New FM Frequencies May Change Face of UK Radio
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MIDEM Radio Highlights 7 Avalanche In Swiss Chart 9 Europe's Best -Selling Albums 16 Europe's Ratio -Active Newsweek!), Volume 11 Issue 8 February 19,'1994 2 2.95, DM 8, FFr 25, US$ 5 Ireland's Bass Bumpers Private Radio New FM Frequencies May Finally Break Grows Up TheChange Face Of UK Radio In The UK Hard Way EUROPE by Machgiel Bakker IRELAND UNITED KINGDOM argues,should be awarded to and also outlines the organisa- by Dermott Hayes by Jeff Clark -Meads replace its current AM franchise. tion's view of their benefits and Two years after the Europe - Media experts regularly suggest disadvantages: wide success of Bass As Ireland's commercial radio The major window of FM oppor- thatVirgin'scurrentbroadcast A fourth national commercial market moves towards its fifth tunity is about to be granted to quality is inferior to an FM ser- network that would cover more birthday,theinfantindustry the UK radio industry, and the vice. than 90% of the UK population. looks forward to an unsettling industry's regulator now wants to The Authority'sdocument This option would increase the future, but secure in the knowl- know who should get to enjoy the contains effectively four options (continues on page 23) edge that it is here to stay. view. Some 21 of the local inde- The last batch of FM frequen- pendentcommercialstations cies -105 to 108 MHz-are now have survived from the first 26 free to be allocated and the Radio TROS, Veronica Weigh The Bass Bumpers team licences granted in 1989 and Authority has published a con- Bumpers' TheMusic'sGot local radio has maintained and sultationdocument tohelpit Leaving Public System Me,the German production consolidatedamarketshare decide whether they should go to has finally crossed the channel close to 50% of Irish radio audi- local, national or new intermedi- HOLLAND about going commercial, but adds thanks to a UK remix by Paul ences. ateservices known as"quasi - by Marlene Edmunds that neither broadcaster will leave Gotel. There is now change in the national." the public system unless they are AlthoughtheUKstill air in the shape of a reforming ThoughtheAuthorityhas TROS and Veronica, the largest guaranteed a terrestrial radio fre- remains a hard market to crack Minister for Arts and Culture given until April 22 for submis- and most commercialofthe quency. forContinentalEuropeans, who has called for a review of sions of opinion, national rock Dutch publicbroadcasters,are Veronica and TROS have sev- dance music has proved the broadcasting in Ireland in 1994. stationVirgin1215 AM has once again in talks about leaving eral times created a panic in the (continues on page 24) On the table are the following already started to clamour for a the public system to start up a pri- public system by announcing that (continues on page 23) national FM service which,it vate radio/television venture. they intended to leave it. The last NRK Hans van der Veen, head of time, however, they were categor- SPECIAL external affairs for Veronica, con- ically told by Dutch Minister of PAGE 10-12 firms the two stations are talking (continues on page 24) ACE Berliner Rundfunk Posts No. 1in EUROPE 80% Ratings Gain In Berlin European Hit Radio ADAMS, STEWART & STING GERMANY more than in the MA '93, making All For Love by Miranda Watson itthe number threestation in (A&M) Berlin and number four in the ACE -formatted Berliner Rund- Berlin/Brandenburg region. MD Eurochart Hot 100 Singles funk has emerged as the fastest Claudio Funke says the station ADAMS, STEWART & STING UNLIMITED AWARDS FOR 2 UNLIMITED - Eurochart toppers 2 Unlimit- growing station in Berlin in the made gains in all areas-East and All For Love ed were swamped with some 100 gold, platinum and silver awards at a first intermediate Media Analyse West Berlin and Brandenburg. (A&M) special presentation at MIDEM. Pictured (IA are: Byte co-MDs/co-pro- (MA) ratings for Berlin/Branden- Hot ACE format 104.6 RTL ducers Jean -Paul De Coster and Phil Wilde, Anita and Ray from 2 Unlim- burg published on February 4. also came out well in the new rat- European Top 100 Albums ited and Taco International executives GM Mark de Raaff and MD Ton Berlin is the only area to receive ings, increasing its listenership by BRYAN ADAMS van den Bremer. The duo's latest single "Let The Beat Control You" is this the extra half -year ratings. 23.4% compared to its result in So Far, So Good week's highest entry in M&M's Border Breakers chart (see page 26). Berliner Runilfunk notched up the MA '93, notching up 190.000 (A&M) photo : Chris van de Vooren. 120.000 listeners per hour, 53.000 (continues on page 24) AmericanRadioHistory.Com National Nets Reply To Quotas EUROPE A T A GLANCE UNITED KINGDOM: Minorities Not Satisfied With Radio Choice With Own Music Initiative Black and Asian people are increasingly tuning into pirate radio because they are dissatisfied with the existing BBC and commercial stations, FRANCE port for the development of music, confirmed the continuation of the according to a survey carried out in Birmingham for the nationalCom- by Emmanuel Legrand in particular new artists. The fund "Musiscope Project," a campaign munity Radio Association.More Afro -Caribbean people listened to may well take the form of a label forupcomingtalentinvolving pirate radio (25%) than tuned in to BBC Radio One (22%). Pirates The association of national French awarded to projects originated by heavy radio support, launched in were also listened to by a much larger proportion of the Asian commu- radionetworks,theSRN,is each member of SRN. 1993 in association with retailer nity (16%) than of caucasians (3%). JuliaSullivan responding to the imposition of The five SRN members-ACE FNAC. strict Francophone quotas with its FM networks Europe 2and Fun Radio president Benoit Sil- UNITED KINGDOM: Performing Rights Takings Rise own campaign to support Franco- RFM, Gold Nostalgie and EHR lardislaunchingthe"French The UK's Performing Rights Society increased its income in 1993 to phonemusic.Unveiledduring webs Fun Radio and M40-view Rock Grand Prix" to discover new £155 million (app. US$233 million) compared with £145 million the MIDEM, its members have set up this move as a "positive gesture" unsigned talent in the rock field. previous year, according to the first draft of the organisation's accounts. a fund for music under the banner and a way to "prepare for the M40 president Javier Pons is A spokeswoman for PRS says, "The rise in income was four times bet- "Fondation SRN pour la future." behind a new project called "Rock ter than last year's inflation rate, but a freeze on PRS administration Musique." A seriesofprojectshave en Fac" offering university stu- costs in 1993 means that the increase in the net sum for distribution as The initiative will consist of a already been confirmed: dents a series of free concerts fea- members' royalties beats inflation sevenfold." Jeff Clark -Meads small body offering financial sup- Europe 2 GM Martin Brisac turing new talent Nostalgie GM and newly elect- UNITED KINGDOM: West Wiltshire Licence Up For Grabs ed SRN president Fabrice Larue The UK Radio Authority is re -advertising the licences for the Swin- will be setting up a "Grand Prix of don/West Wiltshire area currently held by Wiltshire Radio PLC, which Knol Leaves DSB French Chanson" to promote new operates UR station GWR FM and Brunel Classic Gold on AM. The French authors and composers. Authority is advertising the AM and FM franchises separately. JCM RFM president Andrew Man- Management -less derstam has decided to focus on FRANCE: Bellay Leaves RMC the international side of French French full -service web RMC no longer has a scheduling director as GERMANY Larsen denied any DSB closure,production by creating "Made In Jerome Bellay, who had been appointed there about six months ago, by Machgiel Bakker saying "it is not true that DSB is France," a contest which will draw has left the station. Bellay is joining leading commercial TV channel closing down or being liquidated." attention to French acts with inter- TF1 to become news director of the new all -news TV channel to be Deutsche SchallplattenBerlin Since the acquisition of DSB national potential. launched by TF1 in September 1994. Bellay was one of the architects of (DSB) MD Jozua Knol has left to from the government in Septem- The general idea of these pro- France Info, the all -news radio station launched seven years ago by become European director ber '91, DSB has been radicallyjects, says Sillard, is "to show that public broadcaster Radio France. Emmanuel Legrand sales/marketing for BMG Clas- restructured, cutting the number radio stations are as committed to sics,effectivelystrippingthe of staff from 220 in '91 to 29 at supporting French speaking music SWEDEN: Rix Airs "Top 40" Show On 13 Stations Berlin -based company of its last present. as record companies." Radio Rix, Sweden's biggest commercial network so far, started airing executive officer. According to Knol, the Brisac is even more straightfor- Shadoe Stevens' syndicated programme "Top 40" for the first time in BMG Ariola Musik strength- remaining personnel have limited ward. He comments, "We are only. Sweden. Radio Rix will feature the four-hour long show on Saturday ened its position in the east Ger- time contracts or have been re- part of a whole process, but we are afternoons on its 13 stations. Alexander Farnsworth man music market last year, with trained to facilitate job changes. the only ones to have been singled the purchase of DSB's pop cata- In addition, there are no outstand-out.