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Search forRadio boss puts brave face on Bath FM problems
Wednesday, December 03, 2008, 13:15
South West Radio managing director Paul Roberts had to man the mic himself last week but said he had "extremely big hopes for the future".
The uncertainty clouding the station intensified after its main phone line was cut off, its website was taken down and it became impossible to listen to programmes online.
For much of this week, there have been no sales staff at the station and no journalists working at its studios in Weston.
It is still broadcasting a local news bulletin thought to be compiled at a sister station in Swindon, but only two presenters are working - breakfast show host Ian Dore and programme controller Tim Lewis.
Mr Dore's show goes out live between 7.30am and 11am, while Mr Lewis broadcasts from 2pm and 7pm.
Automated music and commercials are broadcast between 11am and 2pm.
The two presenters and other staff have instituted grievance procedures with South West Radio, with their main complaint the level of back pay owed.
South West Radio bought Bath FM in late October after the collapse of previous owner Laser Broadcasting.
South West Radio - which also bought four other Laser-owned local radio stations in the west - paid November's wages last week but money is still owed from the period when Laser was in control.
Mr Dore was off sick last week, with a stand-in presenter fronting his show.
When he returned to the airwaves on Monday, Mr Dore told listeners: "Thank you to...............well, actually, I don't know who it was last week."
Mr Lewis was on holiday last week and one commentator on the website Digital Spy said: "Last week's output....was truly shocking."
Mr Roberts insisted the presenter line-up now was no different to that when his firm took over.
"Nothing's changed," he said.
"We had a couple of people off last week and I was covering one show myself."
He said he was intending to increase the level of live programming in the New Year.
"I have extremely big hopes for the future. I want more live programming through the day and a local sports show at the weekends."
Mr Roberts said he was in the process of sorting out the station's phone account, with problems arising because of money owed by Laser.
He said that the firm had also paid half of the October back pay owed to staff and intended to pay all the wages that were outstanding.
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