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AM/FM Newsletter Number Two — Spring 1991

Welcome to the second in an series of occasional newsletters from AM/FM. We've received several requests for features that wouldn't easily fit on the phonelines, so now seemed a good time to publish another issue.

This newsletter is also being sent out to everyone that was on the TX / Radio Today mailing list. So, it's possible that some of you reading this will be hearing about AM/FM for the first time. You'll find information about what AM/FM is about on the right and there should be a handy card listing all our services in the envelope you've probably just binned...

Note that unlike many lines, AM/FM has no long introductions and messages aren't padded out with waffle. You just get the information you want, clearly and succinctly. And remember, calls to AM/FM don't cost you a penny if you phone from work!

Five Years on the Phone

This April marks the fifth anniversary of when I first began a service of London radio news on the telephone. Yep, I can't believe it either! The Infoline originally began as a service for readers of TX / Radio Today. In the early days there was just one minute to try and cram in as much news as possible — never easy. Sadly, Radio Today folded in `88 due to a lack of time and (especially) money, though the Infoline continued. To pay for the running costs, the service moved over to premium charged numbers in September `89.

Blowing our own trumpet time: We've taken over 125,000 calls in our five years online... If you heard every update you'd have listened to around 33 hours in total... We're probably one of the oldest telephone information services in the UK that's still operational... We've outlasted two radio news magazines and several other newsline attempts... We're currently the only media source that brings together all the London radio news in one place... And we've got a pretty good record for breaking stories and, I hope, quality reporting... Think that's enough ego inflation for one day.

Coming Up

Not everything is happening on the phones. There are two long term projects I'm currently looking at. First are compilation tapes featuring the best bits from London's pirates in the eighties — and maybe earlier. There's a lot of great stuff sitting in the archives that deserves another airing. If you've got any tapes you think would be of interest, then let me know. I'm even willing to pay hard cash for the best!

Next is a possible book charting the influence of the second wave of pirates on Britain's radio. This probably won't see the light of day for some time though.

Last year I looked into producing a one-off magazine to tie up some of the loose ends that were left when Radio Today died. Although there was a good response from AM/FM callers interested in buying it, sadly I wasn't able to get enough support from people to help produce it. Looks like all magazines about radio are doomed to fail...

New on AM/FM is our weekly look at programmes on a different station every week on the BandScan. A new competition has also just been introduced on the RePlay. Give it a go!

Finally, if you'd like a copy of the next newsletter, completely free of charge, call us and leave your name and address — it's only the price of a local call anywhere in the UK.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hebditch.

Service Guide

AM/FM NewsLine — 0836 404550

The most comprehensive and up-to-date news source anywhere about radio in London. We cover everything of interest to the young radio listener, with particular emphasis on new radio. From Capital to Caroline, Kiss to Kent, LBC to LGR, Chiltern Supergold to Veronica Supergold, One to 252 and everything inbetween. Updated Monday and Thursday.

AM/FM BandScan — 0836 404551

Focussing each week on a different station and their deejays and programmes. Plus occasional full bandscans listing all the stations you can hear in London and their formats and frequencies. Updated Friday.

AM/FM TalkBack — 0836 404552

A sort of non-live chatline or letters page — it's much easier to get the idea of what TalkBack's about by calling. When you do you'll hear messages from DJs and radio fans, like you, talking radio. You can see some of the things we've been recently talking about later in the newsletter. At the end, there's an opportunity to leave your own message, maybe about something you've heard or something new. You don't have to speak, you can just listen! Updated Wednesday.

AM/FM RePlay — 0836 404553

Exciting mixes of classic airchecks from London's airwaves along with occasional trips around the wonderful world of US radio. Plus, there's a chance to win UKP 75 if you answer the questions correctly in our radio brain competition. Updated Tuesday.

Channel Hopping

Have you got one of those phones that makes a different bleep when you press each key? Most company phones, all cellphones and many modern press button phones have this facility — though you may need to press the `*' button first.

With one of these `touch-tone' phones you can jump between all the different AM/FM services without having to redial. Here's how it works. Just dial any of the AM/FM numbers. Then, while the message is playing...

Press 2 to hear AM/FM NewsLine.
Press 4 to hear AM/FM BandScan.
Press 6 to hear AM/FM TalkBack.
Press 8 to hear AM/FM RePlay.
Press 5 to leave us a message.

Wiping Out The Pirates

Along with the new laws to bring in new Independent Radio stations were tough new laws against the pirates. These are aimed at cutting off all funding and support for the stations and inflicting the maximum amount of damage when a pirate is raided.

There are four main acts of Parliament concerning unlicensed broadcasting: The Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949; The Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1967; The Telecommunications Act, 1984 and now The Broadcasting Act, 1990. This has six main sections relevant to illegal broadcasting.

Section 168 makes it an offence to control or be in possession of a transmitter if you, or someone else, intends to use it for unlicenced broadcasting. Previously, there were some cases where a transmitter could be legally owned even though it might be used illegally.

Section 169 makes it an offence to allow your premises to be used for unlicensed broadcasting or controlling unlicensed broadcasting. This means that if you lease out an office to a pirate to run their operation from, or you let them stick a rig on your roof then you can be prosecuted.

Section 170 prohibits a number of things that could be used to help unlicensed broadcasting as follows:-

Being involved in the management, financing, operation or day to day running of an unlicensed station. Previously staff not actually broadcasting were largely exempt.

Supplying, installing, repairing or maintaining transmission equipment.

Providing a service to a station that will help it in its operation. This could be a telephone company supplying a pirate with phones or pagers, letting a pirate use your address for mail or even the LEB supplying power.

Supplying a station with records, tapes or other sound recordings or scripts. This can be used against record companies giving stations records for airplay.

Making an artistic work knowing that it might be illegally broadcast. This could be used against jingle companies supplying station IDs or DJs submitting taped shows.

Participating in an unlicensed broadcast.

Advertising on or selling advertising for an unlicensed station. Another new law prevents pirates trying to get round this by using pay-for-play / `powerplay' type schemes where record companies pay to get their product aired.

Publishing the times or other details of unauthorised broadcasts. This has already been used by the DTI to prevent AM/FM carrying pirates on its BandScan station listings.

Publishing an advertisement which directly or indirectly promotes a station. No more '...and featuring Friends FM's DJ Hype' on nightclub flyers.

Section 172 brings in new laws to allow courts to seize equipment when someone has been found guilty of unlicenced broadcasting. This includes vehicles, vessels, aircraft or other structures — so offshore radio stations can have their ships seized. Any transmitters used or equipment used to build a transmitter can be seized. All studio equipment can also now be seized, along with all records, tapes or other sound recordings present. Previously, what equipment was seized frequently depended on the court.

Section 173 allows the use of `reasonable force' in entering and searching premises suspected of being used for unlicenced broadcasting. Warrants no longer have to list all the people involved in a search.

Finally, section 89 bars anyone convicted of unlicensed broadcasting after 1 January 1989 from holding a radio licence or being employed by a radio station for five years.

To make them readable, these descriptions of the new laws have been simplified — so don't take what we've said as gospel. If you want to find out the exact laws relating to unlicensed radio, you need to read the original Acts (HMSO: 081 873 0011). You may also need a solicitor...

London's New Radio

In a little under two and a half years, London has gone from having just three local stations to fourteen. After a bit of prodding, the IBA decided in 1989 that they could look at the rules a different way and bring in new choices on the airwaves. From January 1st, the part of the IBA that dealt with radio became the Radio Authority. This new body aims to bring in new stations wherever it can to help widen listening choice.

One of its first tasks was to annouce three new Independent National Radio (INR) stations. The first of these is for a `non pop music' station to broadcast between 99 and 102 FM. This seems likely to be either a popular classical station or an easy listening station. Melody Radio has been tipped as a likely winner (Conspiracy theory #1: Before swapping with Kiss, Melody were originally given the 100 FM frequency, right in the middle of the FM INR band — was this in readiness for them winning the INR licence?).

The decision over what kind of music should go on FM angered a number of groups who wanted to run a rock station aimed at the baby boomer generation (Conspiracy theory #2: The Government want to privatise Radio 1 and having another pop station would lower how much cash they could get for it).

As part of the Government's wish to avoid simulcasting, the BBC are giving up the AM frequencies used by Radio 1 and Radio 3. These will be used for two INR stations. The Radio 3 channel will be first and is to be used for a speech station. LBC are the most widely tipped winners here.

Radio 1's two AM frequencies will come available later, once One FM has completed its FM network. They will probably go to a pop(ish) station. However, not many groups think an AM channel is very attractive for this. A recent report in the States gave AM there just five more years until it is no longer commercially viable.

As well as the three big national licences, the Radio Authority are advertising local stations at the rate of around 30 a year. The first 27 areas have just been announced. In the South East these include Harlow, St Albans & Herford, Sevenoaks & Tonbridge Wells and Slough & Windsor in the South East. The aim of the first licences has been to bring in Independent Radio where it doesn't already exist.

No licences for stations in big cities are to be announced until after the winners of the INR licences are known. That means no more London stations until at least next year. However, there is another problem which will delay London getting any more radio: a lack of spare frequencies. There will be no free Londonwide FM frequencies until 1996, when 105-108 FM finally becomes available for broadcasting. For low power broadcasting, there are understood to be only two or three FM frequencies currently available and a slightly larger number on AM.

The Radio Authority has been putting the blame for this problem on the BBC. They say their use of low power FM relays to fill in areas with bad reception wastes large numbers of frequencies. The BBC has also perhaps been overkeen to protect its part of the waveband. However, many people wouldn't be happy to lose BBC radio so someone else can have another station just because they happen to live behind a hill. Perhaps the large space to be consumed by the FM INR station would be better used for local services, especially as it seems no-one is interested in applying and fewer still in listening.

Another problem which could slow down new stations is the current recession. Radio was at a high when the plans for new stations first began to take shape. By the time they became reality advertising was down, existing stations were laying off staff and few people wanted to invest in new stations. The few stations that do have money are taking advantage by buying up many of those that don't.

The radio revolution, if it does really happen, won't be as speedy as some people thought.

AM/FM TalkBack

To give you a taste of what AM/FM TalkBack is about, here's a sample of some of the messages we've carried over the past couple of months. Call 0836 40 45 52 and you can hear the latest messages. If you want to you can add your own message at the end about something you've already heard, perhaps something in the newsletter, or maybe start a completely new topic.

Does BBC Local Radio Have A Future?

Quite frankly I think we should just nuke the whole of BBC Local Radio and the BBC and put Saddam Hussein in charge of the whole lot and we could have Scud Radio. [``Hot hits all through the night, Scud FM''?]. Very much enjoy your phone-in.

Rod from Kent.

The Future Of Pirate Radio

We've got no plans whatsoever of closing down as basically I feel no-one's going to get a licence. None of the pirates are going to get a licence unless they've got some hard hitting money behind them. We ourselves plan to keep on broadcasting as long as possible.

A spokesman for Chilling FM.

It's been about three weeks since I heard a pirate station on the air apart from those garbage things that come on on Sundays. I'd just like to say to everyone from Radio Veronica and everyone from RFL: isn't it about time that you lot gave up? You just sound so dry. Who wants to hear a crap personal stereo going round and round with the same old rubbish. I can't imagine many people do. I think you should give up even though you are doing pirate radio still. If there's some good pirates out there, come back on as we're all waiting to hear from you.

Tony from Wimbledon.

The airwaves are extremely quiet, everyone seems to have bottled out. What I'd like to see is some form of people getting back on the air peaceably and searching for that neighbourhood licence. I think it's a terrific idea if people can get together a nice community type of radio — a genuine community radio which deals with local issues as well as playing all types of different music and entertaining the public to what they expect to come from radio stations.

George from Tooting.

Kiss FM

I don't see why there should only be one dance station in London. Kiss is a good station at the weekends but in the daytime it's pure crap — it's commercial music. I reckon that in 10 years time Kiss is just going to be like another Capital Radio playing commercial music like The KLF, etc. I would like there to be another station a little bit like Choice FM but not so commercial as them, a more underground station to satisfy us young people.

Peter from Peckham.

I've been listening to Kiss because I haven't been working this week and I'd like to say that whoever it is that's been doing mornings in place of Madhatter Trevor [T Harris?] sounds pretty good. It would improve Kiss if they had him on instead of Madhatter Trevor as I don't think the morning slot really suits him. He's not a bad deejay but he should be at a different time of the day instead.

Tony from Wimbledon.

More Album Music On Radio One

I'm a bit worried about Radio One's plans to feature more album music. Will this be DLT / Richard Skinner type music all day? If it will then it's going to sound rather like a national version of GLR really. If they're going to play more album tracks then maybe those from soul artists or other types of music. Something different from the normal middle-aged rock music that you hear as album tracks.

Peter from Basingstoke

I think Radio One should be broadcasting more album music. Although the really big sellers over a long period of time tend to be established rock artists there should be no reason why other album music shouldn't be played. Dance music sells well on album too — look at Snap and The Happy Mondays to take two extremes.

Alex from Whetstone

LBC'S Big Name Presenters

I think this thing of having big stars on a station depends a lot on the producers. I think people like Angela Rippon and Michael Parkinson are good presenters but they may not be interesting people when they're doing a show by themselves. TV presentation is very different from good radio presentation. On The Superstation when they first started they had TV people like Ruby Wax and Jonathon Ross and I don't think it really worked. I can understand why other staff might get annoyed when these people are getting huge salaries and don't really seem to be doing their job very well.

Kenread from Leamington Spa.

London Station Guide

198 LW BBC Radio Four: News, features & drama.
252 LW Atlantic 252: Continuous pop hits.
558 AM Spectrum Radio: Multicultural programmes for London.
603 AM Invicta Supergold: Oldies for Kent.
630 AM BBC Radio Bedfordshire: BBC Local Radio for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
648 AM BBC World Service: News, features, music, drama.
693 AM BBC Radio Five: Sport, education & young people's programmes.
720 AM BBC Radio Four: News, features & drama (Central London only)
729 AM BBC Essex 765 AM BBC Essex: BBC Local Radio for Essex.
774 AM BBC Radio Kent: BBC Local Radio for Kent.
792 AM Chiltern Supergold 828 AM Chiltern Supergold: Oldies for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
909 AM BBC Radio Five: Sport, education & young people's programmes.
990 AM Spectrum Radio: Multicultural programmes for London.
1035 AM BBC Radio Kent: BBC Local Radio for Kent.
1053 AM BBC Radio One 1089 AM BBC Radio One: Pop music.
1152 AM London Talkback Radio: News & phone-ins.
1161 AM BBC Radio Sussex: BBC Local Radio for Surrey & Sussex.
1215 AM BBC Radio Three: Classical music & serious speech.
1242 AM Invicta Supergold: Oldies for Kent.
1323 AM Southern Sound: Pop for South Sussex.
1359 AM Breeze AM: Easy listening for Essex.
1413 AM Sunrise AM: Asian programmes for West London.
1431 AM Breeze AM: Easy listening for Essex.
1431 AM Radio 210: Pop for Berks.
1440 AM Radio Luxembourg: Nightime pop.
1458 AM GLR: Adult rock and local news for London.
1476 AM First Gold Radio: Oldies for Surrey.
1521 AM Radio Mercury: Pop for North Sussex.
1548 AM Capital Gold: Oldies.
1584 AM Airport Information Radio: Travel news at Heathrow & Gatwick.
89.1 FM BBC Radio Two: Easy listening music
91.3 FM BBC Radio Three: Classical music & serious speech.
93.5 FM BBC Radio Four: News, features & drama.
94.9 FM GLR: Adult rock and local news for London.
95.2 FM BBC Radio Oxfordshire: BBC Local Radio for Oxfordshire.
95.3 FM BBC Essex: BBC Local Radio for Essex.
95.5 FM BBC Radio Bedfordshire: BBC Local Radio for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
95.8 FM Capital FM: Pop.
96.3 FM Essex Radio: Pop for South Essex.
96.4 FM County Sound Premiere: Pop for Surrey.
96.7 FM BBC Radio Kent: BBC Local Radio for Kent.
96.9 FM Choice FM: Soul for South London.
96.9 FM Chiltern Radio: Pop for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
97.0 FM Radio 210: Pop for Berks.
97.3 FM LBC Newstalk: News & phone-ins.
97.6 FM Chiltern Radio: Pop for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
98.8 FM Radio One: Pop.
100.0 FM Kiss FM: Dance music.
102.2 FM Jazz FM: Jazz.
102.4 FM Southern Sound: Pop for South Sussex.
102.6 FM Essex Radio: Pop for South Essex.
102.6 FM Fox FM: Pop for Oxford.
102.8 FM Radio Mercury: Pop for North Sussex.
102.9 FM Radio 210: Pop for Berks & Hants.
103.1 FM Invicta Radio: Pop for Kent.
103.3 FM London Greek Radio: Greek programmes for North London.
103.3 FM WNK: Soul for North London.
103.5 FM BBC Essex: BBC Local Radio for Essex.
103.8 FM BBC Radio Bedfordshire: BBC Local Radio for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
104.0 FM BBC Radio Sussex: BBC Local Radio for Sussex.
104.2 FM BBC Radio Kent: BBC Local Radio for Kent.
104.5 FM BBC Radio Sussex: BBC Local Radio for Sussex.
104.5 FM BBC Radio Bedfordshire: BBC Local Radio for Herts, Beds & Bucks.
104.9 FM Melody Radio: Easy listening music & light classical evenings

As reported earlier in the AM/FM Newsletter, we are now forbidden to carry listings of unlicensed radio stations. So much for freedom of the press...

Edited by Stephen Hebditch, with thanks to Ken North and Chris England.