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Ralph Bernard, executive chairman of newly merged GCap Media, gave a stirring speech at the Edinburgh Radio Festival this morning, outlining his determination to give the BBC “real competition” in the radio industry.“I want to challenge the BBC,” Bernard said, “It’s had its own way for over 80 years, it needs full play competition.”Speaking about… Continue reading GCap Chief Calls For Challenge To The BBC

Speaking at the Edinburgh Radio Festival, Ofcom chief executive, Stephen Carter, outlined the media regulator’s plans to propel radio into the digital age, embracing new technologies and ways in which the medium can increase in popularity and reach new audiences.Carter announced plans to make three new blocks of spectrum available for new local multiplexes, enabling… Continue reading Ofcom Chief Outlines Plans For Future Of Digital Radio

Saturday’s Live8 concert generated a huge spike of online interest, according to Nielsen//NetRatings, with visitors to the charity’s official site numbering 707,365 from the UK alone on the day of the concert itself.The new figures, provided by the internet measurement specialist’s NetView service, show UK visitors viewing over 8.75 million pages of content on the… Continue reading Live8 Sparks Surge Of Online Interest

Journalist and broadcaster, Ray Snoddy, gave delegates at the 2005 Radio Festival in Edinburgh an informative and entertaining look over the past year in radio this afternoon, as well as making predictions for what 2006 holds for the radio industry.First to be given a “sideways” look was the merger between GWR and Capital Radio, creating… Continue reading Snoddy Sums Up A Tumultuous Year In Radio

Virgin Radio has enhanced its online radio offering, boosting its radio player and providing direct links for the purchase of mp3 music files, ringtones, CDs and concert tickets at the touch of a button.Virgin claims the revamped player is the “world’s most advanced,” giving access to the broadcaster’s three stations, as well as showing detailed… Continue reading Virgin Launches Advanced Internet Radio Player

Publicis Groupe-owned ZenithOptimedia has revised downwards its UK advertising expenditure forecasts for 2005, citing worries over the health of the economy as well as a ‘signicant fall-off in advertiser demand’ in the second quarter of this year. The agency has cut its predictions for UK advertising growth from the 4.9% forecast in April, to just… Continue reading ZenithOptimedia Cuts 2005 Adspend Forecast

Sky Sports’ Soccer AM has been rapped by Ofcom over the use of product placements, after giving a brand of basketball boots editorial airtime and endorsementsOfcom took exception to a presenter on the morning sports show describing the boots as being worn by a quarter of NBA players, and making reference to the boots’ manufacturer.Sky… Continue reading Soccer AM Has Wrist Slapped After Product Placement

The increasing penetration of digital radio is making the industry a ‘complicated business’, with new research from the BBC identifying the difference in levels of knowledge and awareness in the digital market.Speaking at the Edinburgh Radio Festival, Simon Nelson, controller for BBC radio and music interactive, and Jo Hamilton, the Corporation’s head of audience research,… Continue reading BBC Pledges Drive To Demystify Digital Radio

GCap Media has merged its two FM networks to create The One Network from The Mix and Capital FM, offering more comprehensive solutions for advertisers and smoothing the path for bespoke national campaigns.The move will see advertisers offered easily implemented advertising campaigns on a national scale through the network, which spans a massive 39 local… Continue reading GCap Merges Mix And Capital Networks To Form One

Cable giants NTL and Telewest look set to announce their long-awaited merger this month, with reports over the weekend predicting that the two companies would begin formal steps towards consolidation before the end of July.The Independent on Sunday claims the tie-up will have begun to take shape within weeks, with a source close to the… Continue reading Cable Giants Set To Announce Merger This Month