[HCDX] Radio Caroline - a legend in European broadcasting may be forced to close

["Mike Terry" <michael.terry1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The outlook is not good, can you help please? At least please register your
support and join the mailing list:

From: http://www.radiocaroline.de/

Thursday March 15th 2001

Mark Stafford's News Report
The clock is ticking on towards the 31st March and the closedown of the
analogue service of Radio Caroline.

Meetings continue, quotes are still awaited and prices are still being
negotiated. But sadly, it now looks as if time has beaten us and that their
will be a gap between us leaving the air on the 31st March 2001 and
returning in a digital format. Having spoken to Peter Moore earlier today it
looks likely that this will be at least a month. So, stock those tape
recordings up.

Life without Caroline on the satellite will be strange and the thought of
returning to those other radio stations must fill some of you with dread !
It's probably a case that after two years "you never know what you've got
'till it's gone". Maybe we were beginning to be taken for granted.

Anyway, Peter Moore continues to analyse the financial implications of each
potential broadcasting option. More and more it starts to look like 28 East
and being on the Sky EPG (and free to air for anyone to receive) is out of
our financial reach. So, we are interested in how you would react to
Caroline broadcasting only on 19East with a digital service. It would mean
some creativity or some expense in order for you to receive us but we will
still be on the air. In fact 19 East digital would be seen by our German and
Dutch listeners as good news but sadly this would be at the detriment of our
service to UK Sky-digibox owners.

As we have said before for once in its life Caroline can choose how it wants
to broadcast on satellite, but it entirely depends on the vital funds
generated by those members of the support group. I personally believe that a
move to 28 East and being on the Sky EPG menu would bring Caroline back to
so many listeners who thought that we had died in the 1980's ! The
inevitable result will be increased support and the prospect of some low-key
real advertising. Hence the importance of the survey. Five million
subscribers can't all ignore the Radio Caroline name on that Sky Menu ! Many
will be tempted to push that button.

But Sky Digital requires either a very significant increase in support group
numbers or the taking up of an idea that is currently being kicked around on
another part of the internet. That is a direct appeal to all supporters for
a short-term 12 month doubling of their contributions to the support group.
Now, this is not a suggestion from head office (that may come later) but is
just a testing the water exercise. You the regular supporters have done so
much that we would feel guilty about asking for more and we recognise that
to some even the current subscription is difficult to give.

But any day now the choice will have to be made between the safe and much
cheaper option of digital on 19 East only. Or, a direct request to
supporters for an increase. Without that it appears that the Sky Menu will
be out of our reach. Unfortunately, so will the millions of potential fellow
Caroline listeners who lurk there at 28 East oblivious to the fact that
Radio Caroline, the station they went to school listening to in the 70s or
sat on a deckchair on Frinton beach in the 60s listening to still exists.

Still, life goes on for now, I hope you will join me on Sunday between 1 and
5pm as we head back to March 1975 on a Caroline Rock Flashback and also take
a trip into The Lost Classics Zone for the penultimate time.

If want to register your views on any points made here (please remember that
some of these are mine and may not reflect the Chairman's view - official
disclaimer to save Stafford from getting the sack from Caroline !) please
feel free to e-mail me and I will pass the comments on mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Talking of registering, that survey becomes ever more important as the weeks
pass by please check it out further down the page. Also don't forget, for a
lively debate about all things Caroline and another chance to air your views
visit this place ...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RadioCarolineMailingList

This is the home of the new Radio Caroline Mailing List which I am pleased
to say is gaining members at a rapid rate.

Best regards
Mark Stafford
Radio Caroline







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