Hitz Radio

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This article is about the UK-based internet radio. For the Malaysian national radio station, see hitz.fm.
Logo for Hitz Radio Unsigned, one of the Hitz Radio stations.
Logo for Hitz Radio Unsigned, one of the Hitz Radio stations.

Hitz Radio was an internet radio station based in Ayrshire, Scotland founded by Ryan Dunlop in 2006.

Dunlop claimed his drivetime slot averaged 80,000 listeners,[1] and that he employs 40 staff.[2] These claims were disputed by various experts in the radio industry during 2007.[3] As of November 2007, Hitz Radio was investigated by Trading Standards over these claims, and questioned about operating without the licenses which radio stations require.[4]

A video broadcast service, Hitz Television, made its debut in July 2007 by using video service, YouTube, to broadcast[5]

Contents

[edit] Origins

Hitz Radio launched on 16 January 2006.[6] when Dunlop was age 14,[7] but the station was operating as a hobby since December 2004 or earlier.[8]

Hitz Radio filed as a private limited company at Companies House on 2006-10-02,[9] which is wholly owned by Ryan Dunlop.[10]

Hitz Radio started broadcasting from Dunlop's bedroom PC,[2] and moved into the garden shed.[10]

[edit] Audience

In common with most online radio stations, there were no independently verified figures on the audience of Hitz Radio.

In March 2007, Hitz Radio claimed 250,000 listeners, with the peak slot averaging 80,000 listeners.[1] In May 2007, Dunlop claimed Hitz Radio had "around five million people from all over the world visiting at any one time."[11]

According to Radio Today, Hitz Radio came under fire from some in the UK radio industry.[3]

[edit] Company

Dunlop and his parents ran Hitz Radio between lessons at the Prestwick Academy.[1] He claimed to employ 40 members of staff,[2][1] who are "volunteer presenters and commission-earning salesmen" who worked from home.[1]

[edit] Awards

Hitz Radio received an industry award in 2007, and was a regional winner for a second. The Daily Record awarded its 2007 Our Heroes Business Award to Ryan Dunlop and Hitz Radio,[12] described in the award-winners list as having "5 million fans."[13] Ryan Dunlop and Hitz Radio were also the regional winner for south west Scotland in the Shell Livewire 2007 Scottish Young Entrepreneur Awards.[14]

[edit] Investigation by Trading Standards

In November 2007, Hitz Radio was investigated by Trading Standards, after they received complaints about the claims made by Dunlop.[4]

Trading Standards also found that despite Dunlop's claims, Hitz Radio was in fact operating without licenses from the Phonographic Performance Limited or Mechanical Copyright Protection Society, which are required to operate a radio station.[4]

[edit] "The Final Countdown"

Hitz Radio ended online broadcasting on June 2, 2008 with a 2-hour show presented live by Dunlop entitled "The Final Countdown." It took the form of a music request show interspersed with highlights from HitzRadio's time on air. During it he courted controversy by calling people in the radio industry "tits"; and making claims that the station could possibly be moving to New York. He continually called Hitz Radio "the world's biggest / greatest radio station" during the broadcast.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Teen tycoon hits paydirt with shed radio station. The Sunday Times (2007-03-04). Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  2. ^ a b c Mills, Rod (26 February 2007). 5 Million Listeners.. and Radio Boss Ryan is only 15. Daily Record. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  3. ^ a b Listen out for The Big Listen. Radio Today (10 June 2007). “Ryan [Dunlop] came under fire recently within the industry.” (Registration required)
  4. ^ a b c Wilson, Stuart (2007-11-28). DJ's claims out of tune. Ayrshire Post.
  5. ^ Hitz TV First Coverage
  6. ^ About Hitz Radio Limited. Hitz Radio. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  7. ^ About me. Ryan Dunlop. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  8. ^ Archived copy of hitzradio.co.uk. Internet Archive (2004-12-14). Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  9. ^ Hitz Radio Ltd (SC309461). Companies House. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  10. ^ a b Wilson, Stuart (May 23, 2007). Ayr's King of Spin. icNetwork. Retrieved on 2007-06-14.
  11. ^ Business Hero: Ryan Dunlop. The Daily Record (21 May 2007). Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
  12. ^ Daily Record Our Heroes video
  13. ^ Our Heroes 2007. The Daily Record. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
  14. ^ Shell Livewire Finalist (Scottish). Shell Livewire. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.

[edit] External links