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MW: How is the rebrand from Virgin Radio to Absolute bedding in with listeners - were you disappointed by the Rajars for Q4 [reach down 5.9% period on period]?

CG: Absolute is a far better listening experience than Virgin - listeners are listening for longer and advertisers and agencies all agree we're sounding strong. We now need to grow our reach more aggressively, so we have massively increased our investment. This week's new Faces for Radio marketing campaign, Skinner & Baddiel covering the World Cup in South Africa and our three-year Premier League commentary rights all show we mean business.

MW: Absolute was the first station to reach the Digital Britain target of 50% of listening via a digital platform - is this still a priority?

CG: DAB forms the biggest percentage of our digital listening and it is our fastest-growing platform. Digital also allows us to test new platforms and formats. For example, the launch of Dabbl [a DAB and online live music station] has allowed us to give listeners a new level of programming control, and we have been overwhelmed by the response to our beautiful newborn digital baby Absolute 80s.

MW: One Golden Square Labs is helping you achieve your ambition of being "more than just a radio station" - what is bubbling away here?

CG: We are buying the extremely talented OGSL development and design team white labcoats next week (we really are) - and they have the freedom to experiment and lead our digital destiny. At the moment, their focus is on distribution, which is another part of our growth strategy. For example, we are on every mobile platform available and we will continue to increase our number of mobile apps. Our iAmp was ready and waiting for the Nexus One before the first handset hit the shops.

MW: You also have more than 100 podcasts...

CG: Podcast download levels are a clear indicator of how much listeners love the stuff between the songs - we now serve almost 250,000 podcasts a week. But innovation isn't just digital; we also break new ground in more traditional areas such as new airtime break formats, live advertising and mechanics that reward listeners for paying attention to ads.

MW: Which is more effective: spot ads or branded content?

CG: We are not moving away from ads, but we are actively growing our revenue from branded content revenue. Sponsorship and promotions form almost 40% of Absolute's revenue, when the industry average is about 20%. I believe our branded content is the best in the business, and we work our arses off to make that the case. I look forward to the day when we look back at 40% and laugh at how small that figure seems.

MW: You recently won the second pick of the 3pm Premier League games on Saturday afternoons - will football become a bigger part of your portfolio?

CG: The Rock and Roll Football show has been on the station for 13 years and the response to our signing of Frank Skinner and David Baddiel was unprecedented, so Premier League commentary was a natural next step. Plus, the 3pm slot has the unique benefit of being untelevised. Football meets our entertainment ambitions and we are already talking to potential partners.

MW: Christian O'Connell used to work for you [as a sales executive at BBC Good Food magazine when Goldson was group ad manager] - things must be a bit different now?

CG: I can't believe he left his £14k sales exec salary when I was about to let him look after the white goods advertiser category. He also left my team without completing three appraisal objectives. That said, he's more than made up for it - it's a joy to work with someone who gets what clients need and puts the time into making his commercial delivery as compelling as everything else he does. I'm still a bit pissed off about the appraisal objectives though.

MW: The winner of a Virgin Radio competition once tattooed the Virgin logo on his arm to win the prize - any tattoos Media Week should know about?

CG: It's true. And the same guy then had the tattoo crossed out and replaced with a tattoo of the Absolute Radio logo when we rebranded. It's important to keep on your toes in this business, so we're about to move into piercings.

MW: You also famously like karaoke - what's your song?

CG: All of them. Some of my best friends are songs. In some way, I see karaoke as my way of giving something back to society. One does what one can...