A true, autobiographical story about love and loyalties in families and family businesses the world over; risk, luck, laughter, hard work – and what happens when the little guys take on the big guys. It is life – affirming, optimistic and uplifting; and it really did happen. It is also Very Funny Indeed. Sometimes intentionally. Got some top tunes in it as well! Here’s the story……

Towards the end of the last century in the UK, there was a modern – day gold rush; the rush to establish independent commercial radio stations in ‘virgin territories’ – or ‘white space’ – throughout the country.

Like Canal Mania and Railway Mania before it, the competition was cut – throat, the race headlong, the consequences unforgiving for the losers, life – changing for the winners. And the name of the game was Frequency Mania – the frantic scramble for control of the scarce FM radio frequencies which determined the rights to provide commercial radio services in regions right the way across the country. This being Britain, you couldn’t just go out and Do It – there were very powerful forces controlling the media – and a government regulator which seemed intent on keeping real power – the control of the mainstream media – within the hands of those who were, traditionally, the gatekeepers.

This is the story of two brothers who grew up in the former Nottinghamshire coalfield, whose efforts would define this desperate dash. Without the benefits of money, status or influence, they took on the power of an indifferent Establishment in pursuit of their dreams and in doing so, changed the broadcasting map of the country forever. From toddlers to pirate radio DJs, from rank outsiders to the very heart of the broadcasting business, this is a white – knuckle ride through the country’s opportunities and limitations, told with urgency and a finely – tuned sense of the ridiculous.

With a nod to Danny Baker’s ‘Going To Sea In A Sieve’, this land – based version of ‘The Boat That Rocked’ thirty years after is an affectionate and hilarious ‘Spinal Tap’ for UK radio. It has already topped an Amazon ‘best seller’ chart and sold hundreds of copies in paperback.

If you can read English, like a laugh and can appreciate what it is like to take on a huge challenge where the odds are permanently stacked against – and the goalposts keep moving – then you really ought to read this. Doesn’t matter where in the world you are; we’re dealing with universals here. Doesn’t matter if you don’t know the first thing about radio apart from listening to it occasionally; this book could be ‘about’ anything – it just happens to be ‘about’ radio.

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About the Author
Steve and Paul Jenner are professional broadcasters, authors and businessmen. They have clocked up over 30000 on – air hours between them on a wide variety of commercial and BBC radio stations and are two of the most recognisable radio voices in the Midlands and North West. Steve has experience as a press officer, music journalist and media commentator and has also been a teacher, property developer and Roversport – sponsored racing driver in national championships. Paul is a licenced F.A. coach and director of a football club, and is well known as being an
accomplished auctioneer for local charitable causes. Both have business interests
beyond radio.

Steve first took tentative steps to becoming a DJ in 1972, putting together a rig which
was ‘borderline lethal’ and performing his first gigs soon afterwards. He’s been taking
money off of people for playing records to them ever since.
After a spectacularly pathetic failed attempt to break into hospital radio, he got into
the broadcasting business through the ‘back door’, having been introduced to Nottingham pirate station Horizon Radio by Paul in the early 90’s. This led, extremely indirectly to a unlikely career as a professional broadcaster, during which he would present all the major on – air shifts on commercial radio; weekday breakfast, the sports show, drivetime, the weekday afternoon show, and a number of high – profile presentation slots such as in – studio ‘anchor’ presenter on Ashbourne Radio’s
Shrovetide Football coverage which he continues to do to this day, and along with
Paul was one of the three – presenter on – air team at High Peak Radio for Live Aid 2, for which the station received a commendation from Sony. He was also Managing Director of both stations for a spell.

His career as a professional broadcaster really took off when he became press and
media officer for the national language pressure group Plain English Campaign, and
could be seen fighting to defend the apostrophe, amongst other things, as a ‘talking
head’ on most the major TV networks including the BBC (He’s been on the famous
breakfast Red Sofa on five occasions, both in London and later in Salford), ITV, Sky
News and CNN as well as a wide range of international TV networks including South
Korean and Russian national TV networks and has been a guest on virtually every
BBC local radio station in the country including national stations such as Radio 2, 4
and 5 Live as well as BBC Scotland, Wales and in Northern Ireland along with
national commercial services such as Talk Radio.

He cheerfully admits such heady days are behind him now but he’s still part of the
presentation team on both High Peak Radio and Ashbourne Radio and enjoys ‘the
odd run out’ presenting on – air auctions, ‘double – heading’ with his brother and has
concentrated in recent times on his work as an author, as well as floating gently
through the countryside on his narrow boat ‘whenever the chance presents itself’. As
one of the two founding directors of both radio stations, his main role now is to stay
in touch with the licensing authority, OFCOM. As such he led the successful
expansion of Ashbourne Radio into both Wirksworth and the wider Derbyshire Dales
and Uttoxeter and the Staffordshire borders.

The poacher has indeed turned gamekeeper – but he still remembers his ‘outlaw’
roots. ‘I was within a few minutes of having my ‘collar felt’ for pirate broadcasting.
Had that happened, our book would have been very much shorter than it is! Read
the book and you’ll realise ‘it – hasn’t – been – easy’ is a classic example of massive
understatement; but we are those two little boys who grew up wanting to be
whatever it is…..and became them!’
Picture

Paul played his first record to a paying audience in 1974 and the numbers of people
who have seen him ‘live’ since then, topped a million some time ago.
After many years running his nationally – touring disco roadshow, he was introduced to pirate radio by former High Peak Radio breakfast presenter Barry Jarvis – and he’s never looked back!

The commercial ‘engine’ behind the Broadcast Brothers, Paul was once described by a Sony – award winning broadcaster as a ‘Pocket Hercules!’ and there is absolutely no doubt that without Paul’s sales and marketing skills, The Broadcast Brothers would just be The Brothers.
Having spent years kicking lumps out of people on the football pitch, he too has seen
something of a ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’ turnaround with his appointment as a
licenced F.A. coach and football club directorship. As well as being one of the
founding directors of High Peak Radio, he is currently Managing Director of both
stations, so doesn’t have as much time to ‘mess around’ as his older brother!
As an auctioneer at charity events and the main in – studio force behind the
legendary on – air auctions, Paul has helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds
for good causes. Along with his brother he has always ensured there is a free – to –
access community strand to the on – air output; which is not always the case with
commercial radio stations.

‘I’ve been blessed to be in the right place at the right time on a number of occasions,
and fell across my true vocation almost by accident’, he says. ‘- and doubly blessed
that my journey brought me to the High Peak, with beautiful places and wonderful
people. The rest of it is just – work hard and be nice to people. That’s it, really. Most
people don’t get a big break in life. I did – and I’ve tried to work as hard as possible
to make the most of that. And you’ve got to have a rock ’n’ roll heart to want to do
this. Music broadcasting isn’t a job for you if you’re just a computer operator with a
distinctive voice; it takes understanding of music and what people like about it, to
make radio stations that work for listeners.’

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