Media Forum: Is Capital Radio back on track?(reports of advertising)

Will Capital's management and programming changes work, Alasdair Reid asks.

It's probably unfair the way everyone obsesses about Capital Radio.

There are other radio stations in London, after all - and London isn't the only city or region to have a vibrant commercial radio culture. Come to that, there's more to life than breakfast and radio is bigger than Johnny Vaughan.

So the scrutiny that Capital is subjected to is uncalled for - though the truth is that GCap Media wouldn't have it any other way. The attention merely underlines the continuing resonance of the brand, which remains a flagship for the industry despite the fact that it's no longer number one in audience terms.

In recent weeks, there's been a slight departure from the usual form, however. True, Vaughan has been in the press, telling those who'd listen that he has finally emerged from the shadow cast by Chris Tarrant, his predecessor in the breakfast-show slot, but the bigger buzz was this time about changes on the management floor.

Two weeks ago, the board decided that a little freshening up was in order and they invited the long-term managing director, Keith Pringle, to walk the plank. The programming director, Nik Goodman, walked with him.

Last week, it was revealed they will be replaced by Scott Muller, currently the programme director of the Daily Mail & General Trust-owned Nova 969 in Sydney - a station that has pioneered the 'never more than two ads in a row' policy now being used by Capital.