#commercialradio — Public Fediverse posts

Commercial Radio fined HK$120,000 for failing to run daily reports

A Hong Kong radio station has been fined HK$120,000 for failing to broadcast certain hourly news and weather…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #AU #Australia #commercialradio #CommunicationsAuthority #Entertainment
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/884052/

Commercial Radio fined HK$120,000 for failing to run daily reports

A Hong Kong radio station has been fined HK$120,000 for failing to broadcast certain hourly news and weather…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #CA #Canada #commercialradio #CommunicationsAuthority #Entertainment
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/887498/

https://www.europesays.com/ie/?p=677693 Commercial Radio fined HK$120,000 for failing to run daily reports #CommercialRadio #CommunicationsAuthority #Éire #Entertainment #IE #Ireland #Music

Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Models and the Radio Industry…

Earlier this year, February the 13th to be exact, I joined some festivities to mark annual World Radio Day. What is World Radio Day? Click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Radio_Day.

And there’s the UNESCO site – which explains a bit more… https://www.unesco.org/en/days/world-radio.

In case you’re wondering, everyone has their day. For example, May the 4th is International Firefighters’ Day and they won’t thank you for making some unnecessary Star Wars joke. And since you ask, Sherlock Holmes Day is on May 22. But he’s fictional. Anyway, back to reality.

I have firm views about letting a computer write or create anything without the control of a human. So, next month I’ll be sharing my thoughts on radio and AI.

It’s a new mini-series, written by my human hands, to be read by you – also human. Sign up now. The essays are based on my contribution to an online academic seminar on World Radio Day 2026 mentioned above. The UNESCO theme was “AI is a tool, not a voice” and without giving much away I’m vehemently opposed to any non-human intervention in the creative process of radio broadcasting. Subscribe in the box on this page to find out more.

Meanwhile, some thoughts and gleanings. Topics here include money, critics, writers, drugs, bad management, and ancient college libraries.

But first, I’ve been lamenting what’s become of my old professional corner of the Beeb: Local Radio. Read this article I published on Substack (free of charge) and let me know your thoughts.

https://open.substack.com/pub/martincooper/p/bbc-local-radio-the-fight-for-survival?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

In the real world of journalism, reporting for radio and TV is often a challenge. It certainly is for the BBC’s man in Moscow who apparently reminded one political commentator of a squirrel… and not in a nice way. Read this and make the picture in your own mind.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20g25w8j0xo

And at The Economist newspaper Robert Guest, one of the Deputy editors, recently said this:

“You can learn a lot about politicians from their attitude to journalists. I interviewed Sweden’s prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, when he was the leader of the opposition. He showed up at a cafe without an entourage or bodyguards, answered all my questions in flawless English, then politely excused himself after an hour to go to his next appointment. Contrast that with, say, a Sudanese minister who shouted and jabbed his finger in my face, refused me permission to visit Darfur and ordered me to write that his government was committing no human-rights abuses there whatsoever. (Of course, I wrote the truth instead.)”

You can read about the newspaper’s reporting on global press freedom, but it’s behind a pay wall, here: https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/02/05/as-global-press-freedom-dwindles-corrupt-politicians-rejoice?utm_campaign=shared_article

Spoiler alert if you can’t afford the subs: “Journalists are often flawed, and many people distrust them. But if they cannot do their jobs, the world will be worse-governed.”

Now, to the subject of money and expense accounts. One of my favourite BBC Radio comedies is Ed Reardon’s Week. This quote is from series 14 episode 1, called “Prosecco o’Clock”, and first broadcast in 2021. At 16:40 there’s the following exchange where they’re discussing powerful assertive statements. Ed begins by offering the simple exclamation:

Ed Reardon: “NO!” That’s the most powerful word in the English language!

Jaz Milvane: I think you’ll find it’s “per diem”.

To add some context, Reardon is a failed writer with just one episode of Tenko to his name, whilst Milvane is a tasteless film director who says he misses shouting, “And cue the dolphins…!”

Ed Reardon is played by Christopher Douglas, Jaz Milvaine is Philip Jackson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_jw8jsrOMo

And the keen eyed will notice that the characters’ names are lifted from George Gissing’s 1891 novel New Grub Street, which explains a lot.

Then there’s one of my favourite quotes about this creative business of ours.

Kenneth Tynan was someone who made his own name in broadcast history once upon an evening on live TV in the 1960s. Look him up to find out what he said. But one of his calmer quotes was:

“A critic is a man who knows the way but can’t drive the car.”

That can be found in “Critic Kenneth Tynan Has Mellowed but Is Still England’s Stingingest Gadfly” by Godfrey Smith in The New York Times (9 January 1966).

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/05/10/specials/tynan-gadfly.html

Thirty-three years before, Ernest Hemingway wrote a short story (in 1933) about how radio listening could become addictive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gambler,_the_Nun,_and_the_Radio

“The Gambler, the Nun, and the Radio” explores how we all have an obsession, an opium, if you will. For some it’s gambling, for others it’s the radio… But his story reflected the eternal fear of new tech (think of the recent moral panics over video games, mobile phones, social media, and so on). Hemingway was writing when radio had only just reached 10 years of age. Still new and scary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Short_Stories_of_Ernest_Hemingway

Meanwhile, here’s a cautionary tale of when radio becomes a challenge. And sometimes for the wrong reasons. It may be vulgar advertising, or it could be the way the money doesn’t add up. Scottie McClue and Derek Hatton. Management beware…This video is about Century Radio (Manchester) and is from the BBC2 series Trouble at the Top.

https://youtu.be/k2Ypl5klOgo

And finally, a mention of my books. One about radio, the other about the railways.

Both are now in my old library at Jesus College, Cambridge… which I’ve mentioned in passing here:

https://prefadelisten.com/2026/01/14/encouragement-for-writers-and-radio-stars-like-us-in-these-straightened-times/

The College Library catalogue link is Radio’s Legacy in Popular Culture: the Sounds of British Broadcasting over the Decades: https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/permalink/44CAM_INST/rmisas/alma991013200942903606

And, Brazilian Railway Culture: https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/permalink/44CAM_INST/rmisas/alma9954083333403606 .

The latter is also at the big Cam Uni Lib, on the 6th floor of the South Wing last time I looked.

Or, if you want to buy them, read on and click the links below.

What we say on-air – and what others say about us as we speak through the microphone into the aether – is a recurring theme of my radio book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/radios-legacy-in-popular-culture-9781501388231/

Radio’s Legacy is the story of radio’s first 100 years as told through literature, movies, pop songs and art. You can get a preview – before you buy – about my methods. This link takes you to Chapter One – which is available to look at for free online: https://bloomsburycp3.codemantra.com/viewer/61c091c7

My railway book is Brazilian Railway Culture. Available here. https://amzn.eu/d/00BJUlaX

Thank you for reading. Do sign up (also for free) to receive a new piece, around the 14th of every month. If you spot a typo, you can win a pen. Let me know. And if you’re a bot, please stop scraping.

https://www.europesays.com/ie/341502/ CRA appoints head of commercial strategy #CommercialRadio&Audio #CRA #Éire #Entertainment #HelenaO'Dowd #IE #Ireland #LizzieYoung #Music #nine

New upstarts clobber complacent commercial radio industry two-decade market monopoly : 1973-2005 : Independent Local Radio, UK

The UK commercial radio industry has grown dramatically since the first station launched in 1973. The history of the industry can usefully be divided into two chapters:
1. 1973 to 1990
At the beginning of this period, local commercial radio stations were opened only...[continues]
#BBC #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #radio #media #broadcast
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2025/10/new-upstarts-clobber-complacent.html

CRA calls for laws to stop Aussie stations being buried in cars

Share Tweet Share Email Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) is urging the federal government to legislate protections that…
#NewsBeep #News #Music #ABC #AU #Australia #CommercialRadio&Audio #cra #EdisonResearch #Entertainment #LizzieYoung #RadioApp #SBS
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/94173/

The birth and near death of licensed black music radio in London : 2010 : Choice FM, London

31 March 1990 was the memorable day when London‘s first licensed [South London community of interest] black music station, ‘Choice 96.9 FM’, arrived on-air. Until then, the availability of black music on legal radio had been limited to a handful of... [continues]
#commercialradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #London #media #regulation #music #pirateradio #radio #reggae #soul
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-birth-and-near-death-of-licensed.html

Also, a different station appears to have fixed their labor problem with DJs, the DJ chatter they had on the air was EXACTLY THE SAME as from a month or so ago... same chit-chat about the same topic from that DJ. I have had my suspicions that particular radio station is 99.9% automated, and that confirms it. #commercialradio

Sacked by a boss desperate to steal my success : 1991 : Gordon McNamee, KISS 100 FM, London

It was a little after seven o’clock in the morning when the phone rang. Normally, I would already have been out of bed by that hour on a weekday. However, the previous night’s ‘DJ meeting’ [open to all 44 KISS FM... [continues]
#career #commercialradio #GordonMcNamee #GrantGoddard #KISS100 #localradio #London #pirateradio #radio #broadcasting #radiostation #media #job #work
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/05/sacked-by-boss-so-desperate-to-steal-my.html

Stoking the star-maker machinery behind the popular song : 1980 : Kate Bush, EMI Records & Metro Radio

“I’m SO sorry,” I grovelled to the petite musician on whose foot I had just accidentally trodden. We were stood side-by-side in the record library – my ‘office’ – of local commercial station ‘Metro Radio’ in Newcastle. Kate Bush was kindly... [continues]
#career #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #KateBush #localradio #MetroRadio #music #radio #reggae #EMI #job
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/04/stoking-star-maker-machinery-behind.html

Mining for radio news in an editorial black hole : 2004-2007 : Paul Boon, The Radio Magazine

Magazine editors. What do they do? “They create editorial calendars, develop story ideas, manage writers, edit content and manage the production process…” according to Google. Makes perfect sense. Except sometimes…

Journalism started for me in 1976 when I... [continues]
#career #commercialradio, #GrantGoddard #media #regulation #Ofcom #PaulBoon #radio #media #journalism
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/02/mining-for-radio-news-in-editorial.html

Some men see things as they are and ask "Why … change?" : 2003 : Neil Stock, Ofcom

A colleague would arrive at my workplace some Mondays with evident cuts and bruises. A tragic case of domestic violence? No. He was a loyal fan of Millwall Football Club, a team characterised by its “historic association with football hooliganism” (Wikipedia). Did I overhear... [continues]
#career #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #media #NeilStock #Ofcom #radio #RadioAuthority #regulation
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/02/some-men-see-things-as-they-are-and-ask.html

The media analyst in the cupboard : 2006-2009 : Claire Enders, Enders Analysis

“CRUELLA DE VIL”, our teacher had chalked onto the blackboard at the front of our classroom hut. We had been reading aloud excerpts from the 1956 children’s novel ‘The Hundred and One Dalmatians’ and were completing our lesson with content analysis for ten-year olds... [continues]
#career #ClaireEnders #commercialradio #EndersAnalysis #GrantGoddard, #mediaanalyst #media #radio #job #work
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-media-analyst-in-cupboard-2006-2009.html

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no regulation : 2003 : Dumfries & Galloway licence, The Radio Authority

When my wife took a job at the United Biscuits factory in Harlesden, she understood she would be making ‘Digestives’ … and she was correct. When I took a job at The Radio Authority, I anticipated I would be regulating Britain’s commercial radio... [continues]
#career #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #media #radio #RadioAuthority #radiostation #media #job
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2024/01/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil-speak-no.html

One little indie music show : 1980-1981 : Saturday night 10 to midnight, Metro Radio

“You will present a weekly two-hour rock music show on Saturday night,” my manager informed me.

No if’s or but’s. No offer over which to mull. No demo tape to produce. No question asked about previous... [continues]
#career #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #indiemusic #KISSFM #localradio #MetroRadio #music #Newcastle #radio #broadcasting #radioindustry #radiosector #radiostation #media
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/11/one-little-indie-music-show-1980-1981.html

Knock me down with a mugger : 1986 : Share A Capital Christmas, Capital Radio, London

Blam!! A sudden force on my back knocked me over in a second. No time to figure out what had just happened. I was sprawled front-down on the floor with a weight on my back. I shouted. People around me screamed. I could sense a... [continues]
#CapitalRadio #career #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #London #radio #radioindustry #radiosector #radiostation #media #broadcasting
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/10/knock-me-down-with-stalker-1986-share.html

Radio is my bomb? : 2003 : the DAB digital radio customer complaint hotline, The Radio Authority

The Bomb Squad arrived in vans, ran into the Holborn office block and up its staircase to the eighth floor. We watched events unfold from the car park below, the assembly point to which our... [continues]
#commercialradio #communityradio #DABradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #London #mediaregulation #radio #RadioAuthority #radioindustry #radioregulation #radiosector #media
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/10/radio-is-my-bomb-2003-dab-digital-radio.html

Baby, we were bored to death : 2000 : FM radio station market, Toronto

Why does Toronto have such insipid and boring radio? Our city is vibrant, artistic, culturally diverse and entertaining, so why is none of that reflected in our uninspired radio stations? Travelling in Europe and North America as a radio consultant, I listen to a lot... [continues]
#Canada #commercialradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #music #radio #broadcasting #radioindustry #radiosector #radiostation
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/09/baby-we-were-bored-to-death-2000-fm.html

Don’t play that song for me : 2004 : unusual FM radio formats, Phnom Penh

Here in Phnom Penh, there are seventeen radio stations on the FM dial, even though Cambodia’s capital city has a population of less than a million. But you are more likely to hear a song by Britney Spears or Madonna on the 'BBC World Service' (100 FM here) than on any of... [continues]
#Cambodia #commercialradio #communityradio #GrantGoddard #localradio #radio #broadcasting #radiostation #media
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/08/dont-play-that-song-for-me-2004-unusual.html

One small step for radio, one giant leap for black music radio in London : 1990 : KISS 100 FM launch day

The final few days before KISS FM’s official launch were a blur of frenetic activity and outright panic. It was only at this late date that construction of the three studios was completed by the contractor... [continues]
#commercialradio #GrantGoddard #KISSFM #localradio #London #music #pirateradio #radio #broadcasting #radioindustry #radiosector #radiostation #media
https://peoplelikeyoudontworkinradio.blogspot.com/2023/08/one-small-step-for-radio-one-giant-leap.html

Do people even like music? A question I was forced to ask myself when reading some radio play statistics. So here’s a piece I wrote on that for Rock At Night magazine: https://www.rockatnight.com/2023/07/do-people-even-like-music/ #DoPeopleEvenLikeMusic #music #CommercialRadio #statistics #radio #musicindustry