DevonAir Radio in Crisis

DevonAir’s first Managing Director after the franchise was announced was Colin Mason who joined the company in January 1980, by the end of March that year he had quit.  The launch Managing Director Maurice Vass joined DevonAir Radio in 1980 from Trident Television. Following Jeff Winston’s resignation as Programme Controller, Maurice Vass also resigned from the company in 1982 and was succeeded temporarily by Bob Kennedy (a former DevonAir director).  Ken Whittaker was DevonAir’s third full-time Managing Director in so many years appointed in 1983. He “left the company” (source: Chairman’s Report) during 1984.

“DevonAir, the Exeter based radio station, has been hit by a major dispute between the staff and the directors.

Senior staff members are threatening to resign unless there is a boardroom reshuffle. Already the programme controller, Jeff Winston, has quit.

Mr. Winston, who joined DevonAir two years ago when it opened, attracted great loyalty from his staff in all departments. Many were in tears when the news broke last week of his sudden departure.

The man at the centre of the controversy is Mr. Maurice Vass, the managing director. Mr. Vass and Mr. Winston have had many arguments about the way the station is run.

Now senior staff have told Mr. Vass and other board members they do not want him to stay.

In a hastily called conference on Friday department heads threatened to resign. But the directors closed ranks and company chairman Mr. Norman Devonport started a three week holiday the next day.

What the main concerns of the staff is that although the station made a profit in the first year of operating – an unusual achievement for a new radio station – little money is available for developing programmes.

In addition when features Editor Mike Joseph was promoted to Head Of Current Affairs recently he was not given any increase in wages.

And although inducements were made to stop presenter Travis Baxter switching to the BBC it is claimed these have not yet been fulfilled.

On the other hand, a new £13,000 company Rover car has been bought for the chairman Norman Devonport.

It is widely felt among the staff that the directors have been shielded from the problems faced by the staff.

One former employee told the Exeter Weekly News “it was a constant struggle to get money to do things.

“When people from the community came in to help present shows or speak they were not paid – even for expenses.

“Staff were constantly doing things for the improvement of the station and to be loyal to Jeff Winston. They did this because there was a tremendous feeling of goodwill towards the station.”

The recent unrest has been reflected in the station’s high turnover of staff, most notably the departure of Peter Barraclough who was Head Of News.

During the very busy summer, the station’s news room relied heavily on freelance reporters and correspondents.

A staff spokesman pointed out that the minimum of industrial action was taken during the recent day of action over a national pay claim to avoid causing too much upset at DevonAir.

He added “We have been betrayed and there is a feeling that many people will leave DevonAir unless Mr. Vass goes first.”

DevonAir now face the challenge from BBC Radio Devon, who will be opening their new station early next year, just up the road from DevonAir in St. Davids Hill.

The spokesman went on “We were gearing ourselves up to the new BBC challenge. In the past two years we have become a very successful independent station, with some of the highest listening figures in the country.

“Unless urgent action is taken the rot will set in and DevonAir will decline. The BBC must be rubbing their hand with glee at this news.”

A move for Mr. Winston has been on the cards for more than a month, since he was offered the job as overall chief at the Welsh Cardiff Broadcasting Company.

Mr. Winston will shortly be taking up that post, but many of the staff at DevonAir are convinced he would never have left the station if it were not for the endless arguments between himself and directors.

Mr. Winston declined to comment on his situation but said he was sorry to be leaving.

Mr. Vass this week refused to comment on the situation.

above: Western Morning News: 29th November 1982

above: Express and Echo: 01 December 1982

At the AGM in February 1983 Norman Devonport resigned as Chairman, he died five months later on board his boat ‘Devon Dawn’.

The Revengeful Franchise Bid

DevonAir Radio lost it’s broadcast franchise in 1994 following a bitter campaign by various groups to oust the incumbent.

In 1994 the then Chairman, Kenneth Holmes, proudly stated:

“The year to 30th September 1994, in financial terms, has been the most successful in the company’s history” and then later in the document he reported (in the final paragraph of the last ever Chairman’s report):

“The listening public of Devon have been deprived of what, in recent times, it has shown to be its preferred station. This is a matter for much regret. We, as the company, are proud of the achievements of DevonAir and all the staff, past and present, who have been responsible for this.”

4th July 1989 – Programme Controller and later Managing Director, David Cousins, speaking at the opening of DevonAir’s new, short-lived, radio venture, South West 103, devised to cater for an East Devon, West Dorset audience of 8,000 (source: TSW).

David Cousins was one of DevonAir’s Programme Controllers and Managing Directors: “I was sad to leave (DevonAir), disliked the management at Capital Radio who had bought the company.

I got my own back by winning back the license 18 months later!” (full article here)