KFM Radio

KFM was a Stockport based radio station originally broadcasting on 94.2 MHz FM from a studio on Higher Hillgate, with the transmitter and aerial at Goyt Mill in Marple from November 1983 to February 1985 while it was unlicensed. Its name on the business board was Mersey Valley Electronics. KFM was functional by 1984 with a day-time line-up including dj's 'Jumpin' Johnny Owen, Dave Starr, Simon Richards, Pete Smith, Big Al Rockwell, dodgy Kevin Webb, Rob Charles and Stevie 'Megamix' King (with Wilf the Weatherman),Capt. Flint to name but a few. The station got raided on quite a few occasions but soon was back on air.

KFM was unusual in that even though it originally launched as a pirate station, it broadcast test transmissions for a number of weeks prior to going live and was featured more than once on TV's "Granada Reports". The original transmissions were in mono only but they rapidly moved to stereo output.

The station was created by Alastair Bates and Charles Turner who both also presented weekend shows. Its following grew rapidly and the station changed its studio location to Goyt Mill with a state-of-the-art studio. It was reputed to be one of the early pioneers of "Community Radio" and was the only station who played local bands. They were eventually raided off the air by the Department of Trade and Industry who enforced the Wireless Telegraphy Act which made it illegal to broadcast without a licence.

One of its early DJs and initial programme controller was Steve Toon, who also used to present live music under the KFM aegis at the Brookfield Hotel. After becoming licenced it was an indie music station of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and featured Terry Christian, Jon Ronson, Caroline Aherne, Joe Patricks , Spence MacDonnald and Craig Cash in its line up (although, with the exception of Joe Patricks and Craig Cash, none of these were actually at the station in its halcyon days).

Despite critical acclaim in its legal days it failed commercially and Charles Turner sold the licence to Signal Radio. It became Signal Cheshire, ownership was again transferred to UTV and now broadcasts as Imagine FM.