The NEW Central West and BBC Midlands thread

There's a lack of Kay anyway at the moment.

When was she on last? She normally only does one day anyway.

Anyway, a couple of things.

Firstly, it's Doolan's 70th today.

Secondly & more importantly.

If this is true, it's a sad day.

http://radiotoday.co.uk/2011/07/orion-media-moves-mercia-to-birmingham/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+radiotoday+%28Radio+Today+-+News%29&utm_content=FaceBook

Tyne Tees and Border reporter (and ex Midlands Today) Kate Fisher is Louisa James's replacement on the morning Daybreak bulletins.

She makes her debut on Friday evening, covering Central Tonight.

Sad for Mercia, but I'm glad Robin Banks is leaving.

Must admit I'm sad to hear there will be no more 'Two Six Seven Tett-en-hall Road Wolver-hampton Beacon Radio' !

Why not just rebrand it all as 'Orion Fm'.?

I haven't cared since July 1997, after I gave the 'New Beacon Fm' 6 months.

Looking at the listings in the Express & Star, the only DJ I recognise is Freshie!

As for Gold, can someone explain what is the difference between playing music from London & playing music from Birmingham.

Speech radio, I can see the point in it being local, but the music part, I can no longer see the point.

At work, we switch between various music stations. As long as it plays music we like, it doesn't matter where it comes from.

Oh for the days of 'Beacon By Request' of an evening!

There isn't any but I believe there is a minimum requirement for local programming, whether that be speech or music.

There's no requirement for Gold in the Midlands to have any local programming. Orion could easily take all the programming from the mothership at Global HQ in London.

The rules are different for the FM stations though.

Becuase the local brands are strong, you can make every programme sound local with local ID's even if it's going out on several different stations. Under the current rules BRMB and Mercia could share all output, but but Wyvern and Beacon would need to do at least 7 hours local.

If they were going to rebrand it something generic, I'm sure they wouldn't call it Orion FM.

On the Beacon moving note, I very much doubt that they have read their address out on air for a long time.

Border / Tyne Tees reporter & newsreader Kate Fisher moving to Central on 15 July under the same positions. http://twitter.com/#!/katefishertv

From PebbleMill.org's Flickr Photostream, anybody ready for a bit of Kay/Sue magic, circa 1998?
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5313/5869545395_87bf7ae1d9_z.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51154315@N04/5869545395/sizes/z/in/photostream/

This was the Studio B/Regions TV presentation annexe.

Hmmm, Satnam Rana now MT's Arts & Culture Reporter, while Arsha Riaz has taken over Satnam's 'Midlands Masala' WM radio show.

Where's Lindsay Doyle then?

On WABC (RIP) they used to give the address out as either PO Box 303 Wolverhampton WV6 ODQ or PO Box 295 Shrewsbury SY1 ???(can't remember the rest!)

Genelle Aldred is leaving MT on August 19th according to her Twitter profile.