Richard Park (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
Richard Park is a Scottish
media personality
and businessman
, who is Executive Director of Global Radio
. He was previously a media consultant and broadcaster in the UK and has also made appearances as the 'Headmaster' of BBC TV's Fame Academy
programmes.
in 1966. Later he joined the fledgling BBC Radio 1 network presenting such programmes as The Radio 1 Club and Round Table show.
In the mid-1970s, he joined Radio Clyde
specialising in music and sport programming working his way up to be Head of Entertainment. He also hosted a show named 'Doctor Dick's Midnight Surgery' which was featured a phone-in in which listeners could win "Doctor Dick's 12-incher". Park also became the station's regular football
commentator
, working alongside summariser James Sanderson.
Park moved to London in 1987, to become Programme Controller at Capital Radio
. He was instrumental in breaking new talent including Pete Tong
, Tim Westwood
and Neil Fox. He was responsible for hiring Chris Tarrant
on Capital, which became one of the most successful breakfast shows in the UK.
In 1996, he formed Wildstar Records, uniting Capital and Telstar Records. As Director, he was responsible for signing Craig David
. In 1997 he was responsible along with executives from LWT for creating the short-lived television show "Live From The Capital Cafe" which was simulcast on Capital Radio
. Presented by Dani Behr & Jason Bradbury the 90min show broadcast just after 11pm on Friday nights lasted only four weeks, it did not return for a second season.
In 2001, after 14 years with Capital, he left to set up his own consultancy company, Park Management. Two years later, he set up Park Records, a joint venture with Universal Music.
He was also Radio Consultant for Emap
, working on Magic and Big City networks. In 2004 and 2005, Park appeared on London's LBC 97.3
as presenter of their Weekend Breakfast Show and stood-in for James O'Brien on the mid-morning weekday phone-in. In the Summer of 2005, he also presented a series of Saturday sports shows on talkSPORT
discussing a wide range of sporting topics including football, cricket, rugby and tennis. He appeared as himself in the 2005 Christmas special of The Catherine Tate Show
.
In 2007, after joining Global Radio, he controversially removed the entertainment programming from LBC 97.3 to turn it into a topical talk station. For example, the popular straight-to-air part of Clive Bull's show was stopped and replaced by a newspaper review. The policy led to negative publicity after Jeni Barnett
's treatment of the subject of MMR vaccination was criticised by Ben Goldacre
.
He is a Fellow of The Radio Academy
.
as the "Headmaster", and gained a reputation for both his harsh criticisms of the students, and his long running on-screen feud with presenter Patrick Kielty
. This came to a head during the 2005 series of Comic Relief does Fame Academy
, where his scathing remarks about the contestants, who were all appearing solely to raise money for charity, caused them to threaten a walk-out.
The BBC eventually received 450 viewer complaints after Park made an offensive hand gesture to host Patrick Kielty
on live television during the Saturday evening charity programme. The incident, broadcast well before the watershed at 7pm, came after Park criticised Kielty for "sycophantically stroking" the egos of the contestants. As the camera cut to co-host Cat Deeley
, Park was pictured in the background mouthing the word "wanker
" before making the accompanying gesture. The BBC issued an apology, and said he had not realised he was on camera at the time.
according to host Colin Murray. Park has played 15, Won 12, Drawn 1 and Lost 2 (one of the losses was fixed to allow journalist Mick Dennis
to win). On Saturday, 20 January 2007 (the week prior to Murray entering Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
) he won the heat with a score of 75 points, almost twice the typical winning score.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
media personality
Infotainment
Infotainment is "information-based media content or programming that also includes entertainment content in an effort to enhance popularity with audiences and consumers." It is a neologistic portmanteau of information and entertainment, referring to a type of media which provides a combination of...
and businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
, who is Executive Director of Global Radio
Global Radio
Global Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
. He was previously a media consultant and broadcaster in the UK and has also made appearances as the 'Headmaster' of BBC TV's Fame Academy
Fame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
programmes.
Professional career
Voted most influential person in the music industry by Record and Radio Industry Executives in 2001, Park began his career as a Pirate DJ on offshore station Radio ScotlandRadio Scotland
Radio Scotland was an offshore pirate radio station broadcasting on 1241 kHz mediumwave , created by Tommy Shields in 1965. The station was located on the former lightship M.V...
in 1966. Later he joined the fledgling BBC Radio 1 network presenting such programmes as The Radio 1 Club and Round Table show.
In the mid-1970s, he joined Radio Clyde
Radio Clyde
Radio Clyde is a division of Bauer Radio based in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently operate an FM station and an AM station from studios in Clydebank West Dunbartonshire.- History :...
specialising in music and sport programming working his way up to be Head of Entertainment. He also hosted a show named 'Doctor Dick's Midnight Surgery' which was featured a phone-in in which listeners could win "Doctor Dick's 12-incher". Park also became the station's regular football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, working alongside summariser James Sanderson.
Park moved to London in 1987, to become Programme Controller at Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
. He was instrumental in breaking new talent including Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
, Tim Westwood
Tim Westwood
Timothy Westwood is an English DJ and presenter of radio and television. He also presents the UK version of the MTV show Pimp My Ride...
and Neil Fox. He was responsible for hiring Chris Tarrant
Chris Tarrant
Christopher John "Chris" Tarrant, OBE is an English radio and television broadcaster, now best known for hosting the first version of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the United Kingdom and later Ireland, as the two national versions of the show merged in 2002.Chris...
on Capital, which became one of the most successful breakfast shows in the UK.
In 1996, he formed Wildstar Records, uniting Capital and Telstar Records. As Director, he was responsible for signing Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
. In 1997 he was responsible along with executives from LWT for creating the short-lived television show "Live From The Capital Cafe" which was simulcast on Capital Radio
Capital Radio
Capital London is a London based radio station which launched on 16 October 1973 and is owned by Global Radio. On 3 January 2011 it formed part of the nine station Capital radio network.- Pre-launch :...
. Presented by Dani Behr & Jason Bradbury the 90min show broadcast just after 11pm on Friday nights lasted only four weeks, it did not return for a second season.
In 2001, after 14 years with Capital, he left to set up his own consultancy company, Park Management. Two years later, he set up Park Records, a joint venture with Universal Music.
He was also Radio Consultant for Emap
EMAP
Emap Limited is a British media company, specialising in the production of business-to-business magazines, and the organisation of business events and conferences...
, working on Magic and Big City networks. In 2004 and 2005, Park appeared on London's LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
as presenter of their Weekend Breakfast Show and stood-in for James O'Brien on the mid-morning weekday phone-in. In the Summer of 2005, he also presented a series of Saturday sports shows on talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
discussing a wide range of sporting topics including football, cricket, rugby and tennis. He appeared as himself in the 2005 Christmas special of The Catherine Tate Show
The Catherine Tate Show
The Catherine Tate Show is a British television sketch comedy written by Catherine Tate and Aschlin Ditta. Tate also stars in all but one of the show's sketches, which feature a wide range of characters. The Catherine Tate Show airs on BBC Two and is shown worldwide through the BBC...
.
In 2007, after joining Global Radio, he controversially removed the entertainment programming from LBC 97.3 to turn it into a topical talk station. For example, the popular straight-to-air part of Clive Bull's show was stopped and replaced by a newspaper review. The policy led to negative publicity after Jeni Barnett
Jeni Barnett
Jeni Barnett is an English actress and TV presenter who grew up in Borehamwood. She is married to Yorkshire-born actor Jim Bywater and has one daughter, Bethany.-Acting career:...
's treatment of the subject of MMR vaccination was criticised by Ben Goldacre
Ben Goldacre
Ben Michael Goldacre born 1974 is a British science writer, doctor and psychiatrist. He is the author of The Guardian newspaper's weekly Bad Science column and a book of the same title, published by Fourth Estate in September 2008....
.
He is a Fellow of The Radio Academy
Radio Academy
The Radio Academy is a registered charity that is dedicated to 'the encouragement, recognition and promotion of excellence in UK broadcasting and audio production'....
.
Fame Academy
Park appeared in both series of BBC TV's Fame AcademyFame Academy
Fame Academy is a televised competition to search for and educate new musical talents. The winner received a chance to become a successful music artist. The prize consisted of a £1m recording contract with a major record company, plus the use of a luxury apartment in London and a sports car for one...
as the "Headmaster", and gained a reputation for both his harsh criticisms of the students, and his long running on-screen feud with presenter Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty is an Irish comedian and television personality from Dundrum, Northern Ireland.-Background:He was affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. On 25 January 1988 his father, businessman Jack Kielty, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association /"Ulster Freedom Fighters" , a...
. This came to a head during the 2005 series of Comic Relief does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day...
, where his scathing remarks about the contestants, who were all appearing solely to raise money for charity, caused them to threaten a walk-out.
The BBC eventually received 450 viewer complaints after Park made an offensive hand gesture to host Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty is an Irish comedian and television personality from Dundrum, Northern Ireland.-Background:He was affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. On 25 January 1988 his father, businessman Jack Kielty, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association /"Ulster Freedom Fighters" , a...
on live television during the Saturday evening charity programme. The incident, broadcast well before the watershed at 7pm, came after Park criticised Kielty for "sycophantically stroking" the egos of the contestants. As the camera cut to co-host Cat Deeley
Cat Deeley
Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley is an English television presenter and model. Since 2006, Deeley has also been the host of So You Think You Can Dance in the United States, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition...
, Park was pictured in the background mouthing the word "wanker
Wanker
Wanker is a pejorative term of English origin, common in Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth countries, including Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It initially referred to an onanist but has since become a general insult. It is synonymous with tosser.-Meaning:The term wanker...
" before making the accompanying gesture. The BBC issued an apology, and said he had not realised he was on camera at the time.
Fighting Talk performance
As of Saturday the 3 March 2007 he was the most successful contestant on BBC 5 Live's Fighting TalkFighting Talk
Fighting Talk is a topical sports show broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live during the English football season. Its first series aired in October 2003, and was presented by Johnny Vaughan. The second series featured Christian O'Connell. It is currently hosted by Colin Murray and is aired on Saturday...
according to host Colin Murray. Park has played 15, Won 12, Drawn 1 and Lost 2 (one of the losses was fixed to allow journalist Mick Dennis
Mick Dennis
Mick Dennis is a sports writer and broadcaster. He has written for The Sun, The Sunday Times, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Telegraph and the London Evening Standard. Since December 2003, he has been the football correspondent of The Daily Express...
to win). On Saturday, 20 January 2007 (the week prior to Murray entering Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day...
) he won the heat with a score of 75 points, almost twice the typical winning score.