This question is asked in a new blog by a high-profile, highly-revered radio man David Lloyd, writing* about the demise of these 'heritage' British radio station names ~ BRMB (launched 1974) Beacon Radio (1976) and Mercia and Wyvern to become 'Free Radio'.
David's newest (well-written) blog traverses decades of radio station names and name changes, to justify the disappearance of the heritage names from his stations, names that were introduced several years before he joined Radio Trent aged 19. And it's strange someone from Orion Media feels the need to justify it, by asking "What's in a name?"
If you recall just one year ago in January 2011 Orion announced that East Midland's station Heart 106 would be renamed .... as Gem 106.
So I have to ask, 'What's in a Name' !?
And, if reviving a HERITAGE name (GEM-AM launched 1988) is right for the EAST Midlands in 2011, WHY kill a heritage name in the WEST Midlands in 2012 ?
A younger, even more vocal, confident commentator on the name changes, Matt Deegan** wrote a very long blog on why it was the right decision - concluding:
"The main reason that BRMB, Beacon.. need to change are their audience figures" (my underlining)
And yet BRMB has a weekly reach of 17%, Beacon 20% and Mercia 23%, all in the 'same ball park' as Capital (London) at 20% which Deegan states is 'modern, mainstream and cool'.
The moral here is no matter how slick, or young, or 'hip' a blog is, please don't believe everything you read on the internet.
* http://www.davidlloyd-radio.blogspot.com/2012/01/whats-in-name.html?m=1
** http://www.mattdeegan.com/
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