Radio Moments - Conversations

Graduating from a school radio station – to emerge as a familiar face on ITV in the Channel Islands via a successful spell in commercial radio programming, this is story of Gary Burgess.In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Gary tells of his childhood in South Africa and his early enthusiasm for radio, leading eventually to early work at Blackpool’s Radio Wave on moving with his family back to the UK.Having risen through the ranks to the post of programme Controller, Gary seized the reins at Wire FM in Warrington, and helped to rescue Q96 in Renfrewshire from regulatory wrath.A move then followed to the islands he was to grow to love, when he was invited to programme Island FM in Guernsey, progressing to the Managing Director role. Then back to England to serve as senior programmer at UTV, responsible for UTV Radio's north of England radio stations, with particular focus on managing the output of Juice FM in Liverpool.Gary opens up about his frustrations with that role, prompting him to return to the Channel Islands – and to on-air work with the BBC at Radio Guernsey. A return to the commercial sector then beckoned as he began ten years as a key reporter for ITV’s regional news programme for the Channel Islands. In an increasingly cross-platform world, he shares some of the secrets he's discovered about engaging video production.He talks openly too about his health. From the tackling of testicular cancer, through an exhausting lengthy spell with ME, before a return of cancer. Then, at the end of 2020, facing the news that he could expect to live around six months. Still on-air with ITV and back on radio at Channel 103, he tells of how he is facing the diagnosis – and of the huge support he has received from those in his beloved Channel Islands and beyond.In his own words, this is the inspiring story of Gary Burgess. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series

From helping out on a charity appeal to dominating late night music radio for generations.In this hour of Radio Moments – Conversations, Graham Torrington tells how his early love for radio led to his arrival at BRMB to help with the annual Walkathon. Graduating quickly from occasional shows to daytime contemporary radio, he quickly made his mark before the potential of a late-night love songs programme was unleashed.Pushed aside from the station he loved, he moved to the challenged Buzz FM and then onto help launch Kix 96 as Programme Controller. Graham tells of the call which led then to his appointment at GWR and how his reputation grew as the company expanded to dominate numerous UK markets - to the annoyance of some.Graham tells of the evolution of Late Night Love, the genuine value he feels it brought to listeners and the art of getting the stories from them.As another takeover ended his spell with that group, he talks of life at the BBC and how he once again created late night magic of a more comforting flavour.As Graham retires from UK radio – for now at least – he tells too the things he never mentioned on air about his own life. What are his stories?This is Graham Torrington – in his own words – alone.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series

The rookie press journalist who rose to head Channel 4 News and Current Affairs -via a love of radio.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Louisa Compton tells of her life – with an early interest in breaking news leading her into a local press title before dropping into her local station, BBC Three Counties Radio. Colleagues in London quickly spotted her abilities and she edged into a career in Network, rising up the ranks at 5 Live, before moving to head Newsbeat at Radio 1.With the view that radio’s story-telling gifts could be the province for a certain approach to TV, she helped to create the Victoria Derbyshire programme on BBC2 – and Louisa tells of the impact of the stories the programme uncovered. She opens up too about her disappointment about its termination.Moving to Channel 4, with the challenge of a transfer to commercial television, she tells of her appointment to edit Despatches before rising to the role of Head of news, current affairs and sport - in the midst of the Corona virus epidemic.Louisa recalls the advice she was given at the beginning of her journey; tells of her passion for telling untold stories and representing the under-represented; and offers her perspective on diversity in media.In her own words, this is the Louisa Compton story. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series

This is a secret episode!Over the course of this series, several folk have asked whether I’d (David Lloyd) ever be interviewed. Several luminaries kindly volunteered to interview me. Given the calibre of all the other subjects, I felt reticent. But – with lockdown and also passing 100 episodes - I thought I might succumb.I invited my oldest friend, Mark Runacus MBE to pose the questions. He and I met at hospital radio and he went on to accomplish a huge amount in the ad world. Radio missed his talents. He has been a wonderful friend.In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, I talk about my journey from shy anorak to radio station manager and regulator.I open up about my childhood, the excitement of hospital radio and the glee of my first gig at Nottingham’s Radio Trent, before moving on to management at a troubled Leicester Sound. Then, walking out the door in tears to no job, I tell of the unexpected task of establishing Lincs FM. Equally unexpected, I was recruited to the then regulator, the Radio Authority where I helped both to licence and reprimand radio stations.Moving from there to run the music and speech regional Century brand for Border TV, before crossing to Chrysalis to seize the reins of a couple of the Galaxy stations, London then beckoned and a wonderful stint at the helm of LBC, before leaving as it became part of the foundation for Global Radio. Down the road in Golden Square, I moved to programme and market Virgin Radio and help manage the brand transition to Absolute.The most recent chapter saw me at Orion Media, where we bought and then sold a handful of major market commercial stations including BRMB, Gem 106 and Beacon.In my own words – this is my story.There’s a much better account of all this – and everything that surrounds it in our mad radio world in my book Radio Moments: Fifty years of radio – Life on the Inside.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

The Liverpool schoolboy who rose to a major profile as a presenter – before devising the service which provided late-night network programming to UK commercial radio and launching a leading multi-platform production company. In this hour of Radio Moments Conversations, Rob Jones tells of his life, with a career beginning as a presenter at the launch of Radio City before transferring to the mighty Radio Luxembourg. He opens up about the disappointment of not being called up for Radio 1; but how he played a part in the blossoming music TV industry.As the then many commercial radio companies began to launch more services, Rob provided a late-night sustaining service from Branson's Super Station; and then, as a consultant, contracted programmes for the newer regional and national services. As the industry began to make cash from non-spot revenues, Rob tells of the birth - and journey - of USP Radio Projects; and about his more recent ventures at Ultimate Sound and Vision.In his own words, this is the Rob Jones story.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

From music student - to delivering an environment for commercial radio fit for a digital age – and a fascinating life beyond.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Lisa Kerr tells of her life - moving from promising music student to eager helper at Radio Forth before graduating to Classic FM.She opens up about the successes and challenges of her first management role at Channel Travel Radio as it grew into the small-scale radio group Radio Services Ltd.Transferring to commercial radio’s trade body, later known as Radiocentre, she was promoted to a senior strategic role, committed to the thinking and the lobbying necessary to help deliver an environment in which UK commercial radio companies could continue to thrive in a fast-changing digital media world.Lisa tells of leaving radio – and reflects honestly on an industry which, for so long, was uninviting to women in senior roles. She talks of embracing change and transferable skills - and shares her enthusiasm for her more recent endeavours - including her current role as principal of Gordonstoun School.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

He rose from being a BBC administration assistant to holding the Capital breakfast show for around ten years in commercial radio’s formative years.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Graham Dene tell of his childhood love of radio and his efforts to creep into the business via a post as an administrator with the BBC. A transfer to the BBC library followed, from which he met the key individuals who would lead to his first on-air job at a factory radio station. He tells of life inside UBN, then a training ground for the country’s first commercial radio stations.Turned down by Capital, he reveals what life was like on Day One of Radio City in Liverpool – and then of the opportunity to return to London as Capital started to find its feet. Graham, opens up about life at Euston Tower and about the characters with whom he shared those years.Appointed to the Capital breakfast show to his surprise, he had the honour of hosting it for two five year spells, succeeding Kenny Everett and preceding Chris Tarrant. One avid listener was famously Diana, Princess of Wales, and Graham tells of his encounters with her.After a spell at Capital Gold, Graham moved to launch the original Virgin Radio 1215 before spending time at Magic and Smooth. He tells here too of his enthusiasm for his recent work at BBC local radio.In his own words, this is the Graham Dene story. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

From working as a car park attendant and being turned down by the BBC - to hosting some of the biggest slots on the UK’s largest stations.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Simon Mayo speaks candidly about his life and career, from his early experiences at hospital and student radio, through his days at BBC Radio Brighton and Radio Nottingham. Then - spotted by the BBC - he climbs quickly to Radio 1, where he graduates to the breakfast show and then on to the mid-morning show where his Confessions feature thrives.When BBC Radio 5 Live calls, Simon rises to the challenge, and he talks here about how it felt to be on air as the tragedy of 9/11 unfolded. He discusses too Kermode and Mayo's Film Review and why it has captured a new audience.Alongside his 5 Live work, he begins at Radio 2, eventually being asked to take on the drive show, which had been hosted previously by Chris Evans – and Simon’s early hero Johnnie Walker. That show, famously, ends in a way Simon would not have chosen and he reflects on what might have been done differently.The new Scala Radio called – and Simon talks about his first commercial radio experiences. Plus - what does Simon make of radio’s role in the extraordinary conditions created by the COVID 19 virus?In his own words – this is the Simon Mayo story.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

Having helped to establish one of the leading in-store stations in London’s Top Shop, he rose to lay the foundations of the mighty Smooth brand.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, Steve Collins tells of growing up and the keen pirate radio influences which led him to answer a press ad leading to an enlightening journey to Tel Aviv - and then offers fascinating insight into life on-board the Voice of Peace. Back on land, he walked into Top Shop and established a radio station proper, before Red Rose Radio eventually beckoned - where he was surprised to end up promptly presenting the breakfast show. When Capital offered a role, he hurried back to London where he spent 6 years on-air before moving across to County Sound, where life was not all he’d wished for.After Jazz and Chiltern, he arrived in a Manchester he instantly came to love, to play a part of the management team of Key and Gold and then crossed to start up Wish FM.Assuming control of programming Jazz in the North West, he worked within a challenging format to deliver, with huge success, the beginnings of the new Smooth brand, which he was then to manage across the UK.Steve speaks candidly about the influences he witnessed on how not to manage; the way it feels when the station you care for is taken over; how it feels to end up on the dole; and shares the things he feels he got right – and wrong in over 40 years in radio.In his own words, this is the Steve Collins story. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

From football reporter - to becoming one of the leading figures in a generation of commercial radio, this is the story of Steve Orchard.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Steve tells of his schooling and education; and a first career in social work, honing skills he was take with him throughout his life.An interest in hospital radio led to opportunities at Wiltshire Radio which flourished as the station evolved into the new GWR, where he hosted the breakfast show. As GWR grew, so did Steve’s role and he relates experiences of rolling out the famous GWR format to the company’s acquisitions. He tells too of his involvement in LBC and Classic FM – and of the pain involved in the merger to create GCap. And – from more recent days - his proud involvement in Quidem and Prison Radio. Steve shares his frustrations about regulation and his views on research vs instinct, talent management, the importance of station mood - and today’s radio environment.In his own words, this is the Steve Orchard story. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.

He rose from humble but determined roots in Wales to become one of the leading radio journalists of his generation.In this hour of ‘Radio Moments – Conversations’, John Humphrys opens up about his life, resulting more in an encyclopaedia of World history rather than of media. He tells of his early days in press, where he not only wrote stories, he delivered the newspapers. Spurning a job at the Times – he moved to television where he was to be the first reporter on the scene at the Aberfan disaster in 1966 – an experience which he confesses had a ‘profound effect’ on him.His early days at the BBC took him to the US and to South Africa at momentous periods in the history of those countries, before returning home to be one of the first TV newsreaders to assemble his own bulletins on the BBC Nine O' Clock News.Without hesitation, John accepted a role on the Today programme where he was to spend 33 years. He tells here of his approach to interviewing and of the Prime Minister he found most daunting – and opens up about his huge suspicion of authority - and his nervousness.In his own words, this is the John Humphrys story.Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.John’s ‘A Day Like Today’ is out now – published by Collins

His life in radio began, aged 16, in Canada – and his distinctive voice was to be heard on the UK’s biggest stations. In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, David Jensen tells of growing up in Canada and making his radio debut, before moving, aged just 18, to a new life at Radio Luxembourg in the days when it commanded UK evening listening.Advised to get some UK experience, ‘Kid’ alighted at a brand-new Radio Trent in Nottingham in the challenging times so typical of those early days of UK commercial Radio.David opens up about the Radio 1 days in its most colourful era, his friendship with John Peel, the stars he encountered, the roadshow days – and he shares a wealth of anecdotes, not least why he was playing midnight football with the Rolling Stones on an American runway. He also tells of his Capital spell and why he loved that 'big' sound of the City.He tells too of his family life, his love of jazz and how he is facing his Parkinson’s diagnosis.In his own words, this is the David Jensen story. Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.