Wessex FM was finally rebranded to Greatest Hits Radio at 6:00am on 1 September 2020. "What the BBC does have is an unrivalled platform," says Kanter. "I can see their point. I have been a listener for over 40 years and am going nowhere. It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at The Forum in Norwich. To see that station sign off today is heartbreakingbut it only hurts because it was so special. Bidding a farewell to her 19-year-old job as a QVC host, Gracie addressed the update as . (And thus became a shoo-in for a BBC announcers job). The BBC 5 Live presenter was accused of mocking the duchess's racial heritage. The current state of the media industry means it could be difficult for staff to find jobs elsewhere, with many of the affected stations located in mid-sized settlements where there are no other stations. PLEASE admit it was wrong to lose the local side to Heart!! Ben Hull in Coronation Street: Where have you seen Sarahs business contact before? Thanks to Christian Spooner.#aircheck #radio pic.twitter.com/3UXxwkciDz, Aircheck Downloads (@airchecks) August 28, 2020, New audio @niavee at Mix 96 Aylesbury (Aug 28th 2020).#aircheck #radio pic.twitter.com/BxkNV3Ueva, New audio @adammorris85 and Morning Matt at Eagle Radio Surrey & East Hampshire (Aug 28th 2020). Veteran broadcaster Steve Allen announced he is leaving LBC radio station last week after 44 years, to the disappointment of his . Eagle Radio breakfast presenter Peter Gordon has signed off for the last time, ahead of the stations rebrand to Greatest Hits Radio in a few weeks time. He joins a presenting line up including Penny Gore, Tom McKinney, and Fiona Talkington. Elsewhere, Craig Charles lost his weekend Radio 2 show (although he is staying on 6 Music). Content is similarly tailored to such listeners. How can I put it politely? Time for some decency, and time for overpayed Stalinists like Alan Davey to walk the plank! From the Lebrecht Album of the Week: This, The mayor of Strasbourg has announced that the, The Spanish violinist Roxana Wisniewska was officially posted, We hear that the new principal conductor of. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. What percentage does Slater and Gordon take? 2023 BBC. The Local Radio Company then sold Fire 107.6 to Westward Broadcasting in June 2009. Over the next five years, she went from nights to mornings to middays before claiming mornings for good in 2013. . Local journalist and travel reporter roles on the stations are likely to be largely unaffected by the decision, with the national programmes cutting away to offer local news bulletins. The shadow culture minister, Chris Matheson, raised concerns about the decision. Piers Morgan says Susanna Reid has an unrequited love for him, Gemma Collins turns to Kim K as she starts surrogacy process. Working for a large organisation does not mean one or in this case a presenter is good. His great personality will be largely wasted on Afternoon Concert. Thank you Ian for some enjoyable,lifting mornings !!! That belonged on the old Third Programme. Even Heart shifted to very modern music in recent years. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 152,000 listeners and a 5.9% share as of September 2021. Getting impartiality right can be tricky - people on both sides of the political divide regularly complain the corporation is biased in favour of the other. Add your comment below. We can only hope that Georgia grows into the job. RadioToday has estimated that the current total of approximately 200 on air presenting roles across the former Wireless, UKRD, Lincs and Celador stations will be cut to around 40, with Greatest. Schedule changes are also sometimes made, controversially, for reasons of diversity. Chacun a son gout, I suppose, but for me Georgia Mann is one of the most irritating and patently least knowledgeable presenters on R3 . Bauer said the decision would provide the optimum mix of local content that listeners highly value alongside content from nationally known presenters, while also providing significant scale for advertisers. There have been multiple letters to Haaretz and other newspapers. It was a terrible mistake to force the BBC to reveal its top talent salaries, and I suspect this problem will only get worse.". Mann/Klein Ah. They added: Youre losing listeners in droves!!!! DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. Alan Davey, Controller, BBC Radio 3 says: We wanted to make the most of two much-loved voices on Radio 3 and refresh the daytime schedule. "We must remember we are talking about human beings, at the end of the day, who want to stay in a job they enjoy doing, who are experienced and talented in their field," notes North. They have two sons and a daughter. Where are greatest hits radio . The changes are being made to make way for Bauers Greatest Hits Radio brand taking over many local radio services next week. What frequency is Greatest Hits Radio on? We are still waiting for the government to confirm what support will be provided as advertising revenues plummet across the industry. The County Sound network joined forces with Radio Mercury in 1991 to form Allied Radio. Its been downhill since the departure of Rob Cowan. His sense of fun and gently cheeky humour has been such a delight, and his knowledge of classical music and performance has filled many an hour with interest and entertainment. @iancrouch_radio @StuartMcGinley @milly_luxford pic.twitter.com/4PpT4NTxd0, Stagecoach South (@StagecoachSouth) August 28, 2020. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". I'm on 6 Music six days a week [but] the Radio 2 show was performing well," he said earlier this week. How can I listen to Greatest Hits Radio? Because people forget that Prince Charles is a musician, and he listens to Radio 3 when he can. "It would be criminal if you inherited Radio 2 or Radio 4 and you let it wither," he told BBC News earlier this week. Mark is here every weekday with the Top 10 at 10 and every weekend with The Smash Hits Chart Show. Bauer would not comment on the number of jobs that would be affected by the decision, although the industry news site Radio Today estimated about 160 of the 200 on-air presenters across the stations were facing redundancy, without taking into account off-air support staff and producers. In some cases audiences may rise, and in others they may fall. Audio: Radio presenters say goodbye before GHR arrives. Replaced by two big names who certainly dont need/suit this job at all, we miss our personal, lovely presenters! Broadcaster and writer Ian Skelly has been a familiar voice on BBC Radio 3 for the past 20 years, presenting various programmes on the station, covering a wide range of repertoire from early music to contemporary. He continued hosting his film show on Radio 5 Live with Mark Kermode, but that was recently poached too, by Sony. Mayo was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Perhaps the departures that attract the most uproar are when a presenter doesn't want to leave - but the BBC is looking to appoint someone new who will attract younger listeners and viewers. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Had to give her the bad news. My wife who was a eagle radio fan ,always had on in the car and kitchen ,for the travel news,has changed station saying what has happened to Eagle? Fire Radio and Sam FM from Bristol is merging with Bauers Bournemouth to create a brand new radio station. Whenever he was due to take a break, he always said where he was going and what he would be up to while away.. Not a word this time. Im currently listening to IS and realise that I shall miss his positive but unobtrusive manner. Great team.. Now, how they do it, who they choose, when they choose - that's where the argument comes. Why shouldn't the BBC do that more often, and let long-established names leave? Simon Mayo. Eagle Radio was purchased by Bauer Media in 2019 along . These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Personally I find Skelly highly irritating: his cheeky-chappie attitude grates and his attempts at wit mostly fall flat. The station went through a transitional period where its playlist was changed over to the 70s, 80s and 90s era, and jingles changed to reflect the station playing "greatest hits". Its all good cuz I'm a WALL ST Bets Degenerate Ape & that pays an ass-load better. When he left, Marr said he was looking forward to "getting his voice back" - a reference to impartiality rules at the BBC. Fake cadences and top note squeaking is irritating beyond measure; talk properly and clearly as a present ought, thats all we ask surely? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cant help but smile. Andy now runs his own studio doing voiceovers for radio & TV and producing many actors & sports stars voice sessions. Gusher Main-Spout!!! Dozens of Bauer-owned regional stations will be rebranded under the Greatest Hits Radio name from September. After studying English Literature at Cambridge University, she began her radio career as a reporter at BBC Three Counties Radio, going on to produce Radio 4s Front Row for several years. It ceased broadcasting on 6 September 2021 when it rebranded to Hits Radio Bristol & The South West. I have to agree with the pro Skellers above. Wessex FM before its closure Until its closure on 31 August 2020, it had a reach percentage of 42%. Get real time updates directly on you device, subscribe now. For my part. She will continue to present live events, including the Proms. Kam has been a Presenter at Sam FM (Thames Valley) since 9 September 2019. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Auditions are clearly not behind a screen. So Mendelssohn composed Des Knaben Wunderhorn? If youd like to join in, please sign in or register. Announcing his exit from weekday afternoons earlier this year, Steve Wright said: "My friend and boss Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said she wanted to do something different in the afternoons." I've been VERY lucky. Good luck with claasic fm etc all those who say they are leaving. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The station changed its name from 96.4 The Eagle to 96.4 Eagle Radio in February 2007 and later changed to solely Eagle Radio. Living-Candle-2934 1 mo. Weve seen many messages on social media from presenters and listeners marking the day, too many to list in one article. The station was acquired by Celador Radio on 7 September 2010. Both stations will continue to provide local news, information, traffic and travel as well as work with Bauer charity, Cash for Kids. hey ho. The stations will still be obliged to broadcast some regional content in order to meet the requirements of their licences. In 2018, the BBC forced Mayo to share his hugely popular Drivetime show with Jo Whiley, to get a female presenter on the Radio 2 daytime schedule. I think it is fairly obvious what is going on here. Interesting to see how R3 can stir and divide opinion. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Some people do like the change though, with one listener tuning in especially from Lanzarote to tell Amanda she was sounding blooming fab! Bauer Media announced the takeover of 56 radio stations back in May, as they planned to rebrand 49 of them under a universal banner of Greatest Hits Radio, reducing local content. Maitlis, meanwhile, was told off for impartiality breaches during her time at the corporation. This time, Bauer incorporate more of their new acquisitions into their branded world after a journey which, thanks to the competition authorities, has been more protracted than any sane person would have wished. Were also on 103FM in Manchester, on 97-108FM on the South Coast, on 107.6FM in Bournemouth & Poole and on 106.5 in Bristol. Addressing Radio 2 listeners in the Radio Times, former BBC producer Trevor Dann said: "If you're seething about the high-handed way the bosses are treating you, don't bother writing to complain, because they don't care what you think. . "But there are lots of other tensions at play," Kanter continues. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. On Wednesday, March 1, Gracie used her social media accounts to inform her followers about the layoff. Kam is a Presenter at Greatest Hits Radio Swindon. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The stations topical imaging are voiced by actor and comedian Gareth Hale (of Hale and Pace ). His first words on the station were Hey, Ive landed, referencing Neil Armstrong use of the Eagle has landed. His wit and charm seem effortless. Andrew Collins announces his departure from Classic FM, Its The End for Ken Bruce as he says goodbye to BBC Radio 2, Kenny Allstar named as host of new BBC Radio 1 Rap Show, Tindle Media Group acquires ten per cent stake in Podcast Radio, Ricky Wilson to host keynote session at the Student Radio Conference, Lincs FM to lose its FM frequencies for Greatest Hits Radio, Greatest Hits Radio to replace KISS in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Nation sells Channel Islands DAB multiplex to Tindle CI Broadcasting, Strike action coming to Local BBC Radio following official ballot, Alton Andrews signs up for the new Red Rose Radio, BBC Radio 4s Carolyn Quinn leaves the BBC after 36 years, Morning presenter Steve Allen has hosted his last show on LBC, RB1 Radio is changing its name to Rotherham Radio, Seven new Assistant Commissioners appointed at the BBC, RadioToday is part of the TodayToday network, We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Bring back the breakfast show on Heart and keep Kent happy in the mornings!. Read about our approach to external linking. The BBC's VR programme, a result of cost-cutting measures and a drive to move more staff out of London, has seen many experienced producers and journalists leave - a brain drain that often goes underreported compared with the departures of celebrities. O dear whenever Georgia Mann is on I miss Ian Skelly even more! At the time of writing, the petition had already been backed by almost 6,000 radio listeners up and down the country, with one saying that "Heart has no heart without its local presenters". Joe Ferguson Kev seed James klass Suzie Smith Pea teller Rick vaughn Paul jordan John ohara Brian moore Rock fm: rob Charles, Danny bee, Mark Paxton, Dave Miller, Mark kaye, Sally stone, Paul. Below: Peter Gordon and Bev from the breakfast show, leave Eagle Radio, 7th August 2020. The range of opinions on Ian Skellys defenestration shows that taste differs hugely. Peter Gordon does final show on Eagle Radio after 25 years Eagle Radio breakfast presenter Peter Gordon has signed off for the last time, ahead of the station's rebrand to Greatest Hits. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Every time there are changed on R3 there is a flurry of folk who dont like change. What do you think of the decision to axe the local breakfast shows and replace them with Amanda and Jamie from London? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. owner John Walenga Today PG ended his breakfast show with the words: After landing all those years ago, its time for me to take off again. He said: This kind of erosion of local independent broadcasting, with stationsassimilated into larger groups, means they losetheir distinctive and important voice. i feel sorry for the loyal Eagle presenters if they are passed over for complete idiots like alex lester! What is it like to be a Classic FM presenter? Skelly is the urbane co-presenter of Radio 3's mid-morning weekday show. The whole demeanour of R3 is unfortunately changing, with more rubbish programmes being added, such as Piano Flow, Classical Fix, and Gameplay with Baby Queen. The number of these changes, and the speed of them, can drive audiences up the wall. Most solicitors, who may advertise a No Win, No Fee service, charge their clients a success fee of up to 25% of the damages awarded. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, says: "Because the BBC was forced - partly through a campaign driven by a self-interested press - to reveal top salaries, its commercial competitors know exactly where to pitch their offer. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Simon Mayo described it as an "annual turkey shoot", while Graham Norton said it was "not comfortable and not nice". Paul O'Grady left Radio 2 after management forced him to share his slot with Rob Beckett, Sopel and Maitlis will not be as restricted by impartiality rules at Global as they were at the BBC, Graham Norton still hosts his BBC One chat show, but left his Radio 2 show to join Virgin Radio, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has stayed at the BBC - but taken a pay cut, After Christine Bleakley left The One Show, the BBC hired the relatively unknown Alex Jones (pictured), Steve Wright has hosted his weekday afternoon show on Radio 2 since 1999, Craig Charles said of his Radio 2 departure: "They couldn't give me any reason other than, they just wanted a change", Former Radio 2 host Simon Mayo described the star salaries' publication as an "annual turkey shoot", Vanessa Feltz (pictured with partner Ben Ofoedu) waved goodbye to the BBC for a new job at Talk TV, 'Trump or bust' - grassroots Republicans are still loyal.