I seem to have spent the week reporting news from the UK radio industry. Well, I wanted to highlight a comment on an old radio entry – Long Wave Is The Home Of Hit Music. Simon Hardwick posted to say the Atlantic 252 tribute site is now up and running. Take a look, it’s great and features some great audio which will take you right back.
Countdown to Civil Partnership: According to TheCelebrityCafe.com, George Michael and partner of nearly ten years, Kenny Goss, have announced their plans to wed in early 2006 in a small private ceremony.
George Michael and partner of nearly ten years, Kenny Goss, have announced their plans to wed in early 2006 in a small private ceremony.
Congratulations.
2005: Flickr Christmas: Advent Is Here
2003: A New Month
2002: Christmas Comes But Once A Year
2002: Link and Think
Advent Flickr: 
“holiday” tree, originally uploaded by wcityw.
I admit it. I love Christmas and I have no shame in saying that. I just find myself with a big grin on my face at all the decorations around town. Even those houses that have too many lights on them and appear to be using half of the power from the national grid make me smile. It’s such a shame that I even have to get up and go to work at all. I could wander round looking at all the advent calendars and jolly Santas! There’s no humbug here.
2005: Civil Partnership: George Michael To Wed
2003: A New Month
2002: Christmas Comes But Once A Year
2002: Link and Think
On Monday I mentioned Capital Radio’s decline in the London market but completely missed the comment piece by Paul Robinson on The Guardian’s site. He notes that slashing commercial hours could ‘knock about £7m off Capital’s top-line revenue in 2006’. This I find interesting. Reducing commercial clutter (as it’s called) will hopefully drive bigger audiences. Reduced commercial airtime also makes those ads that are aired stand out more. Won’t advertisers end up paying a premium for this? Maybe not in the short term but I would have thought that in the long run it could work. But then again, what do I know?
Countdown to civil partnership: According to Times Online, Rabbis from Britain’s Jewish community have become the first mainstream religious grouping to authorise a gay marriage service. Liberal Judaism, which counts Michael Howard and Michael Grade among its adherents, has produced a new liturgy, Covenant of Love, to coincide with the Civil Partnership Act, which takes effect on December 5.
I noted some newsworthy stories about the radio industry yesterday but forgot to mention another from last week. When I was a child, my favourite radio station was Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio. To me, it was the most exciting station in the world. Pete and Geoff, who I mentioned yesterday, started their award-winning partnership on that station. It’s now Key 103 and last week was fined the biggest ever financial penalty imposed by a regulator on a UK radio station [source]. Nothing really to add to that but I wanted to note it.
Countdown to civil partnership: According to BBC News, ‘Next of kin’ rules will now be crystal clear: a doctor will no longer be able to deny someone their rights because they don’t approve of their lifestyle. I wonder if that’s what will happen in practice?
2005: Fined. Big Time.
When I first came to London, everybody listened to Capital Radio. Everybody talked about whatever Chris Tarrant did in the morning. That was a very different radio world with much less competition in the London market. Right now, I don’t know anybody who listens. Last week, GCap Media – which own Capital FM (as it’s now known)- announced a slump in profits and has promised a radical overhaul of the station. The new management are blaming the old management for the slump. Well, I guess they would, wouldn’t they?
In other news, Pete and Geoff announced they are going to split their award winning partnership and only one of them is to stay on at Virgin. I only listen to part of their show each day but have always found them quite good listening.
2006: Our Masks
2005: Civil Partnership: Update From Scotland
2004: Oh the fun I’m having…
2004: Gary Lucy’s Birthday
2003: Pop TV
2003: Linguistic Sensitivity
Countdown to Civil Partnership: A survey for the Scottish Sunday Herald, yesterday, of local authorities has revealed that councils have received 143 provisional bookings for registering civil partnership ceremonies in the run-up to December 5, when the new law comes into force. Edinburgh City Council has the most applicants, with 59 couples registering their intent to take advantage of the new legislation. [more at the Sunday Herald]
2006: Our Masks
2005: All Change At Capital
2004: Oh the fun I’m having…
2004: Gary Lucy’s Birthday
2003: Pop TV
2003: Linguistic Sensitivity
Countdown to civil partnership: A survey of lesbian and gay people shows that many are still unaware about same sex civil partnerships less than two weeks before the Act comes into effect on December 5, according to Westminster City Council. The first same sex civil partnership ceremonies will take place on 21 December. Westminster City Council Register Office has over 100 bookings and the first couple, Roger Lockyer and Percy Stevens will register their partnership at the Register Office at 8am.
2004: I Found Some Of Your Life
2003: Snow is Oslo?
2003: Happy Thanksgiving