Talking of radio things, Manchester's Key 103 has been fined £125,000 for allowing presenter James Stannage to make racist comments and to joke about murdered hostage Ken Bigley. The offending comments were made during four separate editions of the station's late night phone in show in October and November of last year. The fine is the highest ever imposed by OfCom, based on the fact that the station allowed the comments to be made despite a previous fine relating to comments Stannage made after the death of Chinese cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay.
Key 103 accepted the fine and made no attempts to defend themselves or Stannage, who they fired earlier this year. Key 103 MD Gus McKenzie told reporters: "We completely accept the Ofcom finding and have apologised wholeheartedly. James Stannage no longer works at the station, his contract having been terminated earlier this year."