UK Digital Radio Station PLANET ROCK Sold

Award-winning radio station Planet Rock has secured a fantastic future with a little help from its friends!

Four British rock stars and one rock and radio fanatic have teamed up to save the digital radio station from closure and help build the brand, it was announced today (Wednesday, June 4).

Rock and radio fan Malcolm Bluemel's acquisition from GCAP Media is supported by some of rock's biggest names BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi, JETHRO TULL's Ian Anderson MBE, Gary Moore, and Fish and saves Planet Rock from certain closure.

Thousands of fans were outraged and banged the drum to keep their favorite station on air petitioning amongst others The Prime Minister and OFCOM to "Save Our Station."

Fish joined his starry colleagues in welcoming the announcement: "I always knew that there was a visionary out there who would see the huge potential that Planet Rock has to offer. I am sure that the station will go from strength to strength."

The consortium, headed by millionaire Bluemel, has plans to exploit the station's unrivalled demographic to maximize revenues.

"The people at Planet Rock and their listeners are passionate about their music and their station, which is why I wanted to step in and help make it happen.

"Rock fans have been traditionally very poorly served in this country and Planet Rock is the place for them to feed their fanaticism."

Bluemel, 55, who is helping to organize a reunion for former Radio Luxembourg DJs in the Grand Duchy this August, is fanatical about radio.

"I share the station's passion for rock and radio. I marched in the '60s when Harold Wilson announced that he was shutting down the pirates.

"It has an authenticity and integrity booming out of it. Now we aim to take it to the next level, preserve all that's great about the output and utilise other platforms to serve an even bigger audience in a wider variety of ways.

"The fact that so many artists have come together to help make this happen is testimony to the importance of the station."

The development will act as a very positive marker for the digital radio industry.

Planet Rock's listening figures are at an all time high, with a weekly reach of nearly 600,000 better than a number of national BBC radio networks.

Trevor White, Programme Director for Planet Rock, said: "To say we're happy with the news would be an understatement. Rock fans waited 30 years for Planet Rock, a radio station that only played classic rock, and it would have been a crime to let it die. There were many parties interested in buying Planet Rock but it was Malcolm's team's love for the station and for radio that made them the obvious choice.

"There's no other radio station that embraces classic rock music as passionately as we do. Now we are owned by people who care solely for Planet Rock and are no longer a part of a huge group, we will go from strength to strength. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of listeners across the world who have overwhelmed us with their encouragement and support."

Ian Anderson MBE, from JETHRO TULL, said: "Onwards and upwards from the threat of extinction to a fantastic future, with a little help from its friends.

"I am personally delighted that the show goes on, as it must, since our heritage of great British rock music is too important to see slip away from national radio.

Gary Moore paid tribute to fellow presenters and the backroom staff who had worked tirelessly to secure a bright future for the station.

"A national treasure has been saved for the nation and I look forward to seeing it build on its strengths and current success."

Planet Rock was voted Sony Digital Station of the year at this year's Sony awards. It broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio across the UK and online at www.planetrock.com, playing album-based, guitar-driven melodic classic rock music featuring bespoke interviews, live recordings and presenting by rock heroes such as Alice Cooper, Gary Moore, Tony Iommi, Nicky Horne and Rick Wakeman.