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