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Jay Crawford
Jay Crawford is one of Scotland’s best known and respected broadcasters with more than 33 years in radio North of the Border. He joined the pre-launch team of Radio Forth in 1974 and on January 22nd 1975 became the youngest full time broadcaster in UK radio. Success came quickly and later that year Jay was voted one of the top ten radio DJ’s in the UK, the only name on the list not to be on national radio at that time. He rose through the ranks at Forth and indeed the dayparts, during the years presenting almost every show, most notably Afternoon Drive and Breakfast and also became Head of Music.
Jay joined Radio Clyde in 1987 to replace Richard Park who had departed for Capital and had three very successful years before Radio Forth approached him to return to Edinburgh for the frequency split. This created what is now Forth 1 and Forth 2 and Jay returned to the Breakfast Show on Forth 1 and became Head of Music for both stations.
Scottish Radio Personality of the Year, various UK and international awards, including Best Coverage of an Event, Best Outside Broadcast, Best Live Music Coverage and Station of the Year at the Sony’s and Arquivas are among his trophies.
In 1999 Jay left Forth and joined the Wireless Group as Group Programme Controller for Scotland in charge of Scot FM, Wave 102 and Q96. Eighteen months later GMG bought Scot FM and Jay stayed on as Programme Controller. Real Radio was launched in January 2002 and six months later Jay was promoted to Programme Director. Real Radio in Scotland has gone on to become not only number 1 in it’s TSA but has become market leader in Forth and Clyde’s TSA and the only regional station in the UK ever to get it’s reach to over 30%.
Jay considers his time at GMG as the most rewarding of his career and in January 2007 oversaw the launch of 96.3 Rock Radio, Scotland’s first classic rock station . That was followed in March by the launch of Smooth Radio for Glasgow and the West after GMG bought the Saga licence.
During each quarter of last year each of the three stations saw increases in Rajar performance with Real becoming the most successful radio station in the UK outside London. Real’s Breakfast Show is now in the top ten for the UK outperforming two national stations for average half hour audience and the only station from Scotland in the top twenty.
Jay’s ability to lead the team through his own on air experience and his vast knowledge of the Scottish market has undoubtedly helped but his addiction to bringing together the most talented broadcasters and support staff and installing in them a will to win have made his station’s success the most envied in UK commercial radio. Jay likes to lead from the front and although he came off air in December 2006 still likes to stand in on Breakfast and other shows. This keeps his understanding of the on air presenters role up to date and earns respect by example.
Highlights of Jays career include interviewing Paul McCartney, Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton and many other stars of music and film (Jay used to be Forth’s film critic and has covered the Edinburgh Festival one way or another for 32 years). In 2007 Tony Blair live while presenting the Breakfast Show on Real Radio. He has written and produced many travel features for newspapers and magazines since 1977.
Jay’s favourite moments from live radio during his career include broadcasting from the Glasgow Garden Festival, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay which he hosted for seven years, the opening of the Scottish Parliament, the 100th anniversary of the Forth Bridge and more recently live in Glasgow for the announcement of Glasgow’s successful bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2014.