Today, it has come to the attention of those involved with Rock Radio NI that local “journalist” Mark Dean has intensified his smear campaign against the station and those involved in “NI Rocks” and “Belfast Metalheads Reunited”. Of course we are all very used to his constant sniping at Rock Radio NI and NI Rocks over the past few years on Facebook and any other site that suits his trolling methods. However, today we were advised by a PR company that he had contacted them with the message detailed below.  We’ll respond to some of the claims he makes later in this statement, but can we say from the outset that over the past number of years Rock Radio NI, Belfast Metalheads Reunited (BMHR) and NI Rocks have built up a very good relationship with a number of PR companies and record labels including Frontiers, SPV/Steamhammer,  Rocksector Records and many more. So we truly believe that his pathetic attempts to blacken our reputation have fallen on deaf ears. It does however demonstrate the nature of the man concerned.

This is the e-mail that we received  a copy of from one the PR companies contacted (and we thank them for sharing it with us).

Subject: Fwd: Warning -Con Artists/Scammers

Hi

just to warn you if any of these people contact you seeking any media benefits.Interviews/Music etc.

https://www.facebook.com/rockradioni?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/NIRocks?fref=ts

http://www.belfastmetalheadsreunited.blogspot.co.uk/ (merely a personal blog with 99 followers)

This group of people are well known locally for being a group of people that attempt to use the name of a small back room amateur digital radio station(not a Recognised official media source) to attain various music media privileges.They never actually do any reviews of any releases-preferring instead to rehash press releases that they have obtained.No live reviews are featured on their website ,despite them regularly attending gigs.In addition I believe that they are also now seeking to obtain interviews with some of your acts.Their audience and media scope is very limited,and as I'm also living in N.Ireland I have an insight as to who these people actually are..I believe that they are falsely representing themselves as a major media player in N.Ireland which is definitely not the case.Its individuals such as these that give genuine media sources and outlets a bad press,so to speak..

Let’s address the issues in this e-mail:

Firstly, the thing about Rock Radio NI (and NI Rocks / BMHR) is that we have never tried to misrepresent ourselves. We are a small internet based station and we all have other permanent 9 - 5 jobs. We don't claim to be Planet Rock! The internet is full of similar stations and we’re doing the best that we can to make a success of something that we enjoy doing. Mr Dean is always very keen to portray himself as a highly successful journalist in a top job. We don’t have similar delusions of grandeur.

Secondly, in relation to the posting of music reviews. BMHR has a long history of posting record reviews and these are linked via the Rock Radio NI website. NI Rocks takes an alternative approach and posts “Recommendations” based on personal taste. At the end of the day that is all that a review is - a personal opinion on music. Do you really believe that a PR company is going to share a negative review of their client’s record? Numerous recommendations have been posted over the last couple of years with a personal suggestion that readers check out an artist or album. It’s probably right to state that we “rehash” certain elements of press releases in the recommendations. The object of a good press release is to provide people with all the information that the PR company wishes to share. Why wouldn’t we use it? That simply shows that the PR company is doing a good job.

Thirdly, the statement that “no live reviews” are posted is blatantly wrong. BMHR posts many gig reviews. NI Rocks does not contribute gig reviews as it is a media that they have no particular interest in – gig reviews again being a matter of personal opinion. He is correct that those involved in NI Rocks attend a lot of gigs, but they have never gained free entry to a gig on the expectation of writing a review. Unlike Mr Dean, those involved with Rock Radio NI pay to get into gigs unless they are running them or have some other involvement.

Music submitted to Rock Radio NI by artists, agents and labels will always get played if those that host the shows like the music. The Friday NI Rocks Show for example will generally include at least three or four new releases every week. One need only look at the NI Rocks Facebook or Twitter pages to see many acknowledgements from bands or PR companies for playing their tracks every week.

It is worth noting that when Mr Dean was listing the various websites that PR companies should avoid that he failed to list the Rock Radio NI website address. Perhaps he realised that if they visited the site they would have heard their clients’ music being played, the interviews being heard or posted and the reviews / recommendations appearing.

Jonny from BMHR contacted Mr Dean to ask why he was targeting us. His reply was to state that this was a direct response to similar actions by Rock Radio NI. We would like to publically state that up to now, Rock Radio NI staff have never initiated direct contact with any organisation to attempt to rubbish Mark Dean’s name. He may be referring to an incident when he was removed from a magazine that he submitted some articles to. Nigel at NI Rocks had posted a public comment wondering when some of Mark Dean’s many interviews that he had gained entry to gigs to do recently were getting published. This prompted contact from the magazine’s editor who was seeking some information.  Following a brief communication this was the final comment from the magazine’s editor :

“We had been thinking of letting Mark go for quite some time, not because of any wrong-doing to us personally but the interviews he was providing a good 90% of the time weren't really suited to our readership which I did explain to him on several occasions & he just wasn't living up to the expectations that we expect of our writers/interviewers. 

We've also heard several similar situations as you've mentioned being stated by other people & as I explained to him, whether intended or not I simply can't take the risk now xxxx (magazine name removed) is actually beginning to get itself off the ground.”

We have copies of all communication should anyone wish to view it. To state on this basis alone that Rock Radio NI was conducting a smear campaign similar to that which Mr Dean is currently embarking upon is clearly incorrect and a poor attempt at excusing his actions.

No doubt this will not be the last word on this matter and Mr Dean will continue to pursue his vindictive campaign against those at Rock Radio NI, NI Rocks and Belfast Metalheads Reunited. Clearly Mr Dean has a lot of free time on his hands – rather than supporting the local scene he seems intent on causing problems. We do not wish to bore people with this, but feel that we most respond publically in response to his new course of action and contact those that we believe he has been communicating with in such a manner and ensure that the matter is properly addressed. We do not take lightly to such tactics being employed. All too often he gets away with his trolling and nasty comments because people just say “sure you know what he’s like”. Sometimes you need to draw a line and make a stand.