Following the rebranding of Choice FM as Capital Xtra, a station for wider ‘urban’ audiences, Jo Verrill, Compliance and Regulatory Policy Manager at station owners Global Radio has defended its direction change and wrote to Ligali stating;
“Choice FM was a station with a great heritage and a fantastic record for promoting urban acts which is why it has such a loyal following in London. Despite our investment in the station since 2008, and it reaching its highest ever audience recently, advertisers have not been attracted to Choice FM in the numbers necessary to ensure the station is sustainable. It is a loss making station. We have taken the best of Choice and combined it with the commercially successful Capital brand name to take urban music and our presenters onto a national platform, benefiting both the listener and advertisers at the same time.”
Toyin Agbetu responded “Capital Xtra has finally confirmed that no support will be offered to ground breaking artists such as Soweto Kinch, Zara McFarlane, Akala, Yolanda Brown, Tony Momrelle, Macca B, Silas Zephaniah, Incognito, McKoy, Reel People, a small sample of quality homegrown talent with music that does not fit the ‘urban’ category. Let’s hope that Ofcom acts within its remit instead of joining the list of government regulators that have been exposed as being quangos with scant due regard for the needs of the public.”
Global insists it is ‘fully compliant with the licences for the London frequencies’ and states that it continues to provide local news to London as stipulated by the licences. If you have any concerns that we are not compliant with our licences then you may want to address them to Ofcom’.
The urban rebranding of Choice FM included the firing of specialist music DJ's who had served listeners with some quality music for over 20 years. Alternative stations like the popular Colourful Radio on DAB have unofficially taken its place.
External Links
Capital XtraOfcomComment is free RIP Choice FM – the station that best championed music of black originIt’s not just a name change
Capital Choice Response to Choice FM Concerns
“Choice FM was a station with a great heritage and a fantastic record for promoting urban acts which is why it has such a loyal following in London. Despite our investment in the station since 2008, and it reaching its highest ever audience recently, advertisers have not been attracted to Choice FM in the numbers necessary to ensure the station is sustainable. It is a loss making station. We have taken the best of Choice and combined it with the commercially successful Capital brand name to take urban music and our presenters onto a national platform, benefiting both the listener and advertisers at the same time.”
New Look: Capital Xtra now catering for dance and urban music fans
Music of Urban Origin Only
Toyin Agbetu responded “Capital Xtra has finally confirmed that no support will be offered to ground breaking artists such as Soweto Kinch, Zara McFarlane, Akala, Yolanda Brown, Tony Momrelle, Macca B, Silas Zephaniah, Incognito, McKoy, Reel People, a small sample of quality homegrown talent with music that does not fit the ‘urban’ category. Let’s hope that Ofcom acts within its remit instead of joining the list of government regulators that have been exposed as being quangos with scant due regard for the needs of the public.” Global insists it is ‘fully compliant with the licences for the London frequencies’ and states that it continues to provide local news to London as stipulated by the licences. If you have any concerns that we are not compliant with our licences then you may want to address them to Ofcom’.
The urban rebranding of Choice FM included the firing of specialist music DJ's who had served listeners with some quality music for over 20 years. Alternative stations like the popular Colourful Radio on DAB have unofficially taken its place.
Old Look: Choice FM serving the African and African Caribbean community
External Links
Capital XtraOfcomComment is free RIP Choice FM – the station that best championed music of black originIt’s not just a name change
Ligali is not responsible for the content of third party sites
Capital Choice Response to Choice FM Concerns
Speak Out!
Click here to speak out or read (9) comments about this articleWhen the Ligali Organisation predicted and fought against this happening nine years ago people said we were scaremongering. Sadly we have been proven right and our community has lost another institution to the insidious ‘urban’ agenda.
Toyin Agbetu, Ligali Organisation
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