Colleagues and friends pay tribute to radio programmer Paul Easton

Radio professionals are sharing the sad news that long-serving radio programmer Paul Easton has died at the age of 69.

It has been reported that Paul passed away in his sleep last week.

Paul was at the very beginning of commercial radio in the UK, starting his career at LBC in London in the mid-1970s after many years of hospital radio volunteering.

At LBC he was a studio operator, working across the news and phone-in programmes, along with outside broadcasts.

Paul went on to be LBC’s Head of Production, looking after Station Sound.

During his long and varied radio career, he worked at Melody Radio, Capital, BRMB, Ocean Sound, Music Choice Europe.

He was Programme Director at Flix Radio, one of the first DAB stations, and has been working as a freelance programming consultant for the last 20 years, with regular work at JACK in Oxford from its launch day until leaving last year.

Paul has also been an Associate Lecturer on various radio production and journalism courses at the London College of Communication, and appeared on as a guest on the Fifteen to One television show.

He was a contributor to the Radio Magazine with a regular Programming Points column, and was a friend and contributor to RadioToday since its launch. He shared his knowledge on many online radio message boards from Media UK to the Hospital Radio mailing list, along with his own blog on topics such as RAJAR and radio programming.

Paul wasn’t known to radio listeners – but in the industry he was well-known and respected. A true radio guy who will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him or learning from him.

RIP.