OFT Rejects Talk Radio Complaints Against Radio Times

The Office of Fair Trading has rejected a complaint made by Talk Radio about the refusal of the Radio Times, published by BBC Worldwide, to carry listings for the national commercial radio station (see Newsline).

In February, Kelvin MacKenzie – Talk’s CEO – said that the BBC was acting in an anti-competitive way by refusing to carry Talk’s listings whilst listing schedules for some of its small, local BBC stations. However, Steve Lisseter, head of media and telecommunications section at the OFT, commented: “Radio Times has explained to me in confidence how their listings decisions are made and this appears to be on a commercially rational basis.”

According to MacKenzie, Lisseter suggested that one way around the problem would be for Talk to start up its own listings magazine. MacKenzie is clearly not impressed with this suggestion: “Firstly, we are not funded by the taxpayer, secondly we do not have five networks and dozens of local stations, and thirdly I happen to be short of £50 million – my estimate to break even.

“I go to the OFT for protection from a state funded monopoly and get told to start a listings magazine that would quadruple my losses in one fell swoop.”

Talk Radio: 0171 636 1089 BBC Worldwide: 081 576 2719