Ralph Bernard Steps Down As GCap Chief Exec
GCap Media’s chief executive, Ralph Bernard, has announced he is to step down from the role, but will stay with the company as chairman of Classic FM.
Bernard, who has been in the business for 25 years and is credited with spurring the development of digital radio, said it was the right time to leave the job to make way for new blood.
The search for a replacement will now begin internally and externally and it is intended that the resignation will take effect on appointment of a new chief executive.
Bernard’s new role will see him with responsibility for overseeing Classic FM’s licence renewal process, and he will continue as chairman of Digital One.
The leading candidate for the chief executive job is seen as Fru Hazlitt, the former Virgin Radio chief executive whom GCap poached in January to be managing director of its London stations (see Hazlitt Takes MD Role At GCap). The other senior directors are chief operating officer Steve Orchard, a long-term colleague of Bernard, and finance director Wendy Pallot.
Bernard chose the 25th anniversary of his appointment as chief executive of GWR, one of the driving forces in the formation of today’s commercial radio sector, to announce his intention to resign once his successor is chosen.
Bernard said in a statement released this morning: “25 years is a long time to head up a company and having been at the heart of commercial radio’s growth over the years, the time is right to step down as chief executive. This a pivotal time for the industry, further consolidation is likely, new entrants are coming to the market and a host of opportunities are opening up on other platforms. In addition, both Ofcom and DCMS are looking closely at the future of radio and both have made encouraging statements about future regulation and development.
“Having taken the Group and the industry to this point, I feel that now is the time for a new chief executive to face the new challenges and opportunities ahead.”
He added: “I will continue to be involved with the growth of digital radio and look forward to working closely with the industry on our ambition to secure a date for digital switchover.”
Today GCap also released its interim results for the six months to 30 September 2007. The company reported profits of £763,000, compared with a loss of £8.2 million a year earlier. Like for like revenues, excluding the sale of the Century stations (see GCap Sells Radio Stations To Guardian Media Group), were up 4.5% to £100 million.
Part of Bernard’s legacy is the creation of GCap in 2005 through the merger of GWR with Capital Radio. He began his career in radio 32 years ago as a journalist, going on to launch Wiltshire Radio in Swindon as programme director in 1982. Wiltshire was the predecessor to the GWR Group.
In 2002, he was made a CBE for services to radio broadcasting.
Richard Eyre, chairman of GCap Media, said: “For 25 years Ralph Bernard has been a colossus in commercial radio. His progress from the original foundation of GWR in 1982 to the creation and leadership of Britain’s largest radio group is testament to his whole-hearted commitment to this industry. He has been at the forefront of digital development and industry consolidation and has changed the landscape of commercial radio with his leading role in launching Classic FM.”
Yesterday, Ofcom ruled as part of its examination of the future of radio, that commercial radio operators must broadcast a minimum of 10 hours a day of local content, more than the regulator previously proposed.
The long-awaited move came as the government announced a taskforce to look at how to drive listening of digital radio (see Commercial Radio Operators Must Broadcast At Least 10 Hours Of Local Content Daily).
Last week, RadioCentre revealed that total revenue figures for Q3 2007 have risen to more than £14.9 million, a year on year increase of 5.4%.
National revenue for the quarter saw an increase of 7.7% year on year to over £81.5 million whilst revenues for sales and promotions saw the largest growth rising 8% to a record £27.9 million. Local revenue for the quarter fell slightly to over £39.4 million, a decline of 0.7% (see Q3 Commercial Radio Revenues Up Almost 5.5%).
Bernard will join the panel at MediaTel Group’s ‘Future of Radio’ seminar on 11 December. For more information and to book, click here.