RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

Piccadilly Radio and Radio Мегсигу . (Home Affairs Committee 1988: 52) Now it is setting up a firm called Radio Radio , which intends to network night-time service around the ILRs . Its programs will be a l mix of trenđy chat and yuppie pop' aimeđ at a youth audience , but it is estimated that only 1 7. of the population will be listening to them . This service is provided free to the ILRs as the programs wi!l be funded by national advertising sold directly by Virgin . The сотрапу wants to build up a national advertising base ready for an application for a national frequency. (Antunes 1988) Virgin sees networking across the ILRs as '. . .a logical development towards an independent national radio station . , .' (Home Affairs Committee 1980: 53) There is also a rival service to Virgin's provided by Radio Nova International. This was founded by an ex-Radio Caroline d.j. and Irish pirate called Chris Сагу . The station is broadcasting Top 40 radio all day by satellite . It is now just aimeđ at providing programs for ILR stations , but also for the cable networKs and FM stations across Western Europe . (Nova 1988) But the biggest player has yet to enter the game of satellite radio distribution . Capital Radio and five other large ILRs have set up Satellite Media Services which intends to start syndicating programs next уеаг . (Loat 1988) It too will be seekihg the corporate advertisers and technical experience necessary for a successful NCR bid . These corporations are lobbying the Тогу government for deregulation . But public pressure for more services results from direct action by pirate radio stations . The government has admitted that the popularity of pirates demonstrates there is a demand for new services . (Home Office 1987: 14) Audience research shows the strongest support for the pirates is among the ethnic communities. For example , nearly half of Af ro-Caribbeans listen to the illegal stations . (Barnett anđ Morrison 1988; 78-9) The đemand for specialist music and ethnic language programs created the financial base for the new pirates , lllegal broadcasting went beyond the craze of a few hobbyists into the mass market. (Barbrook 1987: 96-9) At present, there are over 40 pirates operating in London , with other stations broadcasting in Merseyside, the Midlanđs , Scotland and Bristol. This is possible because there are dozens of vacant freguencies on the FM band in every city in Britain . Piracy is most advanced in London as there are six or seven stations which try to transmit 7 days a week , 24 hours a day . Unlike other European countries , there have been few political pirates and almost all the stations are broadcasting music programs. (Radlo Today 1988) The pirates have attracteđ a large audience . For example , London's Kiss-FM can cređibly claim 256,000 listeners to its programs . (Gordon Иас 1988) This success of the pirates threatens the ratlngs anđ advertismg revenue of ILR stations. For example, Capital Radio's market