Industry association news anyone? Well, two of the main industry bodies for the UK's commercial radio sector have merged. The Radio Advertising Bureau and the Commercial Radio Companies Organisation confirmed their merger yesterday, telling reporters that they hoped by focusing their efforts they could better help the commercial sector take on the BBC in the battle for radio listeners.
Specifics of the new organisation, including a name, are yet to be confirmed, although the RAB is expected to carry on its operations pretty much unchanged as a division of the new organisation. A 'commissioning centre' is also expected to be established which will look into the possibility of creating high profile shows that could be syndicated across commercial stations nationwide in a bid to take on BBC radio heavyweights like Jonathan Ross, Chris Evans and Terry Wogan.
Confirming the merger, CRCA boss Paul Brown told reporters: "There are considerable challenges for commercial radio and recent consolidation has changed the shape of the industry. The aim of creating a single commercial radio industry body is to pull our industry back into growth and to strengthen the position of all of its members with external organisations".
The new organisation will also incorporate commercial radio's advertising clearance body the RACC, the snappily titled Joint Industry Commercial Radio IT Futures Group and the Hit40UK company.