Steve and Karen now on TFM from monday!!

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  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    I nominate the MD of Bauer North East and anyone else who was involved with the Worst Merger of a Radio Station - in the world ever. Part one ?


    Well at lease they didn't send a letter to everyone in the TSA telling.the listeners to "Go F@&k themselfs - You don't warrant your own station any more."

    Even Heart said what they were doing in advance.

    How do you arrive at that conclusion then? As far as things went on air, it was a pretty smooth transition, done over a weekend, with minimal full bar two or three fairly neutral articles in the local press. Not the "worst" of anything by a long shot.

    Plus, TFM kept its name, which is more than Global did with its heritage stations.
  • 96.6TFM-Sean96.6TFM-Sean Posts: 345
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    How do you arrive at that conclusion then? As far as things went on air, it was a pretty smooth transition, done over a weekend, with minimal full bar two or three fairly neutral articles in the local press. Not the "worst" of anything by a long shot.

    Plus, TFM kept its name, which is more than Global did with its heritage stations.

    How do I arrive at the conclusion ? Fair point... I think the answer is simple .. By not being objective and a little disappointed at the loss of Real TFM (hold my hands up)

    Still your point is fair. On a whole I enjoy your posts and contributions on here and agree with more than you would imagine. Cest la vie
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    How do I arrive at the conclusion ? Fair point... I think the answer is simple .. By not being objective and a little disappointed at the loss of Real TFM (hold my hands up)

    Still your point is fair. On a whole I enjoy your posts and contributions on here and agree with more than you would imagine. Cest la vie

    Ahh OK fair enough! Several months before the announcement, I was absolutely adamant that Global would never drop the Radio Trent name. Ever.
  • TUCTUC Posts: 5,105
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    The whole situation shows up he fundamental problem with Ofcom's approach. A key role of a regulator is to make sure that actions for the public good which the market would not choose to do nevertheless still happen. However Ofcom's approach appears to be, if the station can make a good market case for change, they'll allow it-the opposite in many ways to what a regulator should be there for.
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    TUC wrote: »
    The whole situation shows up he fundamental problem with Ofcom's approach. A key role of a regulator is to make sure that actions for the public good which the market would not choose to do nevertheless still happen. However Ofcom's approach appears to be, if the station can make a good market case for change, they'll allow it-the opposite in many ways to what a regulator should be there for.

    But the regulator you want - ie the old "hard line" IBA insisting on lots of PSB - was based of a very different world. In many ways its astonishing that many commercial stations managed to stay on air having launched in the dark economic days of the late 1970s.

    And yet, the present regulator has allowe licences to be advertised in tiny areas that can't possibly sustain a stand alone commercial service - 3TR anyone? Whatever your well intentioned sentiments, this is a business at the end of the day.
  • SouthCitySouthCity Posts: 12,352
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    TUC wrote: »
    The whole situation shows up he fundamental problem with Ofcom's approach. A key role of a regulator is to make sure that actions for the public good which the market would not choose to do nevertheless still happen. However Ofcom's approach appears to be, if the station can make a good market case for change, they'll allow it-the opposite in many ways to what a regulator should be there for.

    This extract explains the background to Ofcom's decisions, which were made in early 2010:

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmcumeds/43/4307.htm

    Basically they were coming under pressure from all sides to relax radio regulation, including the Labour Government of the time (although a Tory Government would have acted in the same way) .
  • leddersledders Posts: 2,186
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    TUC wrote: »
    The whole situation shows up he fundamental problem with Ofcom's approach. A key role of a regulator is to make sure that actions for the public good which the market would not choose to do nevertheless still happen. However Ofcom's approach appears to be, if the station can make a good market case for change, they'll allow it-the opposite in many ways to what a regulator should be there for.

    In an ideal world, the regulator should stand up for the public good. However, when it comes to radio in the UK, sadly, the listener doesn't get a look in.

    It is all about how big companies can make as much money as they want.

    And what are we,the listeners, left with? Garbage, pure and simple.

    The thing is, it is a sad fact that what is being allowed to happen will not be able to be corrected in the future. We are loosing stations simply so more money can be made.

    There is no choice in a lot of areas anymore. It is either the BBC or heart, that's it. People on here seam to think that is acceptable. Oh well!!!
  • MSBMSB Posts: 1,408
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    What "choice" on this forum really means is "why are all the ex-ILR stations broadcasting the same thing?".

    Never cared enough to write to Ofcom to voice your concerns about the Digital Economy Act, and then they wonder where their 'local' station went.

    It's always been the way on these forums. First GWR and Ralph Bernard is the Anti-Christ, now it's Tabor's Global and the Big Bully Bauer.
  • leddersledders Posts: 2,186
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    MSB wrote: »
    Never cared enough to write to Ofcom to voice your concerns about the Digital Economy Act, and then they wonder where their 'local' station went.

    Didn't I? You know that for a fact do you?

    My local station went because of pure greed and what is left does not entertain or inform.
  • MSBMSB Posts: 1,408
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    ledders wrote: »
    Didn't I? You know that for a fact do you?

    That wasn't aimed at you particularly, but since you responded, what did you say to Ofcom regarding the Economy Act? What did they respond with?
    My local station went because of pure greed and what is left does not entertain or inform.

    Ah, yes the big bad wolf ate the gingerbread biscuits... TFM were allowed to merge because of the Ecomony Act. So, what did Ofcom say to you?
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    Some people need to take a reality check.

    There is NO huge army of angry listeners out there demanding that their heritage ILR stations stay as they were 20 years ago. There are not - and never were - vast swathes of letters and emails being sent to MPs and the regulator urging them to oppose format changes or co locations.

    The only memorable public campaign of recent times was the one to save 6 Music.
  • radio ladradio lad Posts: 397
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    Has anyone noticed the slightly different sound this week ? More presenters are saying for example "....if you're listening in the Tfm patch , blah ,blah " and are also , on some occasions, giving out the both station addresses for Facebook and Twitter. Are they a bit more relaxed now or have they stopped pretending to be one station ?
  • darkknight77darkknight77 Posts: 3,430
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    radio lad wrote: »
    Has anyone noticed the slightly different sound this week ? More presenters are saying for example "....if you're listening in the Tfm patch , blah ,blah " and are also , on some occasions, giving out the both station addresses for Facebook and Twitter. Are they a bit more relaxed now or have they stopped pretending to be one station ?

    Something to do with "me" Mark Page's new Teesside station?

    http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/05/mark-page-plans-new-teesside-radio-station/
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    Something to do with "me" Mark Page's new Teesside station?

    http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/05/mark-page-plans-new-teesside-radio-station/

    Wouldn't have thought so given the chance of it getting an FM licence. Good stunt though.
  • simon243simon243 Posts: 3,040
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    Something to do with "me" Mark Page's new Teesside station?

    http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/05/mark-page-plans-new-teesside-radio-station/

    I assume he's talking about a community licence.

    Because surely he can't be expecting that, having made it clear no new commercial FM licences will be advertised, Ofcom will make an exception just for him?
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    simon243 wrote: »
    I assume he's talking about a community licence.

    Because surely he can't be expecting that, having made it clear no new commercial FM licences will be advertised, Ofcom will make an exception just for him?

    Why not? He's just come from a job running the army, or something...
  • Mapperley RidgeMapperley Ridge Posts: 9,922
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    And also


    “I’ve been working on this since the TFM move to Newcastle and have plans in place to operate a trial station followed up by a serious licence bid,”

    So that's what, a whole month of work?
  • Station IDStation ID Posts: 7,402
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    Mark Page is very good at publicising Mark Page and getting something talked about but name me 1 station he's run as a sucessfull business? He;s not got a great track record of running radio stations, yes he ran the army ones but the MOD were paying for them. Every commercial venture he's tried has failed as far as I know and he could probably fundraise and get a community station off the
    ground but that's it.
  • 96.6TFM-Sean96.6TFM-Sean Posts: 345
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    Station ID wrote: »
    Mark Page is very good at publicising Mark Page and getting something talked about but name me 1 station he's run as a sucessfull business? He;s not got a great track record of running radio stations, yes he ran the army ones but the MOD were paying for them. Every commercial venture he's tried has failed as far as I know and he could probably fundraise and get a community station off the
    ground but that's it.

    Just out of interests, what failed ventures have these been ?
    No need I have just looked it up. Interesting.

    https://www.duedil.com/director/916170136/mark-page

    Hartlepool FM Ltd - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
    Radio Perth Ltd - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
    Northallerton FM Ltf - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
    Raf Radio Ltd - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
    Navy Radio ltd - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
    Military Broabcast Group Ltd - Non-Trading Or Ceased To Trade
  • hanssolohanssolo Posts: 22,557
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    simon243 wrote: »
    I assume he's talking about a community licence.

    Because surely he can't be expecting that, having made it clear no new commercial FM licences will be advertised, Ofcom will make an exception just for him?
    He missed out on the timeline for round 3 community licences for the area!
    He could go for the AM licences to be advertised this year or go DAB on the Bauer mux at commercial rates, but he wants FM which will not be issued!
  • 96.6TFM-Sean96.6TFM-Sean Posts: 345
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    hanssolo wrote: »
    He missed out on the timeline for round 3 community licences for the area!
    He could go for the AM licences to be advertised this year or go DAB on the Bauer mux at commercial rates, but he wants FM which will not be issued!

    If think he is interested in a "potential" new license.

    Our local MP and Graham Robb had a meeting with Ofcom ( details can be found on Grahams Blog - i will post a link) - they discussed the possibility of a new license being made available for Teesside.

    http://t.co/pVQZFA4uUT
  • TUCTUC Posts: 5,105
    Forum Member
    But the regulator you want - ie the old "hard line" IBA insisting on lots of PSB - was based of a very different world. In many ways its astonishing that many commercial stations managed to stay on air having launched in the dark economic days of the late 1970s.

    .
    Look at it the other way on-that stations were launched during the very difficult economic conditions of the 1970s with much tougher regulatory requirements than now and yet most survived and prospered.

    There is no inherent reason why they similarl would not survive now-and I am not arguing for the old heavy duty IBA regulAtory regime, only for a regulator to take public service issues, such as having genuinely local broadcasting, into account. Yes there is greater competition than the 1970s but, given that many more stations compete and survive in the large cities compared to he NIH east, it's difficult to ague that there isn't the frequency availability or potential viability.
  • simon243simon243 Posts: 3,040
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    If think he is interested in a "potential" new license.

    Our local MP and Graham Robb had a meeting with Ofcom ( details can be found on Grahams Blog - i will post a link) - they discussed the possibility of a new license being made available for Teesside.

    http://t.co/pVQZFA4uUT

    All credit to them for trying, but I fear they're flogging a dead horse.

    Stranger things have happened as a result of lobbying by politicians, but it was those self-same politicians who set the policy Ofcom is working to.

    So making an exception for Teesside and going against the clearly stated policy by advertising a new FM licence would open all sorts of floodgates.

    Of course any politician is going to make it sound like they're fighting for their constituents and achieving positive change. So they're never going to say "we met Ofcom and they said no so that's it, sorry". They will put a gloss on it and say "we made Ofcom think about their policy and look at the possibility". But that doesn't mean anything will happen.

    The reality is Teesside is not a special case. Many other sizeable towns and cities have lost their "local" stations and are now only served from out-of-area - Derby, Leicester, Peterborough, Northampton and Milton Keynes spring to mind. Teesside is better served by commercial radio than them.
  • 96.6TFM-Sean96.6TFM-Sean Posts: 345
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    simon243 wrote: »

    The reality is Teesside is not a special case. Many other sizeable towns and cities have lost their "local" stations and are now only served from out-of-area - Derby, Leicester, Peterborough, Northampton and Milton Keynes spring to mind. Teesside is better served by commercial radio than them.

    That's a fair point.
  • leddersledders Posts: 2,186
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    simon243 wrote: »
    The reality is Teesside is not a special case. Many other sizeable towns and cities have lost their "local" stations and are now only served from out-of-area - Derby, Leicester, Peterborough, Northampton and Milton Keynes spring to mind.

    Quite. And the funny thing is people see this as progress. Lets deny the listener of choice seams to be the way forward. It's rather sad really.
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