The relationship between Tulip Radio and Hereward Media has irretrievably broken down just a month after a rescue package for the Spalding broadcaster was agreed.
Hereward Media announced on Monday (Jan 30) that it formally cut ties with the broadcaster at 6pm last Friday after what it describes as “a catalogue of unhelpful behaviour”. Tulip Radio countered by claiming its board terminated the arrangement.
The hostile breakdown comes amid claims by Hereward Media of “sabotage” and a lack of financial information forthcoming.
Alex Geairns, station director of Hereward Media, told The Voice that he was “very disappointed and shell-shocked” but it had become clear on Friday that there was no way forward.
Hereward Media said both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on December 18, just after the registered charity had came forward with its rescue bid on the day Tulip Radio – which broadcasts from offices in The Crescent, Spalding – was due to go off air.
Mr Geairns said: “We believe there has been a steady backtracking by Tulip Radio as to what had been agreed. In a crunch meeting last Friday, it was made clear to us that since we entered into the partnership, Tulip Radio has received numerous other offers of technical and presentational help.
“They seemed to consider they would be better served by people who didn’t want anything to change. In addition, they wanted to shut the station down immediately, and it was difficult to convince them otherwise.
“Our original strategy was to implement what we believed was necessary, in our view essential, and were led to believe we could simply get on with things. This was not the case.
“We had to scrap our plans for a new logo, brand, on-air identity, signage, and a new responsive website, as their reaction was so hostile to these revisions. As a charitable organisation, we have invested a significant amount of resources to make a success of this project, and are now forced to retreat to protect our charity.”
Hereward Media technical director Nik Fox claimed financial information had not been forthcoming and “and no assistance in carrying out company requirements as specified in the memorandum”.
He added: “There were some niggling acts of what can only be called sabotage, these being self-inflicted wounds at that.
“For instance, internet routers suddenly being off in parts of the building we were deliberately not given the keys to. And then network cables which you have to press a tab to release from their sockets were disconnected, and these were ones related to specific functions – it was not random and not by accident.”
Mr Geairns, a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, said he had been unable to obtain details of previous advertiser deals, new grant bids which had been submitted, outgoing expenses, and previous market research which had been carried out, despite numerous requests.
He added: “When you are trying your best and meeting such resistance, then it is frustrating to say the least.
” We wanted this to be ‘the station you can really call your own’ for the people of Spalding and South Holland, and had even begun taking on training of local presenters. But you can’t keep banging your head against a brick wall when so much necessary information is being withheld.
“As it is, we believe Hereward Media is within its rights to claim standard market rates for the hours put in, and the expenses incurred. Something is very wrong when, after all our efforts, I just feel relieved that we have finally taken action to get clear of this nightmare.”
In a Facebook post on Sunday night, Tulip Radio said: “God bless everyone who have been so helpful, kind and supportive to Tulip Radio, we will always be grateful to you all.
“Thank you, we all enjoyed it whilst it lasted and thank you for supporting our great volunteers who gave up their time willingly to present the programmes and give as much knowledge to you about what was going on in our community as we could. Many thanks x”
A statement issued to The Voice on Monday afternoon read: “It is with great regret that we have to announce that Tulip Radio ceased broadcasting on Friday January 27th 2017 after an arrangement made with Hereward Media was terminated by the board of Tulip Radio.
