UK

Audio Always has unveiled a series of new podcasts, a refreshed leadership team and a move to larger studios at Media City in Salford.

The production company, now in its thirteenth year, is behind some of the UK’s most recognisable podcasts including ‘Help I Sexted My Boss’, ‘Secret Mum Club’ and ‘The Pitcairn Trials’. It also produces a wide range of BBC radio shows across Radio 1, Radio 2 and 6 Music.
Among the latest launches is comedy podcast ‘Joe and James Fact Up’ featuring actors Joe Thomas and James Buckley, who rose to fame in The Inbetweeners. The weekly show debuted on 23 September. Audio Always has also introduced ‘The Jack & Ash Show’ with Jack Remmington and Ash Holme, and taken on ‘The Girls Bathroom’. In October, a new podcast titled ‘You Don’t Know You’re Born’ will join the slate, hosted by Danny Miller, Brooke Vincent and Wingman.
These new productions are overseen by executive producers Pete Linney and Ben Cartwright, who, alongside Sam Davies, have been appointed as Content Directors.
Sam will focus on commissions from BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music and the British Council. Together, Ben, Sam and Pete will work with Paul Fernley, Business Development Director, and Amelia Collingwood, Operations Director, under founder and Managing Director Stuart Morgan.
Stuart told RadioToday the expansion marks a significant step forward: “The new studios in Manchester, together with the new podcasts and team means that Audio Always is a real powerhouse of audio creativity.”
The company has also relocated to a new head office at Media City. The site includes three visual studios dedicated to podcasting and audiobooks. Paul Fernley added: “The Manchester studios represent the head office of Audio Always, and perfectly reflect our northern roots. They are home to many of our radio shows, original podcasts and audiobooks.”
Recent brand partnerships across the Original podcast slate have included Jet2, Jet2 Holidays, Toby Carvery and Go Ape. Audio Always says it will continue to deliver new opportunities for advertisers looking to reach highly engaged audiences.
‘Joe and James Fact Up’ is released every Tuesday, ‘The Girls Bathroom’ every Wednesday, ‘You Don’t Know You’re Born’ on Thursdays and ‘The Jack & Ash Show’ each Friday.
For more details visit audioalways.com/studios.

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Heat Mallorca staged its first Bring a Euro To Work Day recently, uniting schools, businesses and even airline staff across the island in a fundraising effort.

The event encouraged people to donate just one euro at work, with money going to five local charities chosen by the station’s presenters. Schools, shops, cafés, bars, tech companies and offices all joined in, alongside Ryanair cabin crew who collected donations mid-flight.
Heat Mallorca broadcast live from Cyril’s Sports Bar in Magaluf throughout the day, with Sofia, Kirsty and Richard each presenting shows and reporters linking up with workplaces around the island.
Highlights included non-uniform days, silly hat competitions, raffles, auctions and sponsorships. Businesses across Mallorca also organised their own fundraising activities, adding to the total raised.

Station Director Jamie Fletcher said the day showed “the best of Mallorca — communities coming together, workplaces uniting, and people giving what they can to support brilliant local causes”. He added that the outside broadcasts gave the station a chance to be “in the heart of the island”.
Stephen Evans, owner of Cyril’s Sports Bar, said hosting the event was a highlight: “The atmosphere all day was brilliant, our customers loved being part of the broadcasts, and it felt really special to see the community come together under one roof to support such important charities.”
Bring a Euro To Work Day was Heat Mallorca’s first island-wide fundraiser of this type and organisers say the strong response shows potential for it to become a regular fixture.

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The BBC has celebrated more than 300 people and groups across the UK in this year’s Make a Difference Awards.

Forty award ceremonies took place throughout September, with all 39 local BBC radio stations in England joining BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle, and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal to recognise remarkable acts of kindness, resilience and community spirit.
Winners included volunteers, community leaders and individuals who have supported others in extraordinary ways. For the first time, 20 animals were also recognised, ranging from birds of prey and a tortoise to mountain rescue and assistance dogs.
Among those honoured was Janet Willoner from Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, who won the Green Award from BBC Radio York after growing and donating more than 4,000 trees from her garden. Shani Stephens from Swansea received the Volunteer Award from BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru for her work at the Ty Fforest Resource Hub, which provides food and essential support to local residents.
In Scotland, Pauline Moriarty was presented with the Fundraiser Award by BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal for her dedication to the charity Beautiful Inside and Out, set up after the loss of her daughter Jenna. The charity now supports those affected by suicide through counselling and therapy.
Support2Gether, a project in Northern Ireland founded by two mothers with lived experience of anxiety and postnatal depression, received the Community Award from BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle. Mountain rescue dog Morag was recognised by BBC Radio Cumbria for her role in helping save stranded walkers and climbers in the Lake District.
Chris Burns, Controller of Local Audio Commissioning, said: “The BBC Make a Difference Awards are a powerful reminder of the compassion and generosity that exists in every corner of the UK. These stories of selflessness and community spirit are truly inspiring.”
Now in their fourth year, the awards continue to highlight the contributions of people and organisations working tirelessly to improve lives and strengthen communities across the UK.
For more information about the awards and this year’s winners, visit bbc.co.uk/makeadifference.

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Seven more areas will soon benefit from small-scale DAB digital radio following Ofcom’s latest round of licence awards.

The regulator has confirmed that licences have been awarded for Banbury and Bicester, Enniskillen, Rugby and Daventry, Stockton-on-Tees, the Western Isles, Weston-super-Mare, and Worcester.
To date, seventy-five multiplexes are already on air across the UK, with more than one hundred expected as the programme continues to roll out.
Each licence was awarded after a competitive process where applicants were assessed against set criteria. The successful organisations are:
* Banbury and Bicester: Maxxwave Limited* Enniskillen: UlsterMUX Limited* Rugby and Daventry: Maxxwave Limited* Stockton-on-Tees: Red Army Group* Western Isles: Craoladh Digiteach Ionadail Limited* Weston-super-Mare: North Somerset Digital Radio Limited* Worcester: Murfin Digital Limited

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BFBS Radio has unveiled a brand-new station sound, with jingles and themes produced by TM Studios.

The new package includes 10 music themes covering the mix of genres played across BFBS channels worldwide. It also features beds and sounders for music shows, news and information programmes, plus a refreshed chart show theme.
Sam Bailey, Deputy Director at BFBS, said the broadcaster wanted to evolve its sound after a competitive pitch process: “We were confident that TM Studios were the right partner.
“They not only created a fantastic set of music tracks but also worked with us on selecting new station voices and integrating them with the themes.”
The new station voices are Debbie Mac and Rio Attoh-Wood, now on air across BFBS Radio’s network in 16 countries.
Chris Stevens, Chief Production Officer at TM Studios, said it was a full-circle moment for the company: “TM produced iconic jingle packages for BFBS back in the early 90s. When Sam and his team shared their brief with us, we were excited to bring it to life.”
The new sound can already be heard on BFBS stations and online, with audio demos available on Soundcloud and YouTube.
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The Times and The Sunday Times have launched a new weekly political podcast, The State of It, hosted by four Westminster journalists.

Patrick Maguire, Gabriel Pogrund, Steven Swinford and Caroline Wheeler will combine their reporting experience to bring listeners insider conversations, tip offs and analysis from the centre of British politics.
The first episode will be recorded live at the Labour Party Conference and released on Tuesday 30 September, with the second episode following from the Conservative Party Conference. Episodes will then be available weekly.
Patrick, chief political commentator at The Times, said: “At The Times and The Sunday Times we hear every conversation that matters in British politics – including the ones they don’t want you to know about. With The State of It, you can hear them too.”
Gabriel, Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times and recent Press Awards political journalist of the year, added: “Patrick and I decided it was time to do something other than talk all day. We’re now going to do so publicly, and in the company of two finest political editors in Britain.”
Steven, political editor of The Times, said the podcast would provide the inside track: “We are going to give listeners the accumulated knowledge of our many conversations and meetings with politicians from all sides of the political spectrum, providing a unique insight into life in Westminster.”
Caroline, political editor of The Sunday Times, said: “We want to bring Westminster to life by providing listeners with an insider’s view of what’s happening in the corridors of power, as well as the gossip, plotting and intrigue that has come to define SW1.”
Episodes of *The State of It* will be available on all major podcast platforms and through The Times podcasts.

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