UK Internet Radio Developments

Between us, our team span more than a century of working in radio and television

broadcasting. Meet two of the co-founders of UKIRD, Lee Williams and John Hicks.

 Lee came into the music/radio business at an early age in the mid-sixties as a singer, and turned professional, touring Europe & The World until the early seventies.

In 1974, he decided that after the touring, recordings, TV & Radio appearances that he had a limited chance of making a serious living on the road. Lee retired from live performing and started working as an agent and manager for other acts from the UK and North America. He is still involved with management through his company Django Promotions and currently represents Brianie (chart topping 16 yr. old) www.brianie.com

In 1976 when Radio 2-Ten FM (Reading) opened, Lee decided to get involved with radio and started co-presenting a 4 hour show along with many of the names of that time Steve Wright, Mike Read etc. 

He moved to Wiltshire and joined Wiltshire Radio, then GWR, BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Wiltshire Sound, and Premier Radio in London.

In 1993 Lee had this idea of launching the first 24/7 Country Music Channel and the original CMR was launched via Sky TV. In 1998 he was asked to join Music Choice on Sky TV, and was responsible for six of their channels including Country, Sixties, 70s, 80s, Irish, and mixed pop. He still programmes the Country Channel. 

In 2006 Lee re-launched CMR as CMR Nashville online and it is now recognised as Europe’s #1 24/7 Country Radio Station with a world-wide audience of over 250,000 at www.cmrnashville.net, along with it’s sister station CMR Hot. 

Lee has received many awards and accolades for his contribution to country music, as has his radio stations!

Recently Lee was responsible for launching Radio Basingstoke www.radiobasingstoke.com, and now being part of UKIRD, is looking forward to opening many other radio stations around the UK.

 Another award-winning member of the team, John Hicks, a member of the Institute of Direct Marketing, heads up the radio advertising consultancy team, helping businesses to maximise the impact of their marketing budget.

John has worked in newspapers, local radio, public relations, marketing and promotions for many years, across many sectors. But his real passion is live music and this developed into a equally time-consuming interest - internet radio, as a means of sharing that passion.

Both Lee and John have been involved in bids for local radio licences, operating RSL's (Restricted Service Licences for broadcasting) and event broadcast radio stations. Together they co-founded CMR Nashville, Radio Basingstoke and a music publishing company..

John formerly operated a busy 750 capacity 24/7 snooker and pool hall, Chinese restaurant, sports bars and live music venue in the south of England - in addition to previously being a national promotions manager for a division of Europe's leading late night venue operator and promotions manager for a global drinks manufacturer.

John also writes for several UK and US newspapers and blog sites, as well as having contributed to a number of published works, and is an occasional advisor to a major City Investment Bank on the leisure sector.

As Chief Executive of UK Jazz Radio Limited and Managing Director of Radio Bracknell Forest, John has a unique insight into the operational as well as the strategic functions of internet stations broadcasting 24/7.