Rother FM - Ofcom Licensing

Executive Director – Matt Jones
Occupation: Programme Manager, Dearne FM
Other Directorships/media interests: None
Background
Section 105 (A): Ability to maintain proposed service
Matt Jones is one of the brightest young talents in commercial local radio. He started young:
he was a presenter with Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service for five years throughout his
GCSE and A-level studies. He then trained as a Broadcast Journalist at the University of
Leeds, one of the most prestigious journalism courses in the country. He spent three years
as Leeds Student Radio’s Head of News, during which period the team twice won Student
Radio Awards for its news coverage.
Matt joined the Lincs FM Group from university to work as a journalist at Trax FM in
Doncaster/Bassetlaw, where he also presented a weekly Saturday show. Matt’s coverage of
Doncaster Rovers’ promotion season was a significant part of Trax FM’s Sony Station of the
Year submission, which saw the station nominated for the award.
In 2004 Matt moved the short distance from Doncaster to Barnsley to become Programme
Manager of Dearne FM. This could be seen as an unlikely move for a journalist without
management experience, but one that is in keeping with the Lincs FM Group’s policy of
encouraging and developing talented staff to fulfil their potential within the company. Matt has
repaid the Group’s faith many times over: Dearne FM is the market-leader in the competitive
Barnsley marketplace by reach, and the station was shortlisted as Arqiva Station of the Year
in the