By Nicholas Cecil
The battle lines for some of Devon’s the air waves were drawn up yesterday as competing companies submitted their applications for two independent radio franchises.
For companies have applied for the licences covering the Exeter and Torbay areas, which are expected to be allocated in the next few months.
The new licence will start on January 1, 1995 and extend for a maximum of 8 years.
Bay City Radio, which would broadcast two services, one on the FM the other on AM, promised “localness” and “serious talk” within the hour of current affairs in the evening, as well as the lighter service.
Gemini radio would also split its broadcasting into two services, 18 and had people over 35, the other at the 15 to 35 age group.
DevonAir’s would continue with the same format of local news mixed with music from the sixties, seventies, eighties and the best of contemporary hits.
While the Wild West company based at Westward Ho! promises “honesty, integrity and dedication” with a programme of catching local spirit with an innovative blend of local news, a arts, entertainment and music with the universal appeal.
“Wild West will be genuinely local with the people who operate and run it, just around the corner with no room to escape your criticism if you think it has gone off the track,” says spokesman Sue Robinson.
“Wild West will provide a much wider variety of music than other contenders.”
The company would have four different centres in the region offering identifiably separate services.
The radio franchises will not be awarded on a financial basis – the system on which TV licences were allocated.
“We look at financial background, local policy, programming and the whole idea,” said a Radio Authority spokesperson.
Companies a chance to fixed fee to broadcast with FM broadcasters paying £4 per 1000 for the first 100,000 listeners, £7 per 1000 for the next 300,000, £14 per 1000 for the following 600,000 and £21 per 1000 four above one million.
DevonAir chief executive Paul Angus is confident his company will retain the franchise after Radio Joint Audience Research revealed the station, which is broadcast for 13 years, was very popular in the area.
“we have just had the most fabulous, strong audience figures which support the changes we made in November,” he said.
“With our figures we always a hit on a successful format. We did our research to identify what the people of Devon wanted and we have delivered the right goods.”
Gemini Radio’s AM over 35 service will aim to revive community spirit, and play quality easy listening music with emphasis on melody and familiarity.
News bulletins will allow for stories to be dealt with in depth and there will be specialist programmes.
Gemini FM for the younger age group will predominantly be music based, with short and snappy speech to keep the listeners informed of the day’s events.
Gareth Keene, a director of Newton Abbot based Bay City Radio, said “most of all we are concerned to provide a service with genuine localness.
“We’d certainly provide more talk with a 1 hour current events evening programme which would be a flagship for our news coverage.”
