GMG Radio announces First Wave of Independent Commissions

GMG Radio has commissioned its first wave of independent productions in an initiative which is set to bring a new burst of innovation and creativity to the commercial airwaves.

A wide range of programmes have been selected for broadcast on GMG's Smooth Radio, Real Radio, Century Radio or Rock Radio brands - from a six part documentary exploring the musical heritage along the route of the Mississippi river to an audio portrait of the realities of war in the 21st Century as told by serving soldiers in Afghanistan. Ten productions in all have been commissioned in this first phase and will begin broadcasting in June 2008. Announcements on further programme selections will follow in due course.

Group Programme Director John Simons and his commissioning panel, which included former BBC Radio 2 Controller Jim Moir, spent several months selecting programmes following 300 submissions from independent production companies. "This first raft of programmes will give listeners a feel for things to come and prove that creative and diverse programming can be just as at home on commercial radio as it is on the BBC" said John.

GMG Radio Chief Executive John Myers said: "GMG is committed to providing listeners with new and compelling programming and, thanks to the support of the Scott Trust, we have chosen a fantastic array of programmes that we know will be enjoyed by our audience. This is only phase one of our commissioning process and we look forward to ordering more early in the summer."

The Productions:

Rolling River of Rock (6 Episodes) - Smooth Operations
The Mississippi is the longest river in North America at 2,320 miles from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. Following its route The Rolling River of Rock, presented by Mark Cohn, the voice of hit songs including ‘Walking in Memphis', explores the Mississippi's musical heritage. He'll investigate why certain types of music were born and flourished in certain areas and how the banks of that great river are at the root of all today's popular music. This part-travelogue part history seven programme series will broadcast on Saturday afternoons on the Smooth Radio network from June.

Blogs From The Bunkers (2 Episodes) - Smooth Operations
Blogs From The Bunkers looks at the realities of war in the 21st Century as told by soldiers. There is an unofficial news source coming out of the Middle East. Blogs From The Bunkers takes the listener on a trip to Afghanistan where online diaries from serving soldiers tell very personal stories of the realities of being at war with an unseen enemy. Produced by Smooth Operations, this two-parter will broadcast across GMG Radio's network of 13 stations to mark Remembrance Sunday.

1968: The Year that Rocked the World (4 Episodes) - UBC Media
For the baby boomer generation 1968 is a year indelibly etched on their minds. Many iconic and symbolic events took place that year and this programme asks what caused them to happen in such a short space of time? What linked them and ultimately what was their legacy to the world we live in today? Using the highest profile interviewees, the best archive & clips this stimulating and entertaining series will take listeners back to the year that most embodies the ethos of the 1960s.

It was the year of the Vietnam war, the assassinations of Robert F Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. In Britain Vanessa Redgrave was among demonstrators protesting outside the US embassy with 10,000 holding a rally in Trafalgar Square while in Northern Ireland, civil rights marches were taking place on the streets of Derry. The year ended with Richard Nixon in the White House, the French right winning a landslide, and a new Conservative government in the UK. This programme will draw together many themes of the period: protest, disobedience & revolution, liberation & empowerment, the possibility of change, the death of a dream.

Rock in the Dock (4 Episodes) - Smooth Operations
Whoever coined the cliché, “sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll” forgot one key ingredient - litigation. Musicians long ago learned not to worry about getting a good manager - just get a good lawyer! The resulting acrimony is often worse than a divorce, and far more entertaining. In this four-part series we explore the history of rock's exciting, controversial and puzzling appearances in court. Featuring such artists as The Beach Boys, Kenny Rogers, Robbie Williams and Bruce Springsteen will ensure the music played is second-to-none. This is no dry resume of impenetrable legal debate, but a collection of the best litigious, fractious and plain weird entertainment the music business has inadvertently thrown up, with consideration of some of the more significant legal stand-offs that have helped define the modern music industry.

Banned in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s (6 Episodes) - Somethin' Else
The UK prides itself on upholding freedoms of speech but take a closer look over the decades and there's a long history of censorship and downright moral outrage. Banned in the....50s etc will be broadcast from September and examines censorship in the media through the decades - from the 50s to the Noughties. Featuring those who made the mischief to the morally outraged, we'll find out what caused offence in the first place, how and why it made such an impact and if banning it just made us want it more! In the eighties George Michael wanted sex, Dustin Hoffman unleashed his violent side and Olivia Newton John got Physical...... But if it happened today, would anyone bat an eyelid!?'

Where Did All the Money Go? (3 Episodes) - Wise Buddah
Presented by Alexei Sayle, this series explores the court cases, the mis-management and bust-ups that led to large sums of hard earned rock-star cash going astray. Investigating the extravagant lives of stars who found fame and fortune and the paths that led to their destitution. Alexei will tackle plagiarism, bad behaviour and down-right dodgy dealings! whilst raking over some of the most acrimonious break-ups in music history and asking why some rock stars just can't keep hold of their cash.

Heroes Heroes (6 Episodes) - Wise Buddah
Hero's Heroes will see some of the world's biggest entertainers share their personal admiration for each other's work in one-to-one conversational style programmes. The hour-long shows will be broadcast on Smooth Radio in the autumn.

A series of three programmes has also been commissioned to mark the 30th anniversaries of three of the biggest pop phenomena of the 1970's. Grease at 30, Can't Stop the Music - The Village People Story and When Saturday Night Fever Ruled the World (USP Productions) will be broadcast on Smooth Radio in June and across the Real/Century network later in the year.

Full schedule details and information on presenters and guests will follow in due course.

Further Information
Joe Burton – Senior Press Officer: 020 7298 7266
Alison Halstead – Head of Communications – 020 7298 7296 or 07966 243435

Published on 30/04/2008

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