Mo Mowlam, the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, is to lead media group Emap’s bid for the new FM radio licence in Belfast.
Dr Mowlam, renowned as the architect of the Good Friday Peace agreement, developed a love for Belfast whilst Secretary of State for the North of Ireland from 1997 to 1999.
She will lead Emap’s bid to win the Belfast licence with rock format – Kerrang!.
Dr Mowlam said: “Belfast is on the move. It’s an exciting time and the city is changing everyday. We have to encourage investment and new enterprises to continue the momentum of this new age of optimism. A new commercial radio station can be a valuable part of this.
“Belfast’s new radio station must also genuinely broaden listening choice. Kerrang! Belfast, supported by Emap’s unrivalled experience in local radio, will do this, as well as living beyond the dial by creating new opportunities for live music and a new scene for music fans.
“I’m proud to have been appointed chairman of Kerrang! Belfast.”
As well as Dr Mowlam, the Emap bid also includes Belfast-born Barry McIlheney as Executive Director. McIlheney, aged 45, was born and brought up in the Oldpark area of the city and attended Cliftonville Primary School and Belfast Royal Academy before going to Trinity College Dublin.
He was also a member of well-known Belfast punk act Shock Treatment, who released two singles on the Good Vibrations label and supported a number of classic acts of the time, among them U2, The Undertones, and The Skids.
Since moving to London in 1983, he has written for and edited a number of magazines, among them Melody Maker, Smash Hits, Empire, Q, Mojo, heat, and FHM. He was also managing director of Emap Metro, the publishing company behind Kerrang! in the ‘90s. He is currently editor-in-chief of Emap Consumer Media, the UK's leading music and entertainment magazine publisher, and is a regular visitor to Belfast, where his family still live.
“I am thrilled to be involved in the Emap bid to bring Kerrang! radio to Belfast," said Barry.
“A genuine dynamic rock station is just what the city needs, and I look forward to meeting a lot of old friends in the city as I help to put the bid together.”
Kerrang! Belfast would celebrate all things rock with a particular focus on classic tracks from the last 40 years. Typical artistes would include Queen, U2, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Genesis mixed with great album tracks from contemporary artistes such as Coldplay, Stereophonics and Alanis Morissette. The daytime mix would also include some modern rock from the likes of Ash, Snow Patrol The Lost Prophets and Good Charlotte.
It would offer a different mix of rock to Kerrang! 105.2 – the sister station which launched in the West Midlands in June 2004 after Emap won the WM regional FM licence the previous October.
Also joining the board will be John Reid, executive vice-president of marketing for Warner Music International (WMI). From the company’s London headquarters, Reid oversees worldwide marketing and promotions functions for the Warner Music Group, including the Warner Bros, Atlantic and Warner Strategic Marketing (WSM) labels, plus Warner Vision.
John went to Methodist College, Belfast, and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, with a degree in Business. He began as an artist manager and tour and production manager in 1983, working with the likes of The Beastie Boys and Run DMC. In 1988 he became International Marketing Director for London Records, then part of the PolyGram Group. After four years at the helm of the international department he switched to the UK side of London Records, becoming Marketing Director in 1992.
After spells in Canada and New York, where he was president of Island Def Jam Records USA, he returned to London and the Warner Music Group (WMG) in 2000 where he became Managing Director of WEA London Records, until his move to the international marketing role for Warner Music in June 2004.
He has held positions on the BPI Council, where he also chaired the PR Committee, and the BRIT Awards Committee.
Andrew Jeffries, Kerrang! Radio programme director, said: “We will bring unique access to the legends and the hottest new artistes of rock in a way that nobody else can. Kerrang! Belfast will offer the Belfast listener unique access to internationally renowned rock talent as well as local rock heroes.
“It will have a unique Belfast essence whilst benefiting from the Kerrang! brand powerhouse and the full commitment and investment from Emap.”
Notes:
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Emap Performance is a division of Emap plc, one of the UK’s leading media companies. Emap has 19 analogue local radio stations, 88 local digital radio services, 7 wholly owned digital multiplexes and shared ownership of a further 6 multiplexes. Emap combines heritage ILR stations with big, vibrant national radio brands including Kiss, Kerrang! and Magic.
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Kerrang! Radio is already available on Freeview, satellite, cable, DAB and online as well as a regional FM service in the West Midlands.
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More than one million people tune into Kerrang! Radio every week. [1,017,000 listeners every week. Source rajar Q3 2004]
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The new local FM commercial radio licence for Belfast covers the city and surrounding areas with an adult (15+) population of about 750,000.
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Ofcom has asked for bidders to submit their applications by Wednesday, December 8th.
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Emap will also use the Kerrang! format when bidding for the new FM licence in Manchester.
Maureen Corish
Head of Press and PR
Emap Performance
020 7182 8545
