Radio News

Making waves: the radio DJs changing the way men talk about mental health

By blending banter with heartfelt discussion, rising radio stars John Robins and Elis James have created a forum that allows men to open up about masculinity and mental health – with jokes attached. In the two days between the announcement that their weekly Radio X show would be ending and the final broadcast, comedians John Robins and Elis James received 110 pages of emails from their listeners. One of the emails they read out in that final show in April, from a fan called Frank, said the show had been his...

Broadcasters unite once again for Mental Health Minute

Commercial Radio and the BBC are once again uniting to broadcast a one-minute message in support of mental health awareness. For the second year Mental Health Minute will feature globally famous voices and unite stations all over the UK, from national networks such as those run by Global, Bauer and Wireless, to smaller local stations and community stations, together with BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, and 5 Live.

Frequency swap for Panjab Radio and Love Sport approved

Ofcom has approved a Format change for Panjab Radio and Love Sport to swap frequencies in London, after a consultation. The move will give Panjab Radio more coverage across Greater London on 558AM, whilst reducing Love Sport’s output to the North of the capital via 1584AM. Surjit Singh Ghuman MBE, Managing Director Panjab Radio told RadioToday:...

JACK Radio to start live daytime spiritual show

JACK Radio has hired Spiritual Counsellor Margaret Bowman and Clairvoyant-Medium Ruth Phillips to front a new show each lunchtime called Universally Speaking. The live programme will air each weekday from 11am till 1pm, and focus on the mind, body and spirit, offering listeners the opportunity to learn about elements including meditation, mindfulness and tapping into their own intuition.

Frank Skinner joins Radio Festival 2019 line-up

Absolute Radio’s Saturday morning presenter Frank Skinner will appear at the Radio Festival this year in conversation with fellow comedian and presenter Matt Forde. Frank will talk about his decade on-air, why he’s most like his real self when he’s behind the microphone and why his is the only radio show to feature an AE Housman alarm. Also just confirmed, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Drive show presenters Anna Foster and Tony Livesey will be the hosts of this year’s event, which takes place at the British Library on 13th May.

Amanda Holden to join Jamie Theakston for Heart UK Breakfast

Heart’s new national breakfast show will be presented by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden when it starts on June 3rd. Details of Amanda’s appointment were published on Sunday by The Mirror but an official announcement is expected on Monday morning by Global to expand on the details. RadioToday understands current presenters of Heart’s local breakfast shows across England, Scotland and Wales were told the news on Sunday.

Greg James and James Purnell sign up for Radio Festival

The Radio Festival will include sessions from BBC Radio 1 breakfast show presenter Greg James, and the BBC’s Director of Radio and Education James Purnell. Other new sessions announced today are from Google News’ Brenda Salinas and Katy Leeson of Social Chain. James Purnell will be joining RadFest to share his thoughts on the importance of treasuring radio amidst significant change in the industry and in people’s listening habits.

BBC to create single role to Control Radio 1 and Radio 2

The BBC is to create a new single role of Controller of its pop music stations Radio 1, 1Xtra, Asian Network, Radio 2 and 6 Music. Heads of each station, plus BBC Music and the Music TV commissioning heads, will report to the new Controller. A source tells RadioToday that Ben Cooper, currently Controller of Radio 1, 1Xtra and BBC Asian Network is expected to be appointed to the new position across all five services.

BBC Radio 1 to tour the North East ahead of Big Weekend

BBC Radio 1 will host a number of outreach sessions in schools, colleges, universities and community centres across the North East in the run up to Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Middlesbrough. Comprising of a schools tour, a takeover of Middlesbrough College, and a skills showcase at Teesside University, the Inspire ME tour will give young people from Middlesbrough and the surrounding areas an introduction to working in the creative and sporting industries, providing them with the skills, know-how and motivation they need to take those all-important first steps.

BBC Radio 2 reveals the UK’s best selling ABBA studio album - Arrival

BBC Radio 2’s special programme, Let’s ABBA Party! with Nicki Chapman, revealed that ABBA’s 1976 album Arrival - which features hit songs such as Dancing Queen, Knowing Me Knowing You and Money, Money, Money - is the band’s best-selling studio album in the UK to date. The programme, which also featured brand new interviews with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, revealed a specially commissioned chart, ranking the UK sales of ABBA’s eight studio albums, from Waterloo to The Visitors.