Hard News // Big Stories

The latest about radio in London

Pirates Face £400,000 Crackdown

The Government has announced major new action aimed at ridding the airwaves of unlicensed stations.

DTI minister, John Butcher, announced that £400,000 is to be invested in the Radio Investigation Service, the department that keeps the airwaves free of unauthorised users. He also appealed for pirates to stop broadcasting following the Government's announcement that it is to bringing in new laws to allow the licensing of many new stations.

However, most pirates remain sceptical, especially as it will be at least late 1989 before the first licensed stations come on the air. One station manager told Radio Today 'That's what we did last time and look what happened: they cancelled the Community Radio Experiment. If they think we'll fall for that one again they've got another thought coming. There's no way we're leaving the air until they come up with an alternative'.

IBA Accused of 'Scuppering Radio Plans'

Potential radio operators have accused the IBA of trying to sabotage the Government's plans by letting Independent Radio stations make changes ahead of new legislation.

Stations are to be allowed to broadcast split frequency services, with Capital Radio aiming to operate its Sunday only CFM service 7 days a week by the Summer. Most other Independent stations are also splitting their AM and FM services, afraid that otherwise they will lose one of their channels. In addition, Capital and LBC have both doubled their transmitter power.

The Government were being pressed to stop companies owning more than one station in the same market and to limit the power of stations to more sensible coverage areas. It seemed likely that they would accept these proposals, which would free frequencies for new stations and make competition between stations fairer.

Many potential broadcasters say that Independent stations should, like them, have to wait until the Government's radio proposals come into effect next year. They feel that these changes will set a precedent, making it difficult to change things afterwards.

Arrest Warrant Over Horizon

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Horizon Radio boss Chris Stewart over unpaid fines and costs relating to unlicensed broadcasting.

The fines are understood to date back to a court case in 1985, following a raid on the studios of Horizon Radio in the autumn of 1984. At the time Horizon was one of London's most successful unlicensed stations. Chris Stewart is understood to be currently in Spain where he is involved with commercial radio there.

Laser Ship to be Scrapped

The MV Communicator, former home of Laser 558, is set to be scrapped in the latest development since the station left the air over two years ago.

After the close of Laser 558 the boat was sold to East Anglian Productions, well known for their offshore radio merchandise. They spent a year renovating the boat before selling it to a Panamanian company who brought the station back on the air as Laser Hot Hits. They then hit financial difficulties after technical failures on the ship meant very few programmes got out.

A new group then became involved, run by an English evangelist who planned to run two services from the boat: Starforce 576 with a Hot Hits format and Harmony 981 with MOR and religious programming. Problems then arose over the deal; a large sum of money from the new project went missing and questions over who actually owned the boat arose. These lead to two boarding parties claiming and reclaiming the boat.

The Communicator was brought in to Harwich on 3 February after supplies of fuel, water and food ran low. Customs and DTI officials visited the vessel and the transmission equipment was made unusable. The evangelist is reported to be selling the boat for scrap, to try and recover some of the money he has lost in the project.

Government Announces Radio Explosion

The Government has announced a massive explosion in the number of radio stations which will be licensed.

There will be 3 new national stations and a large number of new local and community stations under the control of a new radio authority. Stations will be lightly regulated: left to themselves for day to day running unlike existing Independent Radio stations which have to submit plans to the IBA for approval. A White Paper will be published at Easter which will set out in detail the plans. This will then be presented to Parliament as a Bill in the Autumn and could become law by Summer 1989. The first stations could then be licensed and on the air by the end of 1989. We take a look at the proposals in more detail on page 8. of this issue.

Anger Over Rough Roots Return

Renegade reggae station Roots FM has been at the centre of a row over its high power transmissions on the frequency used by Solar 93 since its return a year ago.

Not only have listeners to Solar suffered major interference, but Radio Four has also been blotted out by Roots FM's back-to-back reggae in many parts of London, leading to a massive protest by listeners.

Solar has also found its transmission equipment sabotaged on several occasions, many people linking this to Roots FM.

Update

Radio Three is to introduce new programmes in an attempt to widen their audience and reach younger listeners.

The first all-day pirate radio news service arrived with the launch of News Music Radio on 89.6 FM. The station began broadcasting at the end of last year, but in view of forthcoming licensing and the DTI's efforts to clampdown on pirates NMR has now closed.

DFCM, the new project from the people who started RFM has finally taken to the air on Sundays on 105.5 FM playing heavy rock with a minimum of chat.

While Deptford based Rock To Rock were being raided in January, police reportedly sealed off the roads leading to the tower block they broadcast from. The station has been hit continuously since the start of the New Year.

London's most popular rock station Alice's Restaurant returned for a special 7th anniversary broadcast on January 2nd and 3rd. Despite an encouraging response they do not have plans to return on a permanent basis.

Tony Blackburn stormed out of the studio in the middle of a recent show on Radio London, complaining he could no longer stand the noise of building work in a next-door studio.

The BBC World Service has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

Raiders FM have increased their power and extended their broadcasting hours. All their DJs, some of the most professional outside the legit system, are now sponsored by small businesses.

Radio Caroline is back on higher power following the erection of a new aerial system.

New black music stations on the air in London since the last issue include PRS FM, Ice FM, Classic Radio, Radio Galaxy, Groove Radio, Ram Jam Radio, Passion Radio and Roots FM. Several more new stations hope to begin broadcasting as we go to press, including Phoenix Radio and Good FM.

Hits FM threatened to close down after having their equipment continually stolen by another station, but due to overwhelming support from listeners, are now back on the air.

The Home Office has announced new rules for special event radio stations, with higher powered AM and FM licenses now available for up to 4 weeks of broadcasting for a specific site at an event.

Recent surveys put up to 70% of listeners tuning in on FM, with AM rapidly dwindling.

Rumours are spreading once more of a new offshore radio station, to broadcast from the MV Nannell, now sitting in a Spanish port half equipped for broadcasting.