I think you willl find that the format shown was in fact an updated one in that document. I have the previous ones on file and am not aware of any UTV changes up to the point when they sold the station. The last format issued was in 1999.
Whoever changed it is not important, the fact that it was changed fairly significantly is noteworthy. It's rather strange that the format printed in the consultation differs from the one that governed Q96 for a long time previously.
Interesting.
I identified a seachange in Q's music policy from the point at which Gary Burgess took over as PC in February 2003. Suddenly Q, having been re-named back to Q96, started playing a great deal more currents, and a bigger variety of currents than had been the case up until then. Examples included bands such as Tatu, Feeder and of course Red Hot Chillis with their "Zepphyr Song" (I would swear Paul McLoone played that ruddy song every time I tuned into him for almost a year!)
I believe the rationale behind it was to make Q's USP it's local content rather than its music, and a starightforeward hits and oldies playlist would give it broader appeal than a "classic hits" format. It was an interesting theory, but unfortunately it came at a time when Clyde 1 and Real decided battle it out with similar music policies.
Am I not right in thinking though, that at the time of the original Paisley licence contest in 1992, the Glennifer Sound/First FM bid in fact proposed something similar.....a broad-appeal 50/50 split of current/contemporary hits and classic oldies with lots of local content......but the then Radio Authority awarded the licence to PLR on the basis that their quality classic hits-led proposition offered more broadening of choice?
Could it be that at the stroke of a pen, the regulator may have effectively allowed Q to adopt the format proposed by the main losing bid in 1992? I would be interested to hear wavejockglw's views on this topic.
Could it be that at the stroke of a pen, the regulator may have effectively allowed Q to adopt the format proposed by the main losing bid in 1992? I would be interested to hear wavejockglw's views on this topic.
But the regulator has been quite clear that the music content of small scale licences is not really important to them - it is the local content that distinguishes them from their larger heritage competitors. 30% or 45% currents hardly changes the broad character of a service.
You will note that there has been a formal consultation on the move to Bailleston, for example, because it directly affects the local nature of the licence. But the change in music format, which arguably will make the biggest difference to what comes out of the speakers, is a commercial decision, about which Ofocm takes
no interest.
Great idea to launch with the same song as a defunct station. Suspect no-one but the anoraks like us will notice though, so I don't think they'll be too concerned.
Good luck with that. I think it's going to be Scotland all the way, with a very rare Renfrewshire and Glasgow statement. I suspect the only meaningful reference to Paisley or Renfrewshire is likely to be local news and traffic - they're going to try and bury that as far as they can.
Little test for the regulators then - and for the people who complained about QFM last time around.
Website has launched - seems rather basic at this stage it must be said, but then they're not building on any existing national templates. Tom Russell looks terrifying.
Website has launched - seems rather basic at this stage it must be said, but then they're not building on any existing national templates. Tom Russell looks terrifying.
Looks like the weekends will be largely automated too.
Looks like they've gone for a soft launch tonight with Kieron the first presenter going live tomorrow morning.
You have to ask what's the point in launching at 6pm if you won't hear a jock on air till tomorrow breakfast? Surely a "proper" launch at peak morning listening time would be better?
Interesting - GMG are not going to push the boat out on this station. It's only going to be live 6am-6pm. 6pm-6am is down as "6-2-6 Non-Stop Rock".
Not many surprises in the schedule.
6am-10am Kieron Elliott on breakfast
10am-10.40am Non-stop rock
10.40am-2pm Tom Russell
2pm-6pm David Grant (except he's now become David "The Captain" Grant, for some unexplained reason)
Weekend:
6am-9am Wild Willie (?)
9am-10.40am Non-stop rock
10.40am-2pm David Grant (Saturday), and a much moodier looking Ciaran O'Toole on Sunday.
2pm-6pm Head the Baw (presumably some Rock n Roll Football hybrid) on Saturday, 2pm-4pm Rock A-Z and then 4pm-6pm Rock Chart.
Is that it for tonight then? Non-stop music for another 12 hours?
I smell a yellow card coming if the website and the on-air identification is anything to go by.
You're having us on aren't you? Since when have Ofcom issued yellow cards on the basis of the content of websites?
The on-air branding alone wouldn't get them a warning either. Real Radio's on-air branding clearly refers to an all-Wales station even though it never gets any further north than Aberystwyth or Brecon on FM.
The format refers to local news provision for the Paisley area (amongst other things) and it's on that basis that they will be judged by Ofcom.
i wish them luck but really automated output from 6pm!,does drivetime finish by then in scotland?,no need for any live information or travel,i dont think anyone else automates before 7 do they?.
Comments
I identified a seachange in Q's music policy from the point at which Gary Burgess took over as PC in February 2003. Suddenly Q, having been re-named back to Q96, started playing a great deal more currents, and a bigger variety of currents than had been the case up until then. Examples included bands such as Tatu, Feeder and of course Red Hot Chillis with their "Zepphyr Song" (I would swear Paul McLoone played that ruddy song every time I tuned into him for almost a year!)
I believe the rationale behind it was to make Q's USP it's local content rather than its music, and a starightforeward hits and oldies playlist would give it broader appeal than a "classic hits" format. It was an interesting theory, but unfortunately it came at a time when Clyde 1 and Real decided battle it out with similar music policies.
Am I not right in thinking though, that at the time of the original Paisley licence contest in 1992, the Glennifer Sound/First FM bid in fact proposed something similar.....a broad-appeal 50/50 split of current/contemporary hits and classic oldies with lots of local content......but the then Radio Authority awarded the licence to PLR on the basis that their quality classic hits-led proposition offered more broadening of choice?
Could it be that at the stroke of a pen, the regulator may have effectively allowed Q to adopt the format proposed by the main losing bid in 1992? I would be interested to hear wavejockglw's views on this topic.
What time is it launching at on the countdown it says
1 hour 46 min 50 sec are that launching it at 5pm
http://www.rockradiofm.co.uk/
That would make it 6pm for launch time Dave
But the regulator has been quite clear that the music content of small scale licences is not really important to them - it is the local content that distinguishes them from their larger heritage competitors. 30% or 45% currents hardly changes the broad character of a service.
You will note that there has been a formal consultation on the move to Bailleston, for example, because it directly affects the local nature of the licence. But the change in music format, which arguably will make the biggest difference to what comes out of the speakers, is a commercial decision, about which Ofocm takes
no interest.
60 seconds now.
Little test for the regulators then - and for the people who complained about QFM last time around.
Website has launched - seems rather basic at this stage it must be said, but then they're not building on any existing national templates. Tom Russell looks terrifying.
Looks like the weekends will be largely automated too.
You have to ask what's the point in launching at 6pm if you won't hear a jock on air till tomorrow breakfast? Surely a "proper" launch at peak morning listening time would be better?
Not many surprises in the schedule.
6am-10am Kieron Elliott on breakfast
10am-10.40am Non-stop rock
10.40am-2pm Tom Russell
2pm-6pm David Grant (except he's now become David "The Captain" Grant, for some unexplained reason)
Weekend:
6am-9am Wild Willie (?)
9am-10.40am Non-stop rock
10.40am-2pm David Grant (Saturday), and a much moodier looking Ciaran O'Toole on Sunday.
2pm-6pm Head the Baw (presumably some Rock n Roll Football hybrid) on Saturday, 2pm-4pm Rock A-Z and then 4pm-6pm Rock Chart.
Is that it for tonight then? Non-stop music for another 12 hours?
"We're a brand new station broadcasting across Scotland that launched on Monday 8th January 2007."
Are they nuts.....?? You cant get the thing past Langbank!!
I smell a yellow card coming if the website and the on-air identification is anything to go by.
Any one think thay will pull the listeners in. Where will Willie Doherty be he said he was going to there.
I am sure Kieran said in the first link he was overnights but the website doesn't back that up. He is probably "Wild Willie " on weekend breakfast.
The on-air branding alone wouldn't get them a warning either. Real Radio's on-air branding clearly refers to an all-Wales station even though it never gets any further north than Aberystwyth or Brecon on FM.
The format refers to local news provision for the Paisley area (amongst other things) and it's on that basis that they will be judged by Ofcom.
[URL=]http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/formats/al141-2.doc[/URL]