UK

The full line-up has been confirmed for this year’s UK Community Radio Network (UKCRN) Conference, taking place in Bradford on Saturday, 25th October.
The annual event coincides with the 20th anniversary of community radio in the UK, celebrating two decades of local broadcasting, connection and impact, supported by headline sponsor Be Broadcast.
Hits Radio presenter Stephanie Hirst will share her personal journey in radio, reflecting on her career and the importance of community stations in engaging and empowering audiences.
A special anniversary panel led by Dom Chambers from Sound Vision will look back at how community radio has evolved over the last twenty years. Dom will be joined by Jason Rosam of Riverside Radio and other well-known figures from across the sector.
UKCRN Co-Founder Rebecca Steers will host a forward-looking session on the future of community radio, exploring new technology, legacy planning and the development of the next generation of broadcasters.
Other speakers include Kerry Cobb from Fix Radio, who will present a case study on serving the UK’s builder community while maintaining community values, and representatives from Be Broadcast, Cornwall Media Network and Ashdown Radio, offering insights into PR, collaboration and event-based income generation.
Industry suppliers including Promo Only, DHD Audio, Vortex Communications, Radio News Hub, RadioToday and The MediaSite UK will also be there throughout the day.
To support attendance, 20 bursary places covering both the conference and the Community Radio Awards have been made available, funded by Aiir, Be Broadcast, Steers Media, Broadcast Bionics, Rupert Brun, All In Media and UKCRN.
The weekend concludes with a Development Morning on Sunday, 26th October, providing hands-on opportunities for networking, demo feedback and skills development.
Tickets for both events are available via communityradio2025.eventbrite.co.uk.
More information on the bursary scheme is available at ukcrn.radio/bursary.

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Global’s Make Some Noise has raised a record-breaking £4.8 million during its 2025 charity appeal.

The annual campaign, now in its twelfth year, saw Global radio presenters take on daring challenges to encourage donations for small local charities across the UK.
Heart presenters Amanda Holden, Jamie Theakston and Ashley Roberts faced their fears in Heart’s Herculean Challenge.
Capital’s Kem Cetinay took on a full day of non-stop padel matches with the help of fellow presenters, celebrities and his friend Chris Hughes.
In Scotland, Heart Breakfast host Grado hand-cycled more than 400 kilometres from Granite City to Glasgow for his first ever Make Some Noise event.
On Make Some Noise Day, presenters from across Global’s radio brands including Heart, Capital, Smooth, Classic FM and Radio X came together to celebrate the nationwide fundraising effort.

Simon Pitts, Global’s Group CEO, said: “It’s incredible to be celebrating a record-breaking fundraising total of more than £4.8 million.
The creativity, generosity and energy across this year’s appeal has been inspiring and I’m proud that we’re helping to make a life-changing impact within communities across the UK.”

Suzanne Ryder Richardson, Director of Global Goodness, added: “From Kem Cetinay’s epic 24-hour padel marathon to Amanda Holden braving a box of snakes, our presenters, partners and listeners have yet again been incredibly generous in their support. This record-breaking figure will make a real difference.”
Furniture Village sponsored this year’s appeal, with Disney’s Hercules, PureGym and Digby Brown also backing presenter challenges.

Since its launch in 2014, Global’s Make Some Noise has supported over 527 community projects and helped change more than 227,000 lives across the UK.
More information on this year’s appeal can be found at makesomenoise.com

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Rebecca Frank is leaving her position as KISS Network Content Director at Bauer Media after more than five years.
Her role will be filled by Paul Gerrard, currently Content Director at Hits Radio, who will take on an expanded role as Content Director for both Hits Radio and the KISS Network.
Rebecca joined Bauer in January 2020 from Media Works New Zealand, where she was Head of Development.
Before that, she spent several years at the BBC, including as Daytime Editor at Radio 1 and Head of Production for BBC R1, 1Xtra and the Asian Network.
During her time at KISS, Rebecca played a central role in shaping the network’s sound, overseeing the launch of new digital stations and strengthening the KISSTORY brand. She also led on key talent signings, bringing in presenters such as Pete Wicks and Olivia Attwood, Harriet Rose and Henrie Kwushue, while steering the network through one of its strongest periods for branded content.
Gary Stein, Director of Audio at Bauer Media Audio UK, said Rebecca had made a huge contribution to the business. “Rebecca has led the KISS brand with passion and focus through a period of enormous transformation. We wish her the very best for what comes next,” he said.
Reflecting on her departure, Rebecca said working with the KISS team had been a career highlight. “The brand has a special energy and creative power which will always stay with me; I’m honoured and proud to have been part of the story.”
Rebecca will leave Bauer on Thursday 16 October.

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A graduate of the Bro Radio Academy is joining the station’s weekend line-up, with Evie set to host Vale Breakfast every Saturday and Sunday morning from 7am to 9am.
Evie first joined Bro Radio through its Youth Academy, a free 12-week training course that introduces young people to radio, journalism and social media.
Speaking about her new role, Evie said she was thrilled to take on her own show. “I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given at Bro Radio and the Academy. The team is phenomenal, and I’ve loved becoming part of it. I’m excited to be able to speak to the Vale of Glamorgan every weekend from 11th October.”
Jamie Pritchard, who leads the Bro Radio Academy, praised Evie’s hard work and development. “I’m really proud of Evie.
“She’s worked so hard to get where she is today and this opportunity to take on a regular show will help further develop the skills she learnt being part of the Bro Radio Academy.”
The Bro Radio Academy is supported by Vale Youth Service, Barry YMCA, Glamorgan Voluntary Services and Llantwit Major Town Council.
It offers young people aged 11 to 18 the chance to gain hands-on experience in broadcasting and achieve an AGORED Cymru qualification in preparing to present a radio broadcast.
More information about Bro Radio and its Academy can be found at broradio.fm.

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Radio stations who aren’t part of RAJAR but need audience reach data using recognised metrics are being encouraged to sign up for a new, free service from Local Radio Support.Local Radio Support (LRS) has rolled out its new Real Audience Measurement System, known as RAMS, giving community and independent radio stations a way to access credible listening data for the first time.

The system, unveiled at the Community Media Festival in MediaCityUK, allows smaller broadcasters to demonstrate audience reach and campaign performance.
Developed by Local Radio Support — the organisation founded by John Dash, Phil England and Dominic Barker — RAMS collects real-time online listening data and applies accepted formulas to estimate total listening across AM, FM and DAB platforms.
Radio stations will need to switch their streaming URL to a new one, supplied free of charge via LRS, using RCS REVMA technology.
Director of LRS, Phil England, said the system finally gives smaller stations a fair and reliable way to measure their audiences. “Figures are based on real data, not surveys. Sample sizes are effectively 100% of online listening—not a dipstick of a few dozen individuals,” he explained.
Each month, stations receive reports showing total listening hours, trends over time and other key insights.
LRS says the system can also measure the impact of advertising campaigns through its optional Audience Impact Measurement System, or AIMS, providing transparency for clients and agencies.
Community radio advocate Dom Chambers, who hosted the launch event, called it “a milestone moment for local radio,” adding that RAMS “will help sustain and grow this burgeoning sector of the broadcast industry and the social value it brings.”
LRS reports that early reactions from national advertisers have been encouraging, with several campaigns already running using RAMS data. The organisation says its network of participating stations is expanding rapidly, with initial results showing more than ten million listening hours recorded in a single month.
More information about Local Radio Support and RAMS is available at localradiosupport.com/rams.

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Former BBC Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood has been charged with multiple sexual offences following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service.
The Crown Prosecution Service authorised the charges after reviewing evidence gathered by detectives.
The 68-year-old from Westminster is facing four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.
The alleged offences involve seven women and span more than 30 years, from 1983 to 2016. They are said to have taken place across London and in Stroud.
Police say the charges include indecent assault of a 17-year-old girl in Fulham in 1983, sexual assault of a woman in her 20s in Vauxhall in 1986, and rape and sexual assault involving a 17 to 18-year-old woman between 1995 and 1996.
Further allegations include rape and sexual assault of another 17 to 18-year-old woman between 2000 and 2001, rape of a woman in her 20s in London in 2010, sexual assault of a woman in Stroud that same year, and a further sexual assault in Finchley in 2016.
Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy said: “It takes courage to come forward and report allegations of this nature. The women who have done so have put their trust in us and we continue to provide them with all available support.”
He added that the investigation remains open and urged anyone with information to contact the police or Rape Crisis for support.
He began his radio career in the late 1970s on local and pirate radio stations in London, including LWR and Kiss FM before it became legal. His reputation grew for championing emerging hip hop acts and bringing American rap to UK audiences at a time when it had limited mainstream exposure.
In 1987, he joined Capital Radio, where he presented Capital Rap Show, helping to popularise the genre across the UK. In 1994, Westwood moved to BBC Radio 1, launching The Rap Show, which became one of the country’s most influential platforms for hip hop and R&B. The programme featured major artists such as Jay-Z, Eminem, and Kanye West and helped shape the sound of British urban radio for nearly 20 years.
He also hosted the BBC Radio 1Xtra drivetime show when the digital network launched in 2002 and continued presenting on both Radio 1 and 1Xtra until leaving the BBC in 2013.
After his departure, Westwood joined Capital XTRA, where he continued his hip hop shows until 2022. He has also been known for live DJ performances, club nights, and mixtape releases throughout his career.
Westwood is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 10 November.

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