Martin worked as a newspaper journalist, reporter, sub-editor and editor, before entering commercial radio in 1975.
He hosted daily phone-ins for many years before going into management. Martin was Head of Talks at BRMB for four years, Head of Features at Radio Trent (now Trent FM) and Head of News at the former IBA's National Broadcasting School.
After a spell as Principal Lecturer and organiser of the Post Graduate Diploma course in Broadcast Journalism at Falmouth, he became Programme Director for the Allied Radio Group of stations. He was Managing Editor for three years at national Talk Radio (now talkSPORT) before joining the Radio Authority in 1998. Other stations he has worked at include Pennine (now the Pulse), and GWR in Bristol.
Martin became Ofcom's first Head of Radio, working within the Content and Standards Department, when it began operation in 2005. He is now Ofcom’s Chief Advisor, Radio, with prime responsibilities being commercial station Formats and the localness issue.
He is a Fellow of the Radio Academy, as well as being an Academy Trustee.