Kerrang! 105.2FM, the rock music radio station from Emap set to launch in the West Midlands on 10 June, has appointed a five-strong news team to produce bulletins and current affairs output.
Based at Kerrang’s West Midlands headquarters in Birmingham, the team will be lead by Laurence King, newly appointed as head of speech and content for the station. He has joined Kerrang from Brighton-based Southern FM where he was head of news.
Caroline Beavon has left Heart FM to become Kerrang’s breakfast editor.
Two journalists from Birminghambased BRMB, James Williams and Ian Powell, will present the drive-time news bulletins and run the sports desk respectively.
Chris Hill from Capital’s Centre FM joins as weekend editor.
The team will produce bulletins seven days a week, including a 15minute programme on weekday evenings – The Source – giving the chance to cover stories in depth.
Every week, the news team will research, write and produce Uncovered – an hour-long music documentary, focusing on rock acts that define the station’s output, such as Nirvana, Led Zeppelin and Marilyn Manson.
King said the team will deliver the news “in a conversational, friendly, informative but relatable style”.
“The agenda will be driven by the West Midlands’ biggest stories together with relevant national and world news,” he added.
Kerrang won the West Midlands licence after going up against bids from the Wireless Group’s NewsTALK 105.2FM and WBC 105.2FM from Chrysalis. The regional licence covered a potential 3.5 million adult listeners.
By Wale Azeez
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