Global dominance
pjex
Posts: 9,377 Forum Member
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Is there a reason why Global are allowed to own 73% of the commercial stations with an analogue licence covering the London area;
Global; Capital, Capital Xtra, XFM, Heart, Smooth, Gold, LBC, Classic FM
Bauer; Kiss, Magic, Absolute
Shouldn't the licences be shared out a bit more to avoid one company owning 8 stations and only having 2 commercial players in the UK's biggest radio market.
It's much more split in other cities e.g. Birmingham where you have 3 players involved Orion, Bauer and Global.
Global; Capital, Capital Xtra, XFM, Heart, Smooth, Gold, LBC, Classic FM
Bauer; Kiss, Magic, Absolute
Shouldn't the licences be shared out a bit more to avoid one company owning 8 stations and only having 2 commercial players in the UK's biggest radio market.
It's much more split in other cities e.g. Birmingham where you have 3 players involved Orion, Bauer and Global.
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Classic FM isn't a local license like the others so shouldn't be really included.
Indeed what Global wants it generally gets they have been allowed to ruin UK radio. They takeover and then crucify. Ofcom has been an almost walkover its pathetic.
An almost walkover really? They bought radio stations 2 years ago and only now xan they actually do anything with them. That's some walkover. Although Ofcom were fine with the deal the op's point has nothing to do with Ofcom.
Indeed, from the Competition Commission report:
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/assets/competitioncommission/docs/2012/global-radio-gmg/130521_global_radio_gmg_final_report.pdf
page 60
While not London wide there is also London Greek Radio, Time 106.6, Time 106.8, Time 107.3
And if your counting AM and DAB (i presume you are if you are including Gold) London French Radio, Sunrise, Premier and London Turkish as well as Gaydio.
Then of course the ultimate Global/Bauer merger might happen.
All this of course will be justified because you have adequate competition from the BBC.
Did Time 107.3 not close a couple of years ago?
http://www.warc.com/LatestNews/News/Regulator%20Predicts%20Slow%20UK%20Radio%20Consolidation.news?ID=14844 How wrong they were that radio groups (with owners outside the UK) would not lend money to take over stations, so now in 2014 there are 2 large commercial radio groups left owning most of the radio stations.
Then of course the ultimate Global/Bauer merger might happen.
Yep that's what happend in tv..It became just Carlton and Granada..Now it's just ITV!
Only a matter of time before it happens in radio!
Yes but they got what they wanted in the end they now dominate UK commercial radio its not good.
At the moment there are still competition rules ensuring there are other local ad sales outlets, which is why Global were not allowed to fully take over GMG and Global will not be able to takeover Bauer radio.
Ad agencies will want to ensure these are kept in place so they can have competition to get best ad rates.
As listeners it is important these rules still remain.
So for instance, some Heart stations in the south could go to UTV and Orion, some of those in the Midlands (except 100.7 as that was the original one) could go to Media Sound Holdings or UTV, some of those in the north could go to Media Sound Holdings, Orion and Celedor and those in the west could go to UTV. In effect if a regulator forced Global to sell some of its assets off it would reduce the Heart Network to nothing more than a 10 station network.
Plus it would give a reasonable mix of owners in other areas, you will have noticed that I haven't included Communicorp as they're in partnership with Global.
Under the current rules one commercial group would have ended up with the majority of listeners and Global was in the right place at the right time with rich backers to do it.
Yes but what ever happened to Tyne Tees, Ulster, Southern, LWT, Central? I'm thinking these tv stations were all absorbed into 2 then just one giant ITV company, and I firmly believe one day virtually all commercial radio will be owned by just one maybe 2 groups..Which i don't believe is good for the future of radio!
They're certainly not in it for the long-term.
Yup, April 2009, as did Time 106.8.
I agree that the Hearts & Capitals being most of the commercial choice in some areas is a bit dull, however I wonder if local stations would survive. Local radio is dying in many cases. Just not as many people listen now with the abundance of mobile devices, Spotify, iTunes, etc, etc. Music you control and no ads if you just want a jukebox. UKRD have done a good job of keeping their stations local whilst being a good company to work for. However, try listening to Eagle for 2 hours during the day. After the endless adverts, most of which are repeated several times an hour, you'll end up tuning away.
What makes you say that? Ashley and Richard are two of the most passionate radio people I know.
Many local stations have been squeezed by the addition of regional stations which should never have been licenced. It was a layer of broadcasting that simply wasn't necessary and has left smaller operations unable to compete.
Such a shame then they cant be inspirational and creative with the output isn't it!
Instead we have "groundhog day" FM, with music research tested on people who don't really have an interest in music!>:(
Such passion!:(
You don't need to have an "interest in music" to listen to the radio. You don't need to have an interest in baked beans to shop in a supermarket. You don't need to have an interest in engines to drive a car.
Over 20 million people listen to Global radio stations every week. They're not necessarily looking for what you term "inspirational and creative" output. They want songs they love and are familiar with. Music research is carried out on these people, not those who know about obscure Meat Loaf b-sides or post on the radio forums of Digitalspy.
The majority of managers at commercial radio stations are passionate about making their business a success, both for advertisers and listeners. They do that by creating popular radio that attracts the demographics advertisers want which in turn makes more money for the company.
It amazes me that, with all your experience of commercial radio you've failed to grasp this simple concept.
I should also point out that Richard Park has an encyclopedic knowledge of music. However, he doesn't let his personal taste get in the way of his business decisions. Which is probably why he is where he is today.
That may be and I'm not going to suggest otherwise - but in the end Global’s UK companies are ultimately owned and controlled by the Jersey-based Global Radio Group Limited.
In turn this company is 99% owned by a British Virgin Islands-registered company called Global Radio Worldwide Limited. The other 1% is owned from London by Ashley Tabor in a personal capacity.
The decision will have little to do with Tabor and Park If and when the beneficial owners of Global Radio Worldwide Limited decide to sell on.
http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/800277/silent-face-global-radio-emerges 6 years on and they are still investing for the long term.Possible they may sell out to one of the international radio groups like RTL, NRJ or Clear channel, but does not look like it at the moment.