David

D
avid served in the British Army from 1968 until 2001 (with a break between 1993 and 1997) leaving at the rank of captain. He has been involved in the radio industry in a variety of ways since his teens. His first effort was at weekends in 1969 as a member of the team that launched London’s most famous “Pirate” radio station, Radio Jackie.

Radio 210 -Thames Valley Radio

In 1979, whilst serving in the army he produced (as a volunteer) features for Radio 210 in Reading, Berkshire.




1982 saw him working as a volunteer for the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) at their studios in Bielefeld in Germany.

RAF Headley Court
In late 1988 David contracted severe Guillain-Barre Syndrome whilst serving in Germany and was sent back to the UK where he spent the next year coping with the disability and recovering and rehabilitating at RAF Headley Court in Surrey.



On his return to work in 1990 David planned and produced coverage of the Junior Army’s 5-week mountaineering expedition to Ecuador.

"LIVE" from the Andes to Reading

Coverage included daily “Live” reports from over 21,000ft in the Ecuadorian Andes to Radio 210. Achieving at that time the record for the highest outside broadcast without the use of Oxygen


To see images of the Ecuador Expedition CLICK HERE.

1992 saw David undertaking his first Restricted Service License (RSL) “Punch FM”, REME Radio, from Arborfield Garrison the first military radio station in the UK and the precursor to Garrison Radio operated on behalf of the UK MOD.

At the end of 1992 David was freelancing and producing the weekday breakfast show for “Two Ten FM” in Reading, weekend magazine shows with BBC Radio Surrey and project production with BFBS London.

A contract position with BFBS London during 1993 and 94 allowed David to devise, manage and produce worldwide broadcasting for BFBS from the “Royal Tournament” held at London’s Earls Court, as well as producing and presenting the BFBS World-wide sequence show “Late from London” 5 nights a week, where he interviewed high profile celebrity guests.

elevenseventy AMHe also found time to present the weekend Breakfast sequence on High Wycombes new radio station elevenseventy AM.

David together with Rory Higgins and UN officer in the BFBS mobile studio in Split 1993David also produced the BFBS 50th anniversary outside broadcast that covered some 4,000 miles over a 42-day period and delivered daily reports back to the UK from locations that BFBS had broadcast from during the allied advance into Southern Europe IN 1944. The outside broadcast also broadcast BFBS programming LIVE on FM temporarily to UK troops of the UNPROFOR in Split (Croatia), Omis (Croatia) and those UK Troops who were serving in the Front Line of operational service in Tomislavgrad (Bosnia).

To see images of the BFBS station in Split CLICK HERE.

To see images of the Route to Tomislavgrad CLICK HERE.

To see images of the BFBS Airmobile Radio station CLICK HERE.

BFBS - The Services Sound and Vision Corporation In early 1995 David’s idea for Garrison Radio resulted in him launching two BFBS stations broadcasting simultaneously to Bordon and Tidworth garrisons using, once again, Restricted Service Licenses. At the end of the year David left the UK to spend 7 months as the Assistant Station Manager and Breakfast Presenter with BFBS Falkland Islands.

X Cel FMOn return to the UK in mid 1996 David joined the commercial arm of BFBS to manage Show FM, a mobile radio station broadcasting to large, high profile outdoor events across the UK using Restricted Service Licenses. David also became part of the team to fight for the licence for the East Anglian Fenlands and presented the Breakfast Show during two of the teams trial broadcasts.

BFBS ceased its commercial operations in 1997. Together with two businessmen in Reading, David established Oracle Broadcasting Limited as a company providing small scale broadcasting solutions to potential commercial radio operators and to hopefully win and operate the second commercial radio service for Greater Reading.

Reading 107 -Oracle Broadcasting Ltd 1997He therefore became the Station Manager and Programme Organiser for Reading 107 a trial ILR station to Reading, Berkshire, both in 1997 and 1998, using Restricted Service Licenses.

In January 1998 Oracle Broadcasting planned, organised and managed COLD FM the British Forces Troop Information station broadcasting for 6 weeks to the ACE Mobile Force in Norway.

KIDDZ FMIn mid 1998 David planned, organised and managed KIDDZ FM a Restricted Service Licence youth broadcasting station operated for young people and presented by a team of presenters and producers aged 12-18. The station also supported Reading Borough Councils annual Children’s Festival and was regarded as a resounding success.

15 (UK) Psyops GpIn September 1998 David left Oracle Broadcasting for service with the Territorial Army in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he launched Oksigen FM the first truly multi-cultural youth radio station in post war Bosnia, broadcasting 24/7/365, training and managing a team of 14 local presenters in professional western broadcast techniques and standards.

Press Conference 7 April 2001 Banja Luka
In April 2001, David persuaded DJ Boy George to volunteer to come to Bosnia for the first visit by an International DJ to the country since the war of the 1990's. This multi-cultural event drew a crowd of thousands from all across the ethnic divide and beyond.


Oksigen made significant inroads in promoting tolerance across the multi ethnic divide in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was viewed as the premier choice of listening for young Bosnians across the North-West of the country.


In 2002, David left the army and became a UK Government Information Officer staying in Bosnia and whilst developing Oksigen FM, stimulated the establishment of a multi-cultural website that operated outside the confines of the International Community.




This project, Bosnia Express, has grown and developed into a a registered youth NGO. After 3 years the NGO has now become NGO MUK (local youth non-governmental organization for media, art and culture). David remans a co-founder and is very much actively involved on a day to day basis.

In mid 2005 David had developed Oksigen FM to a position where it was able to transition from being under International Community control into the local Bosnian media landscape. In effect the local team took over all aspects of operation.

David interviewing Suzy Mason of SpeedQueenDavid has in the past been a stringer on Bosnian issues for London stations LBC 97.3 and LBC 1152AM,
Independent Radio News (IRN), BBC local Radio, BFBS, Today FM (Dublin) and Global Radio News.
as well as reporting for the national Canadian CBC TV “News morning” Programme.

In October 2005 David joined the Canadian Forces, as a consultant, with the brief to "Capacity Build" and develop broadcasting solutions for Information Operations that support Canadian troops deploying into conflict and post conflict areas of the world.



Rana FM


The first solution was Rana FM, a station to support the Canadian mission in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Rana FM achieved considerable success in it's first year of operation. After the Capacity Buiding phase for CF PSYOPS broadcasting was completed, the station was handed over to be operated by "Calian" a Canadian company, contracted by the Canadian Forces.


In 2008, David moved to Kosovo to run the NATO Influence Activity station "Radio KFOR" broadcasting 2 separate services in both Serbian and Albanian languages.



David has now "changed direction" and is developing his experience as a "Digital Influence Activity Specialist", and researching how Social Media can support military Influence Activities in conflict and post conflict areas.

In June of 2010 David moved to Kabul, Afghanistan to join the NATO (ISAF) radio station, Radio Sada-e-Asadi as its Editor in Chief.

DFBMBE Podcast


David continues to produce and present regular Podcasts and Vidcasts from his "container" located within HQ ISAF in Kabul.




The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations.David was awarded “The Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service” (QCVS) in the 1999 operational awards for services to broadcasting in the former Yugoslavia


The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire was instituted in 1917. As with the Civil Division, the Military Division of the Order comprises five classes: Knights and Dames Grand Cross (GBE), Knights and Dames Commanders (KBE and DBE), Commanders (CBE), Officers (OBE) and Members (MBE).and in the 2002 operational awards was admitted as
a Member of the British Empire (MBE) Military Division by Her Majesty The Queen for bringing divided “post conflict communities” together.

David at Buckingham Palace



 








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