chrismoyles.net
- Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:52 pm
#420806
The mirror broke the story a couple of days ago that Chris had begun talks to move to Capital FM when it goes Nationwide in the coming months:
Further reports fleshed the story out:
The BBC were quick to deny the rumours:
The Sun followed up the story:
And then 'sources' at the BBC started putting their side forward:
In the past hours Chris Evans has put his views forward:
What's really happening? There is never smoke without fire .. whether the plan is to leak the stories to have the BBC show their hand and their commitment to extend his contract, whether it's just another story to keep Chris' name in the papers - raising his profile and therefore his 'value' to whichever radio stations may be interested ... or even perhaps that he really is planning his eventual exit from Radio One. One thing is for certain, the commentators on the story are merely in it to have their name tied to a story that's being hyped - and Evans, that means you.
Chris commented on twitter:
The mirror broke the story a couple of days ago that Chris had begun talks to move to Capital FM when it goes Nationwide in the coming months:
The Mirror wrote:Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles is being lined up to join commercial radio giant Capital FM next year.
The popular host, the longest-serving breakfast DJ ever on the station, has had "unofficial" talks with millionaire Ashley Tabor about the prospect of joining Capital FM when it launches nationwide from January.
Moyles, 36, used to share a flat with Mr Tabor, who owns more than 40% of British commercial radio.
A source close to Moyles said: "Ashley and Chris are friends and talk regularly.
"Ash has made it clear he would love Chris to come over to Capital. It would give the station a massive boost after it launches.
"Chris would also be freer in what he can say and do. He has found things tough at the BBC recently."
Any such move would pitch Moyles against Radio 1 because Capital FM is being lined up as a direct competitor to the station.
Moyles, who currently attracts eight million listeners to his breakfast show, freely admits he can be "a bit grumpy in the mornings".
The fiery BBC star has hosted the Radio 1 breakfast show for six years and recently signed another one-year deal to carry him through to next July.
However, it is believed he could get out of the deal early, if he got the right offer.
The opportunity comes two weeks after his 20-minute on-air rant because the BBC had failed to pay him for two months due to an error.
Further reports fleshed the story out:
Other Reports wrote:A radio industry source told the Daily Mail: ‘Chris coming on board to Capital FM is a very attractive prospect indeed for both parties. Chris is good friends with Ashley and this has been discussed.’
The fiery BBC star has hosted the Radio One breakfast show for the past six years and recently signed another one-year deal to carry him through to next year.
He is on a deal believed to be worth £550,000-a-year.
Although it would be an interesting and high profile move for Moyles, it was made clear that commercial radio would be unable to pay him as much as the BBC.
The source said: ‘At the moment, thanks to the good old licence fee payer, Chris has a very big salary. But there would be no way that commercial radio would match that. Despite this, the lure of launching a brand-new station is exciting.
‘Chris is definitely looking around the commercial sector. And he could soon well face a radio pay review at the BBC – just like the television stars who had their pay cut.
‘Chris would also have six million listeners from the offset as all the Global radio stations will be united.’
News of Moyles’ plans come just two weeks after he subjected millions of listeners to a 20 minute on-air rant about his pay.
BBC chiefs had failed to pay him for two months due to an administrative error and Moyles, who signed his new contract in July, raged: ‘I'm very, very angry for being put into this position. I haven’t been paid since the end of July and no-one cares about it.’
The DJ said he had considered skipping work, adding: ‘If they can't be bothered, why should I bother?’
He name checked Radio One controller Andy Parfitt, as well as BBC Director General Mark Thompson, during the segment.
However, Mr Parfitt said he did not reprimand the DJ, saying: ‘For me, it was a question of deciding whether he had overstepped the red lines or not. In my judgement, he hadn't.’
Despite this, he then admitted it ‘wasn't the best’ show he had ever heard.
Now aged 33, Mr Tabor founded Global Radio two years ago, buying GCap Media and Chrysalis Radio for a combined price of £545m. He is now believed to be the most powerful man in commercial radio.
The group now comprises some of the UK’s most popular radio brands: Heart, Capital FM, Classic FM, Galaxy, XFM and LBC 97.3.
Even though Capital FM will launch nationally in the New Year, the breakfast shows will continue to be hosted by local presenters, even though watchdog Ofcom is set to bid to change this in two to three years time.
A Global spokesman told the Mail the company was not in talks with Moyles ‘at the moment’, but added tellingly: ‘We would fully understand the attraction of joining capital FM as it goes national in early January.’
A spokeswoman for Moyles declined to comment.
The BBC were quick to deny the rumours:
The BBC wrote:The BBC insisted last night that the Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles remained under contract at the Corporation despite reports that the breakfast show presenter was planning to sign with rivals Global Radio, which is launching Capital FM nationwide early next year. Last month Moyles complained of a "lack of respect" from his current employers, claiming on air that he had not been paid since July.
BBC bosses stood by their star, who has delivered audience gains for the morning show, insisting he had not crossed "red lines" by airing his grievances. Moyles is tipped to leave his current role next July when his contract expires.
The Sun followed up the story:
The Sun wrote:GOBBY DJ CHRIS MOYLES is plotting to quit the BBC for commercial radio after bosses told him he will be AXED.
The breakfast host has already been in talks with Global Radio owner ASHLEY TABOR, a close pal and former flatmate.
The firm's London-based Capital is launching as a national station next year and they would see signing him as a PR coup, sources say.
Moyles, 36, was told in July 2009 that a £600,000 one-year deal would be his last - but it was extended as no replacement was found.
Colleagues GREG JAMES, 24, and SCOTT MILLS, 36, are the early favourites to replace him.
Ex-Radio 1 DJ MARK GOODIER, 49, told a recent industry bash that included Tabor: "I bet in a year's time Chris Moyles is one of your commercial colleagues."
And then 'sources' at the BBC started putting their side forward:
Sources at the BBC wrote:Sources at Radio 1 have said: “If the BBC let Chris go then they will be making a big mistake, Chris is the best Radio Presenter the BBC has ever had and without him the breakfast show will become dull and will lose millions of listeners to rival stations.”
In the past hours Chris Evans has put his views forward:
Chris Evans wrote:Chris Moyles should leave the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show following his on-air rant about not being paid, according to Radio 2 broadcaster Chris Evans.
Speaking to Richard Bacon on Five Live, Evans - host of Radio 1's breakfast show from 1995 to 1997 - said: "It's time for him to leave".
"Chris has got to go somewhere else," said Evans, who now hosts the Radio 2 breakfast show.
The 44-year-old said Moyles's tirade showed he had "lost perspective".
"Why do you think you have the right to hijack a BBC microphone to make that complaint?" he said of Moyles's recent claim he had not been paid for two months.
Evans went on to suggest Moyles should move into the commercial sector, potentially to Capital Radio if the London-based station goes national as proposed.
"I think he'll go to commercial radio, he'll get a massive pay packet, and I think he'll do very well.
"You've got to leave while there's still some heat around," Evans said of 36-year-old Moyles, whom he claimed was "way out of the demographic" of Radio 1's target audience.
What's really happening? There is never smoke without fire .. whether the plan is to leak the stories to have the BBC show their hand and their commitment to extend his contract, whether it's just another story to keep Chris' name in the papers - raising his profile and therefore his 'value' to whichever radio stations may be interested ... or even perhaps that he really is planning his eventual exit from Radio One. One thing is for certain, the commentators on the story are merely in it to have their name tied to a story that's being hyped - and Evans, that means you.
Chris commented on twitter:
@CHRISDJMOYLES wrote:To confirm; 1. I'm not leaving 2. I love working for R1 3. They love me working there 4. Some people need headlines cos they got a book out!
I missed the opening link, did he say he would be doing breakfast?