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Penk planning a radio revolution
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date online: 08/09/2008
THE new boss of Oldham’s radio station has outlined his plans for attracting listeners.
Steve Penk said 96.2 The Revolution was the ideal purchase and he aims to make it more mainstream.
He moved from London to Oldham today to be in the borough full-time as he oversees his new acquisition.
The station, which is based at the Sarah Moor Studios, Henshaw Street, was previously jointly owned by UKRD and Oldham Evening Chronicle owner Hirst, Kidd and Rennie.
There has already been a change in format from local alternative music to more mainstream pop and classic hits.
Manchester-born Mr Penk made his name at Manchester station Key 103 and worked at Capital Radio and Virgin as well as presenting the television programmes “TV Nightmares” and “TV’s Naughtiest Blunders”.
The Revolution is his first acquisition and he wants to continue presenting while making the transition to businessman.
He said: “I felt the time was right. I have done presenting for a long time now and been looking at radio acquisitions for a while.
“The Revolution became available and for me it’s the ideal purchase.
“I want to make it very mainstream and fun and entertaining and to take on the big boys. Listeners clearly did not want the old Revolution as they were not listening as much.
“When the Revolution launched in 1999 it was incredibly successful and if we can make it popular again that’s good for the people of Oldham.
“I want to make it a fun place and a radio station you want to listen to.
“It really is a lifetime’s work that has gone into buying it and I have to go in full of optimism that I can make a success of it.
“Key 103 and Century and Smooth FM are hugely successful radio stations and do a great job and if we can be half as successful I will be a happy boy.
“I’m North-West born and bred. It’s nice to come home and it’s great to be here.”
Have Your Say
The big problem standing in the way of Coogan and Beckett, who want bring back the former Revolution sound, is that they haven't actually got a licence from Ofcom to run a radio station. Unless they go pirate or run one on the internet, they simply can't do it!
I seem remember Revolution having to prove it filled a niche before they granted a licence when the station opened .
So maybe the change to mainstream is against Ofcoms wishes .
Got to love the buiness plan (sarcasm overload) , take on the big boys withe exactly the same product and a small capture !!!
"I won't be investing , I'm out"
Hope Coogs and Beckett can save us from this .
You have RUINED the best radio station ever to grace the airwaves.....DOWN WITH PENK'S REVOLUTION.....(judging by what you've been playing you'll be off air within weeks anyway)
I loved the Rev and listened every day. Although I don't agree I can just about understand why faced with 'falling listener numbers' going mainstream might seem the easy option. But why didn't they have the courtesy to tell listeners what was happening?
It shows incredible contempt - not a great indicator of their ability to engage with, what are they called? You know, those people you have to put up with when moulding the perfect radio station and increasing figures? Ah yes, 'listeners'.
I for one can't wait to see if Penky manages to deliver a great station for Oldham - it'll either be a great success or a flop - at least it's made the Revolution a talking point for the moment! (Which it hasn't been for years) Here's hoping.....
I am amazed The Chronicle allows this free advertising for a commercial venture. It sounds like it's gonna be a carbon copy of all the other boring bland MOR stations that infest Manchester, what a waste of airspace, when other much more interesting and exciting stations are desperate for a frequency, such as Republic or Gaydio. Steve Penk is an anagram of "Off Button"
The old Revolution was boring and drab and I lost the will to live if I tuned in for more than a minute! It lost three quarters of its listeners before Penks takeover, when he replaced Evans at Virgin he brought in an exta 300,000 listeners, give the guy a chance! The new Revolution is for a wider audience now and I love it! 100% for the change!
Doesn't Ofcom have a say in what the change of music policy is? Won't there be a saturation of tired, bland pop in and around Greater Manchester? Let's hope the rumours of a Beckett / Coogan-led radio station are true, because the current Rev ownership has shown what that they think about local listeners by changing the format with no explanation to listeners or consultation with advertisers.
By Captain Sensible @ 08/09/2008 14:45:03
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