Virgin Promises ‘Much More Music’

“You won’t hear Freddy and the Dreamers but you will hear Neil Young. Virgin Radio is a station for people who grew up knowing the difference between good music and the rest and who still listen to it today”. This is how Richard Branson described his soon-to-be-launched Virgin Radio, which revealed itself to the press yesterday promising to appeal to “intelligent and discerning rock music lovers”.

The second INR station will begin broadcasting on April 30 with claims from TV-am chairman Bruce Gyngell that over £12m will be invested in its future over the next four years. The launch of Virgin was questioned recently when its programme controller Andrew Marshall left the station, being quickly replaced by David Campbell. When the launch date was put back by five weeks rumours grew and the future of the station was unsure. Joint owners Virgin and TV-am are now keen to quash this speculation, saying that the ousted breakfast channel has no intention of selling its 50% stake in Virgin Radio.

The station will be available throughout the country at the end of April thanks to a newly installed network of transmitting equipment which cost over £2m.

Advertising on the station will consist of nine minutes an hour, split into three slots. ‘DJ chat’ will be kept to a minimum during music sequences. David Campbell comments; “Our extensive market research shows that millions of people are waiting for this kind of service. Virgin Radio will live up to all their expections”.

Virgin Radio: 071 434 1197