Wireless Group Calls For End To Monopolistic And Anti-Competitive Practices
The Wireless Group (TWG), which operates the national analogue station talkSPORT, has called for an end to what it describes as the “monopolistic and anti-competitive practices which threaten to suffocate the commercial radio sector” – namely the restrictions on commercial radio which do not apply to the BBC.
Although TWG owns and operates 16 analogue and eight digital radio stations, the largest media noises usually surround talkSPORT, thanks to chairman and chief executive Kelvin MacKenzie. Recent RAJAR figures did not make happy reading for the national commercial radio sector, however, which suffered audience figure falls, while the BBC improved its performance (see Feature: Latest RAJAR Figures Show BBC Stations Eating Into Commercial Sector).
In a statement issued in response to the Communications White Paper (see White Paper Paves Way For Communications “Revolution”), which left the future of commercial ownership restrictions unclear, TWG states that it would like to see independent operators allowed to own more than one analogue national radio station. This, it argues, would allow the kind of cross-promotion currently used by the BBC, which operates talkSPORT’s major, and more successful rival, BBC Radio Five Live.
“The ability of the BBC to broadcast live coverage of two sporting events simultaneously on different stations, which commercial operators are prevented from doing by ownership restrictions, gives the BBC a further advantage,” continues the statement. “Only ownership of two or more stations would allow the commercial sector to compete for rights to simultaneous events.”
The BBC comes in for further criticism as TWG says that taxpayers’ money is used to push the price of sports rights beyond the reach of commercial operators. This “predatory pricing and anti-competitive behaviour over sports rights” could only be put right if BBC Radio Five Live were to be privatised, it says.
The Wireless Group: 020 7959 7800
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