What A Career...And I'm Not Finished Yet!!

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Here's a list of Clients i've done work for:

BBC Local Radio
Metro Radio Group
The Radio Partnership
Radio Investments
Metro Networks UK
Fresh Radio
TLRC
UKRD
GMG
Global Radio
ITV Regions
Rockstar Games
Trafficlink UK Ltd
Gaydio, Manchester
Community Radio in various parts of the country
International clients in the USA, Europe, Africa and Australasia

And so to me...

I always remember wanting to be something to do with radio when I used to hide under the duvet at night as a 12 year old and listen to Graham Robb and Rita The Cleaner on the Late Show on Radio Tees in Stockton, England and whilst trying to avoid anyone hearing me listening so late at night, thought to myself 'that's my career!!'

Of course, my parents worried and said 'get a proper job'... but I battled on. I listened a lot to other radio professionals advice, kept bugging Sally on Reception at the then Radio Tees for a way in, but it wasn't meant to be just yet. From the age of 15, I was sending demo tapes out with my high pitched shrill introducing records and the cassette demo had no editing, other than when I pressed record and stop! Those were the days...and there were lots of rejection letters, that I still keep to this day.

I was involved in Hospital Radio from 1982 to 1986 in both Middlesbrough and Maidenhead. Whilst living and working in London in the 80's, I joined Whitgift Centre Radio in Croydon in 1985 (sadly I remember it too well because Maria Vidal and Baltimora were in the UK Singles chart!) and was on air and selling airtime. I secured an Airtime contract from London Buses worth £7,000, which isn't bad for £3 a spot! In 1987. The business was re-named just after to Radio Croydon - i'll never forget those halcyon days in the portacabin with names like Nick Love, Paul Daniels and Chris Ryder (more well known as Caesar The Boogie Man!).

I returned to help with my parents business in North Wales and joined a Community Radio Group in Wrexham and seperately assisted with feasability studies for North Wales Newspapers in Mold, on applying for new Radio licences.

Soon after, I got my big break in and did a Nightshift for Wrexhams' Marcher Sound. Then followed a stint on Radio Wyverns' Late Show, onto being offered a full time shift presenting the Nightshift in 1988 with Red Dragon Radio in Cardiff - what memories! I spent a happy year there, before being lured back to the North East to my home station TFM, to present the Early Show. What followed, apart from a 6 month 'break' doing some wild stuff on Breakfast for Buzz FM in Birmingham in 1993, was 5 years of great things, presenting the Breakfast Show and then the Late Night Phone In. Brian Lister my boss, always had a habit of shoving me onto shows that needed a nice 'spike' on the audience figures - and I always delivered.

Throughout all of my radio career, i'd had a healthy interest in Travel News, both compiling and presenting it. After being a Travel Reporter and Presenter doing Travel News almost daily for six years with Red Dragon Radio and TFM, in 1995, I set up my own Traffic News Service called NETN (North East Travel Network) and started to provide commercial radio stations in the North East, including TFM, Metro FM and GNR, plus regional TV, Newspapers and othercommercial stations with a daily service by phone and fax. Very quickly, competitor Metro Networks UK, a national Traffic News service, bid for the business, purchased it and in November 1995, I became Regional Operations Manager for Yorkshire and the North East, dealing with 13 commercial stations, two regional tv stations, regional newspapers, a staff of 14 and two airborne operations for the Flying Eye service out of Teesside and Leeds Bradford.

After establishing the Middlesbrough base for Metro Networks, I left mid-1997, and freelanced for a few months doing radio and Consultancy, plus I also led the Programming teams for two RSL radio services, KIX FM and THE POINT, based on Teesside and Northumberland.

I joined Harrogate's Stray FM in September 1997 and became Breakfast Presenter very quickly. I was appointed Programme Controller within 8 months and also set up the very successful Sponsorship and Promotions arm of the business, which within 12 months had increased overall Sales income by an additional 20%. I led the Programmes team to ratings success, having started in 1997 with a Reach of 30% and 40,000 listeners per week, to leave on a high in 2002, with a 40% reach and 57,000 listeners. I was pleased with the growth in such a high ABC 1 market. But we did it! Plus, we reached that magical milestone, of having £1m per year in Sales revenue, which for such a small market, was exhilerating!

I then freelanced for Skipton based Fresh Radio and was involved in the setting up of their Richmond and Northern Dales FM opt out from September 2002 doing the Breakfast Show and selling airtime. Then, in January 2003, I was asked to become General Manager of the station and try to turn it's fortunes around. Being AM only had many limitations, plus having a vast broadcast area covering the Yorkshire Dales was a challenge, but I met it and dealt with it the way I knew how - hard work and instilling great team spirit. I left the station in better shape in Summer 2003 to work for the Police, as I was rapidly becoming dis-enfranchised with the radio business - i'm a great believer in 'if it's not broke, why try and fix it?' so to hear widespread stories of having Group Policy and format rammed down your throat when you were part of a £Million per year business, stuck with me and I decided I needed time out.

I worked as a Control Room Dispatcher for North Yorkshire Police for four years until 2007, was involved in some very distressing and harrowing incidents, some of which got me Commendations and loved every minute of the pressure and the uncertainty of what could happen next. Using my Media knowledge, I also set up the Control Room messaging system, to allow traffic news to be passed to local radio and tv by email directly from the Dispatchers, so it was quick and relevant. I did though, keep my hand in Radio by freelance presenting for the BBC and ILR and also setting up my Voiceover business, doing radio and tv commercials, narration, telephony and web audio work. In 2008, I was asked to be one of the voices on Grand Theft Auto, which was a privilege and a thrill - plus I got to swear lots, so that had a bonus to it!

In November 2007, I left the Police and joined Trafficlink, the Traffic News provider as a Broadcaster and Editor full time in Middlesbrough. I made my way onto the UK Overnight Editor shift and also freelanced for BBC Radio York, BBC Tees, Alpha Radio, Durham FM and Sun FM, still doing my Voiceover work too.

After a brief move to Birmingham in April 2009, to the new Overnight Editor team of Trafficlink, I was headhunted back in October that year to head up Star Radio North East, where I presented 10am-2pm weekdays and look after the stations' Promotions and Marketing until May 2010.

I relocated to Manchester in June 2010 and started working as a Senior Editor/Weekend Supervisor with Trafficlink at the Altrincham base. Loved the work and whilst doing that started presenting for Gaydio, the city's LGB&T station on FM, which also had a growing online and mobile app audience. Early in 2011, I was asked to look at the sales function of Gaydio, so I did some consultancy work to move the station forward and in April, was offered the post of Business Development Manager. It's a privilege to work for such a great sounding station and with my client liason work, the future looks bright for the brand! Plus, i'm still doing my voiceover work too, so things are pretty busy.

As for Voluntary work, I was a Special Constable for 8 years from 1998-2006 which taught me a lot about life and people. I was privileged to work in that time for North Yorkshire Police and can honestly say, it's one of the things that changed my thinking on life and giving something back to the Community. Try it, I can recommend it!

And 25 years on...i've seen lots, loved and lost, made some great decisions in business and some terrible ones, but i've learnt by them. Above all, i've made some great lasting friendships and i'm still hungry for stuff, so don't be shy and tell me what you wish for and i'll make it come alive.

Keep smiling...it's a wonderful stress reliever. Oh and one last thing, to my late Mum, the amazing Mother Gunn...you are loved and so missed...your pearls of wisdom were limitless and thanks for blessing me with who I am today. Or as she would reply '...you're older, fatter and greyer!!'

All the best,

Gunny x