| Independent
Local Radio
The
biggest radio news reported in Television and Radio 1985
ironically did not concern Independent Local Radio, but rather
the approval of the construction of an Independent National
Radio Network in the 1984 Cable and Broadcasting Bill. However,
frequencies to facilitate this were unlikely to be made
available "until 1990". Independent National Radio
would eventually arrive in the form of Virgin 1215, Talk Radio
UK and Classic FM. However, by this time the IBA would be long
gone and the stations would be under the auspices of the
"Radio Authority" – a body which itself is about to
disappear too.
 Independent
Local Radio was regarded as a success in 1985, and the network
of stations was still being built upon and expanded. It was also
making programmes that won international acclaim – Radio Clyde
won the Drama Category Gold Medal at the International Radio
Festival of New York for its drama "The Bell In The
Tree", and yet another Gold Medal in the Special Category
for "Pride of the Clyde".
 However,
Independent Local Radio contractors during this period could
suffer badly financially in areas where BBC Local Radio had
become unusually well established. Leicester’s "Centre
Radio" had already succumbed to be replaced by
"Leicester Sound". It was  soon
about to be followed by "Radio West" in Bristol.
Interestingly, as well as facing particularly tough BBC
competition both companies also made the mistake of having very
high start-up costs, mainly down to having particularly
expensive premises.
 The
impending collapse of Radio West would change the face of local
radio forever. The IBA allowed the company to be bailed out by
Wiltshire Radio (WR) creating "GWR" – this group
would eventually swallow up countless local radio franchises, to
become the biggest independent radio group in the country.
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