Rother FM - Ofcom Licensing

Section 105 (A): Ability to maintain proposed service
1. Ownership and control of company which will operate the licence
(a) Board of Directors
i) Provide the name, occupation, other directorships, other media interests, background and relevant
media experience of each director (executive and non-executive), including the proposed chairperson.
Chairman (executive) – Michael Betton
Occupation: Chief Executive, Lincs FM Group
Other Directorships/media interests:
Arun FM Limited (formerly Southdown FM Limited), Commercial Radio Pension Trustees
Limited, Commercial Radio Companies Association Limited, Compass Radio Limited,
Cornwall Local Radio Limited, Dearne FM Limited, Fosseway Radio Limited, Jet FM Limited,
Jupiter Radio Limited, Lincs FM 102.2 Limited, Lincs FM Group Limited (formerly Lincs FM
plc), Orion FM Limited, Radio Production Services Limited, Ridings FM Limited, Rother FM
Limited, Route 105 Limited, Route FM Radio Limited, Rutland Radio Limited, Score Radio
Limited, Trax FM Limited, White Rose Radio Limited (Formerly LFM Limited)
Background
Michael Betton is one of the longest serving and most respected Chief Executives in
commercial radio. He founded Lincs FM in 1991 to apply for the newly-advertised
Lincolnshire licence and launched the station in 1992. Since then Lincs FM has gone on to
great success, both in audience and commercial terms, while remaining true to its original
programming proposals.
Michael’s commitment to local radio in South Yorkshire goes back more than ten years and
his work on Trax FM’s bid for the Doncaster licence. Trax FM launched in Bassetlaw in 1998
and in Doncaster in 1999, while Dearne FM won the Barnsley licence in 2003 and launched in
October that year, to immediate success. Another Lincs FM Group station, Ridings FM, has
served the Wakefield area of West Yorkshire since 1999.
In all, the company now holds eight commercial radio licences and has developed into a
group of successful radio stations, all sharing a strong commitment to providing high quality,
truly local radio. Each of the Lincs FM Group stations has won or been nominated for at least
one major industry award.
Michael is noted for his deep commitment to high-quality local radio, and has built the
company’s success on his policy of always respecting the intelligence, taste and values of his
stations’ listeners.
Michael has been a member of the CRCA board since 1992 and is chairman of the
Commercial Radio Pension Trustees. He has never shied away from voicing the concerns of
smaller groups and stations. He has been a Sony Radio Academy Awards judge and a
member of the Sony Awards organising committee.
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