92: Francis Currie - Programmer, Mercia, Tfm, Minster, Magic, Heart, Virgin

It was his love of radio which governed his choice of university – before a career which saw him emerge as one of the key UK radio programmers of his generation – leading the way on research and the psychology of radio.

In this hour of ‘Radio Moments Conversations’, Francis Currie shares his early hospital and student radio days and his graduation to a young Mercia Sound. He tells of his spell at LBC and onto his dream station ‘The SuperStation’, albeit past its glory days. On-air work followed at Rock FM and Tfm as he began to identify the detail of radio programming – and that his talents might lie in other areas than on-air.

At Minster, his programming skills were honed, before being appointed programme manager at Invicta in Kent. That station’s acquisition by Capital generated a major opportunity to programme BRMB – where Francis started to establish how best to handle radio’s biggest personalities and managers.

Following a farewell to the Capital group, he tells of a quirky Melody Radio and how he engineered the brand change to Magic on its acquisition by EMAP – a group which was to offer him opportunities beyond radio.

Having transferred to Chrysalis, Francis opens up about the challenges of taking Heart to its Number One status in London for the first time – how he felt on the day of that victory - and how he felt as he was ejected when the company.

After a successful spell in consulting worldwide, he was part of the team which brought together Chris Evans and Virgin Radio before moving back into consultancy.

In his own words, this is the Francis Currie story.

Hear the whole ‘Radio Moments Conversations’ series here – and sign up for the regular podcast for this ongoing series. Music by Larry Bryant.