Milestone in Journalism

Jools Oughtibridge

18th December 2014

Introduction of Commercial Radio

1973 to today

Prior to 1973

• 1922 - The British Broadcasting Company started broadcasting on radio.

• 1922-4 - 11 Radio Stations around the UK

• 1926 - The British Broadcasting Corporation was formed, as Public Service Corporation.

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Prior to 1973

• 1927 – Local stations started to be phased out, replaced by “The Regional Programme”.

• 1939 – Outbreak of war. One national radio station – The Home Service

• 1945 – Post war – 3 radio stations, Home Service, Light Programme, Third Programme.

Prior to 1973

• 1967 – BBC launched Radio 1, 3 existing national stations became Radio 2/3/4.

• 1967 - BBC Local Radio starts in Leicester

• 1971 – BBC Local Radio arrived in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire with Radio Humberside.

Introduction of Independent Local Radio

• 1973-76 – 19 Stations licenced to broadcast

• 1980-99 – Further 44 Stations licenced

• 1984 – Commercial ILR arrived in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire with Viking Radio. 17th April – 6.55am

Introduction of Independent Local Radio

• By 1988 – 69 radio stations simulcast on VHF and MW.

• Each of the 69 Radio Stations had their own news team, providing local news for local people.

• Lots of journalism jobs within the industry.

Introduction of Independent Local Radio

• All sounds good….but there is a catch.

• Radio station bosses realised they could make more money by centralising certain elements of their network.

Viking Radio

• So “independent” Viking Radio, became part of Yorkshire Radio Network.

• This happened when Radio Hallam, and Pennine Radio got married, and took over Viking Radio.

• Programming shared during evenings and weekends.

Viking Radio

• During this simulcasting with Hallam and Pennine, local news output was dropped and National news was broadcast.

• As with other stations that carried out this practice, the news teams got smaller, as there was less work to do.

The Present Day

• Viking Radio 102.7fm, eventually became Viking FM 96.9 in 1986.

• Still located at The Boathouse on Commercial Road .

The Present Day

• Part of Bauer Media Group, one of the two giants of Commercial Broadcasting in the UK

• Has a portfolio of 45 radio stations, on FM, AM, DAB, and Online.

The Present Day

• Viking FM provide local programming during the following hours:

• 0600 – 1400 & 1500 – 1900 Mon-Fri• 1400 – 1800 – Saturday• 1200 - 1600 - Sunday

The Present Day

• Viking FM provide local news programming during the following hours:

• 0600 – 1300 & 1500 – 1830 Mon-Fri• 0900 – 1200 – Saturday• 0900 -- 1200 - Sunday

Staff

• All this output is created by 4 staff for the whole of the week.

• Head of News• Reporter• Breakfast News Reader• Daytime News Reader

Listener Figures• Holds 7.8% market share in output area, from a

high of 18.6% in June 2000

• Each listener counts for 6.7 hours per week (known as reach), from a high of 12.4 hours in December 1999

• Total listeners 230,000 from a high of 376,000 in June 2000

Viking FM listeners – Rajar 99-14

Viking FM listeners – Rajar 99-14

What does this mean for the industry?

• 1973 heralded a fresh approach to local news journalism.

• Competition against the establishment BBC Local News – Both TV and Radio.

• With mergers and cross-broadcasting, less news is produced by fewer staff.

What does this mean for the industry?

• Who are the winners and who are the losers?

• Big conglomerates that provide Music Radio to the masses, sounding the same. – Winner

• Journalists working for the Radio Stations, finding jobs harder to come by - Losers

What does this mean for the industry?

• Who are the winners and who are the losers?

• Ultimately, we the listeners, who are treated the same as the rest of the country for large parts of the week, apart from Peak time (Breakfast, Mid Morning, Drive) Mon To Fri, and (Afternoons) Weekends - Losers

What does this mean for the industry?

• Broadcast Local news still provided by BBC TV and Radio, as well as another commercial station in the City.

• KCFM 99.8FM serves the city, but is also part of a larger radio network, the Lincs FM Group.

KCFM 99.8

• Local news 0600-1800 Mon-Fri and 0600-1400 Weekends – Pre-recorded local headlines at other times.

• 3 staff – 1 senior journalist, 2 journalists to cover around 100 bulletins, plus voice tracked headlines.

In conclusion

• “Independent” Commercial Radio is over 40 years old.

• Set up to serve the local community.

• More and more programming is simulcast, therefore not local.

In conclusion

• Fewer journalist jobs in the sector, meaning that good staff are being lost to other media.

• Listeners moving away from established station that only provides 68 local hours per week.

• Other commercial, BBC, and community radio filling the gap.

In conclusion

• At least 5 community radio stations in Viking FM area, listener habits being diluted, and more local output is needed.

• High level of news thirst within the city, Newspapers and Hyper Local Websites such as Hyperfruit.

Community Radio – TMCR FM

• Today’s More Choice Radio in Thorne, 95.3FM, or streaming online.

• Tune in Sundays from 10am, Mondays from 4pm, and Tuesdays from 7am with yours truly!