio market - such as US broadcaster Emmis, and Macquarie Bank and Austereo from Australia - none are expected to lodge final bids with GCap today. GCap would like to get the stations sold by the end of the financial year, giving the Capital Radio and Classic FM owner a month left to close the deal.
And GCap is in need of every penny. Since the May 2005 £711m merger between GWR and Capital Radio, more than £300m has been lopped off the new company's market capitalisation.
The nine stations, which include Plymouth Sound and Coast FM in north Wales, were put up for sale last year in an attempt to overhaul the group, in the wake of a collapsing share price, poor ratings figures and difficult advertising conditions.
GCap's decision to cut costs and deal with the sale internally rather than handing it over to an investment bank drew criticism from some potential bidders, who were unhappy at what was perceived as a lack of detailed information on the stations at an earlier stage. (Posted 27 Feb)

Sorry we know we're not very good, make the Beeb worse ...
The BBC's licence fee settlement could force smaller radio stations out of business, according to a report commissioned by the commercial sector.
The Commercial Radio Companies Association report suggests millions could be wasted by the BBC when there is no need for extra public stations.
The government has agreed a rise in the licence fee to £131.50 from 1 April.
The commercial sector is asking for a cap on the amount of money the BBC can spend radio services.
It also expresses concern in the report about the BBC's introduction of ultra-local TV services and the proposed launch of five local radio stations. It believes the BBC's digital radio channels such as 1Xtra and Radio 7 are too similar to commercial stations already available.
A spokeswoman for the BBC said the corporation "absolutely refutes the idea that it imitates formats and that commercial radio alone has been at the forefront of innovation".
The report is published ahead of the publication of the government White Paper on the renewal of the corporation's Royal Charter for another 10 years.
Commercial Radio Companies Association (CRCA) chairman David Elstein said the sector's £1.1bn contribution to the UK economy was under threat from the settlement.
"Uncapped BBC spending on radio will ultimately cost not just the commercial radio industry but also, through a reduction in choice of valuable public services, listeners and communities in which they live," he said.
"Moreover, the BBC's plans for radio could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs and stymie the training and development of the next Chris Moyles or Huw Edwards."
The report also suggests the licence fee could rise as high as £200 by then end of the next Charter period in 2016.
The BBC spokeswoman said: "Many of the arguments put forward in this paper have been debated at length during the Charter review process not least during Lord Burns' extensive review of BBC analogue radio and Tim Gardam's review of our digital services.
"Listeners tune in to the BBC's services because they provide innovative and distinctive content and provide the widest possible audience with services that the market alone would not provide."
Note from the ed. - Commercial radio only need worry if it's pummeling pap ...... yep it's worried and no wonder - but like Mrs Thatcher said "you can't strengthen the weak by weakening the strong". I can't count how many programme meetings I've been to where a struggling programme boss has said, we want you to copy the success of Radio Two ... I can't think of one commercial station in the UK that even begins to learn any lessons froim Radio Two. Hell I got into trouble for playing Sting's version of 'Windmills Of My Mind', a classic 60's hit re-recorded by Mr £25m per year and at the time it featured as a theme to the remake of 'The Thomas Crown Affair' - undoubtedly of interest to a mature audience but because it was a B-side - commercial radio logic failed to notice a young upstart emulating Radio 2 wisdom!

LBC launches three second ads
LBC has introduced a series of three-second adverts that will be read out by presenters around news bulletins and travel updates. LBC owners Chrysalis claim to be the first UK company to offer the three-to five-second format. This item took about three secs to read... ok ten - thanks Jeff. (Posted 26 Feb)

Charles honours veteran DJ Johnnie
Veteran DJ Johnnie Walker will receive the MBE from the Prince of Wales.
Walker, who has spent 40 years on the airwaves, is to collect the honour at Buckingham Palace for services to broadcasting.
The 60-year-old was born in Birmingham and leaving school at the age of 15 he trained as a mechanic and became a car salesman. He found an outlet to his passion for music with a Friday night slot as a disco DJ under the name Peter Dee. In 1965, Walker quit his job after spotting an article about a new pirate station Radio England and spent six months with the station before leaving to make his name with the pirate radio ship Radio Caroline.
Walker continued to broadcast in defiance of Government legislation which closed down the pirates in 1967. He joined the new BBC Radio 1 in 1969 to present a Saturday afternoon show.
Walker earned a reputation as a DJ who accorded more importance to the records he played than the chat between the tracks. He moved on to a daily afternoon show and the names he pioneered included Lou Reed, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles.
But his outspoken views, and his choice of music, led to a showdown with his Radio 1 bosses and a move to California in 1976, where Walker recorded a weekly show which was broadcast on Radio Luxembourg.
He returned to the UK in the 1987 and was back at Radio 1 to present its Saturday Stereo Sequence. Stints on the BBC's local station for London GTLR, the newly launched BBC Radio 5, and then a third return to BBC Radio 1 followed.
He left the station for good in 1995 and three years later was offered his own weekly show on Radio 2, before taking over the Drivetime show, which he still presents.
Walker was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after feeling ill on his return from his honeymoon with third wife Tiggy. After undergoing chemotherapy and an emergency operation in October 2003, he returned to his Radio 2 show after a nine-month break. He announced to his five million listeners live on air that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and later revealed that he "died" on the operating table three times during surgery to repair his burst intestine.
Walker was suspended by the station in 1999 after allegations about cocaine use were published in a newspaper. He was fined £2,000 after he admitted possessing the drug, but station bosses reinstated him after the court case. (Posted 22 Feb)

Radio One Chart Show JK before he met Joel
Talking of Radio Wedding whatever happened to Greg and Carla??
Well we don't know about Greg but you'll be pleased to know that Carla is now Mrs Jeremy Kyle. (22 Feb)

Gervais' Podcast Set to Go Commercial
The world's most downloaded podcast, The Ricky Gervais Show, is returning for a second series - but this time it will not be free.
New Jersey-based company Audible has announced it is to start selling subscriptions to the Internet broadcast from February 28.
Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the team behind the BBC's acclaimed comedy series The Office, launched the podcast in December.
The online version of the comedian's radio show gained an average of 261,670 downloads per episode during the first month of its launch - a feat that will put it into the Guinness Book Of Records.
It features the pair interviewing Karl Pilkington, a producer on their radio show, about topics such as the cognitive abilities of chimpanzees and the existence of vampires and ghosts. Much of the humour is scatological.
Audible said it would offer two seasons of the 30-minute show - one starting on February 28 and one in the autumn - each with at least four episodes. The podcasts will cost £1.10 per episode or £4 per season. (Posted 22 Feb)

Moyles 'sorry' for swearing on air, 'bloody listeners'
Motormouth DJ Chris Moyles has apologised after swearing at a listener who phoned in to his radio breakfast show.
Donna, from Newcastle upon Tyne, phoned in from her car to take part in the regular Beep Beep Busters quiz.
The BBC Radio 1 breakfast show host became angry when her children made a racket in the back seat and blurted out the swear word.
First, he told her to "shut your face" when she asked if she could come round to his house. Then he made up a story about Donna having three "f****** brats" by different fathers.
Moyles, 31, immediately realised what he had done. He told Donna: "I'm so sorry. I do apologise. And I never use bad language. You can definitely come round and wash my mouth out with soap and water."
Donna laughed off the DJ's blunder. And when another quiz contestant wound him up about it, he jokily claimed that he only did it to raise cash to help a sick child.
Leeds-born Moyles said: "I'll tell you what it is. I didn't want to mention this on air, but there's a sick girl we're raising cash for. We have a swear jar. I only said it to help her out - we're taking her to Florida or somewhere!"
He added: "Donna, my sincere apologies again. I love you dearly and you can come round for tea any time. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Now let's go home!"
A BBC spokesman said: "We can confirm that Chris did swear, and apologised profusely immediately after it happened. We in no way condone this type of behaviour, but slips like this sometimes occur in live broadcasts."
In the battle for ratings, Moyles has added 370,000 listeners to the breakfast show in the past year. (Posted 22 Feb)

BBC rapped over swearing at Bloody Live 8
The BBC has been criticised by the broadcasting watchdog over swearing on the televised Live 8 concerts.
Ofcom received complaints about the language used by Madonna, US rapper Snoop Dogg, Razorlight and Green Day during the concerts last summer.
The BBC did not use a time delay, and the language, which sparked more than 350 complaints, was heard by young viewers watching the show on TV before the watershed.
The BBC said it regretted the offence caused to viewers, but also blamed a "confrontation" with the organisers for the fact that its key staff missed the performance by Snoop Dogg, who used a "stream of expletives and racist terms".
By the time the extent of the problem became apparent to the senior BBC editorial team, "it was felt that the moment for a full apology had passed, and that to have returned to the issue would have merely drawn further attention to the original offence".
The BBC said that in future it would consider the possibility of using a time delay for bands performing before the watershed that might use offensive language.
It added that it would also take "further precautions to protect its production staff from unwarranted interference by third parties to ensure they were able at all times to monitor and react to events on air as they unfolded".
The BBC said it had approached some performers before the concert over the issue of language, but had not been given access to all the stars.
Snoop Dogg's record company had said he would be playing "TV versions" of his songs, excluding the swearing.
Following the performance, the record company apologised to the BBC, saying it was a case of the performer "going into gig mode and forgetting the time of the day". (Posted 21 Feb)

Capital Radio drop Party In The Park
Annual London pop concert Party in the Park has been shelved for a second year because "people want something different", organisers have said.
The Capital Radio summer concerts in Hyde Park have raised money for the Prince's Trust charity since 1998, with acts such as Westlife and McFly.
"We have had a great eight years with Party in the Park but it is time to move on," a Capital spokeswoman said.
However, the Prince's Trust said it aimed to run Party in the Park in 2007.
'Other events'
The Capital Radio spokeswoman said it would not organise Party in the Park this year "because Capital relaunched this year and we are looking at other events to do this summer". Surveys indicated that listeners wanted a new event, she added.
Prince's Trust chief executive Martina Milburn said this year the charity would hold a Tower of London concert to mark its 30th anniversary in May.
"Party in the Park sold out every year and raised millions of pounds to help change young lives," Ms Milburn added.
The first Party in Park featured performers such as All Saints and Boyzone playing in front of 100,000 music fans. The most recent concert in 2004 featured Busted, Will Young and Avril Lavigne among others.
Party in the Park had been due to take place last July but it was scrapped when the date coincided with Bob Geldof's Live 8 concerts.
The Prince's Trust received a donation of £1.6m from a Live 8 text message hotline to compensate for the cancellation. (Posted 17 Feb)

Shamed ....
Chris Denning, a former Radio 1 DJ, has been jailed for four years after pleading guilty to child abuse during the 1970s and 80s. Denning, 64, admitted five charges of indecent assault on boys under 16 when he appeared at Kingston Crown Court. Denning, who will have to sign the sex offenders' register on his release, worked for the BBC in the late 1960s and was on the Radio 1 launch team. (Posted 2 Feb)

Wedding & Poo
Rumours abound folllowing the 'success' of the immoral 'Two Strangers & A Wedding' competition in which 250 idiots entered for the chance to muck up their lives ... that radio station's next comp may be to win a plate of Breakfast Show Poo ... another winner!

New Broom you know ....
Paul Marshall the new Programme Boss of Red Dragon FM has wasted no time in making significant changes to the station in an effort to abate declining listening figures. Gone are many of the music talkover beds, Gone are the silly 'mock' Welsh voice-overs sweepers - replaced by the former GWR, and Capital sweeper man who's voice is now also heard on BBC Five Live ... Programme Schedule changes mean Jason Harrold in the eleventh year of Breakfast Show duty loses an hour to finish at 9am, Clare Lloyd 'runs' from 9-12am, Bobby McVay takes over at 12noon and Leigh Jones gets an extra hour for Drive which now starts from 3 until 7. Returning for the first time since the last century - the 80's Party Night hosted by Mike Parker on Friday's and Saturday's. Another interesting new arrival comes in the shape of Simon Bates .... and an hour long Our Tune Special at midday on Valentine's Day ... all together ahhhh! (For those who may not remember, Simes was unassailable at Radio One from 1977 to 1993 when his Our Tune feature went out at 11am every morning ... pulling in 3million more listeners than Terry Sir Wogan does now. He now hosts the biggest show in commercial radio's GCap Media Group - the Classic FM Breakfast Show which pulls in a million more listeners than Johnny Vaughn's Capital Radio Breakfast Show .... watch out Johnny!)

Wogan Now & Then & Now Again
BBC Radio 2 breakfast host Sir Terry Wogan has added 300,000 new listeners to his show, building an audience close to 8m, latest figures have revealed. Wogan's Radio 1 counterpart, Chris Moyles, added 160,000 listeners to his show in the last three months of 2005.
Radio 2 remains the most popular radio station, according to the Radio Joint Audience Search (Rajar).
Digital radio ownership has doubled in the past year, with the BBC having a 55% stake in the market.
Radio listeners are choosing to tune into their favourite stations using a wider range of platforms of devices than ever before, including via digital TV, the internet and mobile phones. The share of hours that listeners are tuning into digital radio has gone up to 11% of total listening time.
In the fiercely competitive breakfast slot, broadcasters Johnny Vaughan and Jamie Theakston both added listeners for their shows on London stations Capital and Heart FM, with respective audiences of 987,000 and 918,000.

NATIONAL RADIO STATION AUDIENCES
BBC Radio 1 - 10.29m
BBC Radio 2 - 13.25m
BBC Radio 3 - 1.97m
BBC Radio 4 - 9.31m
BBC Radio Five Live - 5.72m
Virgin Radio - 2.52m
Classic FM - 5.91m
Talksport - 2.17m
Source: Rajar

Radio 4's breakfast current affairs show Today also fared well, raising its audience to more than 6.2m, while the station's arts programme Front Row reached a record 2.27m listenership.
No audience figures were produced for Radio 4's UK Theme in the early mornings, which is being controversially replaced with a news bulletin.
Radio 2's afternoon programme, hosted by Steve Wright, added 270,000 listeners during the last part of 2005, putting his audience at 6.5m.
With a weekly listenership of 32.9m people, the BBC remains just ahead of the commercial sector, which draws a total of 30.8m.
Radio 2 is the most popular station, while commercial station Classic FM is ahead of Radio 3 and Five Live with a weekly reach of almost 6m listeners.
During the final quarter of 2004, Wogan surpassed the 8m mark for the first time, cementing his reputation as the UK's most popular radio broadcaster.
In London, Chrysalis' Heart FM took a market share of 6%, down on the 6.4% it achieved last quarter. Capital was a close second with 5.9%, much improved from the 5.1% that left it in third place last quarter. GCap Media took radical action following that result, cutting ads and relaunching Capital in January. With Capital back on top of Heart in terms of listener reach in the fourth quarter, it has a solid base to build on. In addition, Johnny Vaughan pulled away from breakfast rival Jamie Theakston with 987,000 listeners to 918,000. Magic, which has also challenged for the top spot, fell back in market share from 5.3%.... (Posted 2 Feb)

Strike threatens BBC radio shows
BBC radio shows could be disrupted when hundreds of production staff stage two one-day strikes later this month.
Broadcasting union Bectu said shows such as BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles and Radio 4's Front Row and You And Yours would be among those affected. The union said it expected 500 staff to walk out over plans to merge a number of production jobs into one role.
The BBC said it would be "disappointed" if listeners were affected and it was "keen to resolve" the problem. Sixty per cent of the union's members voted in December in favour of taking industrial action.
Bectu officer Luke Crawley said: "Our members are saying that they are prepared to strike because they are not happy with the BBC's proposals. The BBC want to introduce the new role of assistant producer which will do radio and web content production and studio management.
BBC director general Mark Thompson says £355m a year could be saved. We think it's a lot to ask of an individual, but more seriously will damage the high quality radio the BBC is justly famous for," said Mr Crawley. "We've asked the BBC to reconsider and we've tried to compromise but they're not interested. So at the moment our members are sufficiently unhappy about this to want to take strike action."
He added that this would affect Radio 1, 2 and 4 and could also have an impact on sports staff working at Radio Five Live who are Bectu members and would be asked to join any strike action.
The BBC said: "The wider use of multi-skilled assistant producers is part of a strategy through which the BBC's Radio and Music division plans to achieve significant efficiency savings without the need for compulsory redundancies. "We recognise that the unions continue to have concerns over the role and we remain keen to resolve the outstanding issues if that is possible," it added.
BBC director general Mark Thompson met union representatives last month over plans to shed 3,780 posts over three years. Mr Thompson said in December about 12% of the redundancies - 450 or so - were likely to be compulsory. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said that "many key issues" had been resolved, but added "the BBC risk throwing away all that progress by their unreasonable insistence on compulsory redundancies".
A third union, Amicus, said they would ballot for strike action if the BBC remained adamant that compulsory job losses were necessary. The unions staged a one-day strike last May over the corporation's plans to save £355m a year, including through job cuts.
Further disruption was averted when Mr Thompson offered a one-year freeze on compulsory redundancies, which is due to expire in July. (Posted 2 Feb)

Xfm Storms Storm
GCap's indie-rock brand Xfm has expanded its national coverage and brought 11 of its Storm digital radio licences into the Xfm network.
The move increases Xfm's audience by 10% to 836,000 listeners and means it will broadcast for the first time in Leicester, Norwich, Nottingham, Coventry, Cambridge, Bournemouth, the South West, and the M4 corridor.
All regions will hear the same DJs, including breakfast show host Lauren Laverne, who took over from Christian O'Connell when he left to join Virgin Radio.
But in the North East, South Coast and Midlands, locally relevant news, traffic, travel and events listings will be put together by producers in GCap's regional hubs.
The remaining non-London area multiplexes will receive a national service for the time being, but content will gradually be localised.
Xfm Scotland, launched earlier this month, has its own DJs and all content is produced in Glasgow. A similarly independent Manchester station is expected early this year. (Posted 27 Jan)

Google moves into radio
Google is to buy the US radio advertising firm dMarc Broadcasting for an initial payment of $102m (£58m), rising to a possible $1.14bn by 2009. The internet search giant said it hopes to integrate dMarc technology to allow its current clients to advertise on radio through Google. (Posted 27 Jan)

Radio 1 live events go multi-platform for 2006
Radio 1 is to offer a series of multi-platform and interactive elements at each of its live events this year. Services will include red button viewing, Bluetooth broadcast content and event information delivered to audiences at events via Bluetooth, mobile content and broadband web streaming of events. Radio 1 also announced that the The Chris Moyles Show will be broadcasting live from Germany during the World Cup. (Posted 27 Jan)

Ben Shephard joins Magic
GMTV presenter Ben Shephard is to join Emap's Magic in London. Shephard will host a 13-week run of 'Saturday Night Magic' from 17:00 to 20:00, playing playing "feelgood favourites". (Posted 27 Jan)

BBC shortlists sites for Manchester move
The BBC is to choose between two sites for its plans to relocate departments from London to Greater Manchester. The "media zone" will be built at a site near Whitworth Street in central Manchester or in Salford Quays. Key departments earmarked to move north include children's departments, sport, new media, Five Live, Five Live Sports Extra and Research and Development.

Commons motions on Radio 4 theme
Two British MPs have tabled motions in the House of Commons criticising the BBC's decision to scrap the early morning UK Theme on Radio 4.
The five-minute medley of English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish tunes will be replaced by a news bulletin.
Tory MP Philip Davies and Labour MP John Spellar tabled motions with a third planned by Austin Mitchell. Station controller Mark Damazer has said he wants a better early news service for Radio 4. In his motion, Mr Davies said he regretted that "political correctness has sparked the removal of the UK medley" and claimed such political correctness was detrimental to patriotism. Mr Mitchell, the Labour MP for Great Grimsby, said: "I find it a very uplifting and interesting theme - it makes you feel good about life and the country."
The theme, composed by Austrian-born Fritz Spiegl, is played each morning at 0530 to mark the start of Radio 4's broadcasts. It includes Danny Boy, What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?, Scotland the Brave, Rule Britannia, Men of Harlech, Greensleeves, Londonderry Air and Early One Morning.
Prime Minister Tony Blair was even urged at question time in the Commons to intervene on behalf of the theme. Tory MP James Clappison said: "Whether or not we are to have a Great Britain Day, will you at least do what you can do to help keep the UK Theme on early British morning radio?"
Mr Blair joked: "Obviously, my influence with the BBC is legendary." He added: "But I know they will be aware of the very strong feeling that is expressed by you and by many others, I am sure, in the House and across the country."
Mr Mitchell told the station's Today programme the BBC was "crazy" to want to drop the theme. "It's very cleverly welded together, for most people, it isn't an everyday experience. Each time it comes with a fresh joy, the shock of the new. It's lovely."
Campaigner Tim Hatton, from Guildford, Surrey, had gathered over 4,600 signatures on his savetheradio4theme.co.uk website by 1200 GMT on Wednesday. "It's something that forms one of those idiosyncratic parts of what makes Radio 4 a great radio station," he told Today. "I appreciate Radio 4 has always changed but I am against change for change's sake - a lot of the comments I've had on the petition are aggrieved there doesn't seem to be any sort of consultation on this, it seems to be a done decision."
Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman criticised the decision on his programme on Monday evening. "We've no idea what the head of Radio 4's playing at - we're thinking of using it every night," he told viewers, before the credits rolled to the theme.
A BBC spokeswoman said Radio 4 had received about 100 complaints about the decision. "We hope that listeners will give the new schedule a try. This is not about political correctness, but about serving Radio 4 listeners the best way we can". (Posted 27 Jan)

BBC Radio Wales Editor Quits ...
Julie Barton, the Editor of BBC Radio Wales, has announced that she is to leave the post after five years for family reasons.
Menna Richards, Controller BBC Wales said: "I am very sorry that Julie Barton has decided to leave us. She has brought immense enthusiasm and creativity to her job and will be greatly missed by everyone who has worked with her. "Under her leadership, Radio Wales has grown significantly in terms of the excellence of its output and its appeal to audiences. We wish her well for the future." Julie Barton joined BBC Wales 24 years ago. A broadcast journalist for many years, Julie became the BBC Wales Education Correspondent in 1996. She succeeded Nick Evans as Editor of Radio Wales despite having had to postpone her original job interview. BBC bosses accepted her excuse that she had been giving birth to her son the day before she was due to be interviewed, and unusually she was in fact interviewed for the job at her hospital bedside.
Julie eventually took over the reins in May 2001. She oversaw a relaunch of the station, creating new mid-morning radio programmes for the established television presenters Jamie Owen and Nicola Heywood-Thomas and moving the flamboyant Chris Needs to a new night-time slot where he developed a significant following. The popularity of the new programmes helped to establish Radio Wales among the top three most-listened-to stations in Wales, alongside BBC Radios 1 and 2.
Julie has been a keen advocate for taking Radio Wales out of its Cardiff base. During her editorship, Radio Wales' output has included special broadcasts from places such as Carmarthen, Denbigh, Holyhead and Brynmawr and highly popular 'Big Buzz' open-air pop concerts in Swansea, Caernarfon and Rhyl. (Posted 23 Jan)

Best of Moyles’ Tops BBC Podcast Chart
Chris Moyles’s weekly podcast was downloaded nearly half a million times in December, new figures reveal.
Radio 1’s ‘Best of Moyles’ mp3, a twenty minute broadcast featuring speech highlights from the week, was downloaded 446,809 times during the month - boosted by daily podcasts when the show was in New York.
Moyles took the top spot in the first published chart of BBC radio downloads, with all programmes in trial totalling nearly two million downloads in December. Simon Nelson, Controller of BBC Radio & Music Interactive, said "It’s fantastic to see how the demand for radio downloads has grown since we first offered them in 2004. These figures underline the enduring relevance of radio in the digital world.”
Radio 4 has a strong presence in the chart, while ‘From Our Own Correspondent’ and ‘In Our Time’ - the first show to be podcast by a British broadcaster - both performed well.
Download and Podcast Trial figures for December 2005 are as follows:

1 Best of Moyles (Radio 1) 446,809
2 Today 8.10 Interview (Radio 4) 413,492
3 Documentary Archive (World Service) 211,593
4 From Our Own Correspondent (Radio 4) 179,696
5 In Our Time (Radio 4) 145,588
6 Mark Kermode's Film Reviews (Five Live) 99,947
7 Chris Evans - The Best Bits (Radio 2) 70,355
8 Go Digital (World Service) 59,957
9 Fighting Talk (Five Live) 41,287
10 Sportsweek (Five Live) 38,827
11 Talking 6 Music (6 Music) 17,527
12 File on 4 (Radio 4) 13,347
13 Big Toe Clippings (BBC 7) 11,729
14 Rooze Haftom (Persian) 6,489
15 TX UnLtd (1Xtra) 4,564
16 Film Café (Asian Network) 4,335
17 The Weekender (Radio Northampton) 3,194
18 Letter to Gaelic Learners (Radio nan Gaidheal) 2,796
19 In Business (Radio 4) Off-air
20 The Rumour Mill (Five Live) Off-air

NB All programmes are usually weekly, apart from Today (six per week), From Our Own Correspondent (occasionally twice per week) and the Documentary Archive (variable).
Twenty programmes were made available in BBC Radio’s download and podcast trial last May. At the end of the 2005 it was announced that the trial would be extended into this year and will include more programmes, in order to gain a better understanding of listeners’ preferences.
For more details on the trial visit www.bbc.co.uk/dowloadtrial. (Posted 23 Jan)