Wireless Group Enters Race For Edinburgh Licence
Kelvin MacKenzie’s Wireless Group has announced its intention to bid for the upcoming FM radio licences in Edinburgh and Blackburn with proposals for two new stations called Dunedin FM and Bold FM.
The radio group’s proposals are the result of extensive research carried out over the course of the year to identify the formats most likely to succeed in each area. Dunedin FM will be pitched at Edinburgh, featuring a strong focus on local issues, a commitment underlined by TWG’s appointment of David Mathewson as chairman of the bid.
Educated at Daniel Stewarts College, Edinburgh and St Andrew’s University, Mathewson lives in the Barnton district of the city. He also has a strong background in finance and is currently on the board of several Edinburgh based investment trusts as well as being a trustee of the city’s Royal Botanic Gardens.
Commenting on the bid for the Scottish licence, TWG’s director of development, Calum Macaulay, said: “The prime objective is to give the station a local feel, commitment and sound. It’s quite clear that people want to be confident that their local radio station will air their concerns, issues and ambitions for the area.”
TWG’s bid for the licence in Blackburn will be chaired by successful local entrepreneur Peter Clarke. The radio group already has extensive local interests in the North West, and the new station in Blackburn would be contiguous with the company’s Tower FM in Bolton.
Bidding against TWG for the Edinburgh licence are a collection of heavyweight radio groups, including GWR with its heavily researched 107 FM The Rock. The broadcaster has undertaken an extensive study and consulted with local residents through public meetings in order to fine tune its proposal (see GWR Prepares To Rock Edinburgh With Licence Bid).
Virgin Radio is also preparing a bid for Edinburgh’s regional licence. The station, owned by the Scottish Media Group, has outlined its intentions, pinning its hopes on a successful ‘home town bid’ and adapting its current digital radio station, Virgin Radio Classic Rock to suit the brief.
The closing date for applications to media super-regulator Ofcom is 23 September, a date already on the calendars of several established broadcasters.
Earlier this week The Wireless Group announced that operating profits have grown by 108% to over £1.1 million during the first six months of this year, driven by the ‘storming’ success of its flagship station national speech-based station talkSPORT (see NewsLine).
Wireless Group: 020 7269 7180
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