LBC owner changes management due to declining listenership

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak takes part in an interview with LBC. Photo: Rory Arnold/10 Downing Street

The owner of LBC has overhauled its management team amid declining voice radio listeners and increased competition from competitors such as Rupert Murdoch's Talk Radio.

Global , the UK's largest commercial radio group, has seen both financial and marketing chiefs leave the business in recent weeks.

Darren Singer, a media veteran formerly of the Guardian, stepped down as chief financial officer in July.

He was replaced by Ben Porter, Rupert Murdoch's former deputy at Foxtel and Sky.

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Chilesta van Dorn, chief marketing officer and former chief executive of Virgin Media, also left the company after just 18 months.

James Hickman, who has been with the media group since 2013, has been appointed director of digital products on the board of directors.

A Global spokesperson declined to comment on the changes that were recorded in Companies House documents.

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The boardroom's overhaul comes after the latest official data showed a drop in listenership for flagship speech radio station Global LBC. from famous hosts like Nick Ferrari and James O'Brien.

LBC News, 24. An hour-long news station that lost 10 percent of its audience.

This comes amid a broader decline in speech radio stations, suggesting that the format is running out of steam after a surge in popularity in recent years thanks to candid speakers and heated debate.

Global also produces podcasts such as 'The News Agents' with Emily Maitlis, John Sopel and Lewis Goodall. Credit: Global/PA Wire

The BBC has seen a continuing decline in its talk stations, with Radio 4 Today losing 15% of its listeners. The number of Times Radio listeners has also decreased.

GB News Radio and News UK Talk Radio and Talk Sport have bucked the broader trend of higher listeners.

Trouble at LBC belies broader growth at Global, whose weekly audience surged to 26.3 million in the second quarter, as more listeners tuned in to the biggest radio stations, Heart, Capital and Smooth.

Owned by British entrepreneur Ashley Tabor-King and led by Labor Party colleague Charles Allen, Global has grown by a number of acquisitions of radio stations.

In recent years, it has further expanded into podcasts. through its Global Player platform, hosting shows such as The News Agents with former BBC journalists Emily Maitlis, John Sopel and Lewis Goodall.

Global also has a large out-of-home advertising business, with a lucrative deal with Transport for London to place billboards on the capital's public transport network.

The latest available reports show that Global generated an operating profit of £57.1m on revenue of £682m for the year to the end of March 2022 . .

In a statement, Mr. Tabor-King said, “We are extremely grateful to the millions of people who choose our radio brands every day for entertainment, information and communication.

«Commercial radio is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so it's only natural that commercial radio has the highest listening figures today, highlighting the strength and resilience of the sector and environment.»