ENGLAND: After a 17-year run, London's Global Radio talk LBC 97.3 and Director of Programming Jonathan Richards are parting ways in what is being called an "amicable agreement" ... Both Global Radio and Orion Media Group have dropped out of the bidding for Absolute Radio, leaving UTV and Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group in the running, per the Telegraph. Absolute Radio was once owned by Branson, when it was known as Virgin Radio ... GMG Radio promotes Group Editorial Director James Rea to Deputy Group Program Director ... GMG Radio also announces that Smooth Radio Managing Director Andy Carter has been appointed to the Board of Trustees for The Radio Academy ... SCOTLAND: A new broadcasting school has been opened in Glasgow at the Bishopbriggs Media Center, and will be hosted by West FM’s Liam McCann and Real Radio’s Brian Woolfson, says Radio Today UK.