Station Profile: LBC 97.3FM

Nick Ferrari

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On air with: Nick Ferrari

Ferrari, known as one of radio's straight talkers, started his career in media as a print journalist, eventually editing Bizarre, the Sun's gossip column. He later transferred to radio, working for Talk Radio until 2001 before taking on his current LBC weekday breakfast show.

Do you think it was wrong that James Whale was sacked by Talk Sport?
I think it was. I'd have suspended him. He messed up and he needed to be punished, but I wouldn't have let him go permanently. I think that was a mistake.

Should the rules governing how frank presenters can be about their political beliefs
be relaxed?
Yes, to a point. Obviously, you must stay within the law, but I really don't see why, in the run-up to an election, someone can't say, "I'm going to be voting for Ken Livingstone." Why the hell are they saying we can't? Newspapers are able to do it without any problem whatsoever. It's just archaic.

If you were in charge of Ofcom for a day, what major changes would you make?
I would immediately have a review of the Representation of the People Act and then I would clamp down on the hideous practice of how the BBC, at the end of Watchdog, can tell viewers that Nicky Campbell is on 5 Live every breakfast. This practice is totally and utterly unfair and gives them such an advantage.

Do you think Radio 1 and 2 should be privatised?
Radio 1 now sounds like a commercial radio station so why not spin it off? Let's have a fair fight between it and Heart and Capital and see who wins. Radio 2 as well - let's spin that off. Wogan, Ross and Evans are all absolutely brilliant at what they do, but let's see them paid by commercial stations rather than the state.

What's your all-time favourite radio programme?
Humphrey Lyttelton on I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue. It was just superb, quintessentially English and chaired by a guy who had the most consummate voice and with an amazing sense of
timing.

But could a show like I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue ever work on commercial radio?
It probably took a while to grow and commercial radio doesn't always stick with programmes very long, which is a problem. But, isn't it great that the BBC can nurture and grow shows like that? I have about two or three boxes full of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue CDs in my car.

Station fact file

Head office: Bramley Road, London, W10 6SP
No of staff: 50
Owned by: Global Radio
Key producers: Chris Lowrie – executive producer; Kevin McAleese, Lucy Fergusson, Christian Mitchell, Raj Pattni – senior producers.
Key executives: Richard Park – executive director, Jonathan Richards – programme director
Key presenters: Nick Ferrari, James O'Brien, Jeni Barnett, Clive Bull, Steve Allen. Drivetime hosts – Petrie Hosken, James Hartigan.
Most recent Rajars: 701,000 listeners each week, 4.5% market share.
In a nutshell: "We're listening to London 24/7 to be the voice of London. We are truly the voice of London's Biggest Conversation" – Jonathan Richards, programme director.