95.8 CapitalFM

Infobox Radio station


city = London
name = 95.8 Capital FM
airdate = 16 October 1973
share = 4.7%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
frequency = 95.8 MHz
Sky Digital: 0109
freesat: 719
Tiscali TV: 610
Virgin Media: 958 (931/932 ex Telewest)
DAB Digital Radio (London)
area = London
format =Top 40 / Hot AC|
owner = GCap Media
website = [http://www.capitalradio.co.uk/ Capital FM]

95.8 Capital FM is a London radio station owned by GCap Media.

History

Early years

The station, which was based on the first two floors of the Euston Tower was originally named Capital Radio, and was launched by the then-chairman Richard Attenborough at 5:00 AM on Tuesday, 16 October 1973. In 1997 Capital moved from its legendary home on the Euston Road, to a new purpose-built base at Leicester Square. In 2005, the famous "Capital Radio London" sign was removed following the inauguration of GCap Media, but was reinstalled in January 2006.Capital went on air just over a week after news station LBC, making it the second legal commercial radio station in the UK. The first song to be played on Capital was Bridge Over Troubled Water, by Simon and Garfunkel.

Broadcasting on FM and medium wave, it has used 95.8 MHz since its inception, while the medium wave frequency was originally 539 metres (557kHz). This happened to be the same frequency that the Dutch pirate radio station Radio Veronica was using, and the interference between the two meant that neither station could be heard clearly in parts of southern England or Belgium.

In 1975, Capital's medium wave frequency moved to 194 metres (1548 kHz) after Veronica had been closed by the Dutch anti-pirate legislation. As the British government encouraged an end to simulcasting as part of its plan to expand choice in UK radio, a separate service - Capital Gold - was set up in 1988 to broadcast on Capital's medium wave frequency. At the same time, the FM frequency station was relaunched under the name "Capital FM".

Recent times

The studios of 95.8 Capital FM are today based in Leicester Square, which is also home to Capital's new parent company, Global Radio.

In September 1996 the then Capital FM launched its website, a little later than some UK broadcasters, but high demand led to it crashing within a few hours.

Towards the end of 2005, and the beginning of 2006, the station went through a number of changes. From December 2005 it was decided to have only two advertisements in each break in order to get listeners back to the music faster (these adverts were however played on the station at more frequent intervals).

On 9 January 2006 due in part to the fact that by then many people were no longer listening on FM but via the Internet, TV or DAB,Fact|date=May 2007 the station was once again relaunched under its original name ("Capital Radio"), with a modified line-up of presenters and a slightly tweaked music format. After this re-launch turned out not to have had the desired success, a new Programme Controller was appointed in September 2006. Scott Muller came from the Nova group in Australia, and the station saw another tweak in style.

The new era has seen Capital re-branded back to "London's Hit Music Station", a play on the station's earlier brand of "London's Number One Hit Music Station" with noticeable improvements - leading to a rise in audience figures at the end of 2006. The station also changed its on air name to "95.8 Capital Radio", incorporating the frequency of "95.8" back into the station since it was dropped at the January 2006 re-launch.

In March 2007 the station was renamed "Capital 95.8" and its slogan became "The Sound Of London". The marketing campaign combines outdoor, cinema, and print adverts. [http://www.utalkmarketing.com/Article.aspx?id=1665]

Rajar figures for Q2 2007 showed Capital 95.8 slipping to fourth place recording the lowest-ever share of the London audience and for the first time falling behind Emap-owned station Magic and Heart, owned by Global Radio UK. Capital 95.8's audience share slipped from 4.6 to 4.1 per cent over the quarter. [ [http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/media/article2269750.ece Radio battle gets hot at the top (Times Online)] ]

10 December 2007 saw the station return to the "London's Hit Music Station" tagline, with ex-Virgin Radio presenter Greg Burns replacing Lucio on drivetime, and Lucio moving to the evening show. Lucio took over from Bam Bam who left Capital in early December 2007.

On 6 June 2008 Global Radio completed its £375 million takeover of GCap Media. The Office of Fair trading has ruled that the two companies must remain separate until it has reviewed the takeover. Global Radio's Ashley Tabor and Charles Allen have left their posts at Global to take up their respective posts at GCap Media, while Richard Park will be acting Chief Executive and Don Thomson will be acting Chief Operating officer until the OFT review is complete.

Current DJs

* Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon - Breakfast
* Margherita Taylor - Weekday Mornings (Mon-Sat)
* Chris Brooks - Weekday Afternoons and Saturday Breakfast
* Greg Burns - Drivetime and Saturday Afternoons
* Lucio Buffone - Weekday Evenings
* Tony Shepherd - Late nights (Mon-Thu) and Sunday Afternoons
* James Bassam - Early Breakfast
* Duncan James - Jukebox
* Stephen Sullivan - Saturday & Sunday Overnights
* Des Paul - Dance Anthems (Friday & Saturday nights)
* Sophie Malcolm - Sunday Early Breakfast
* James Cannon - Sunday Breakfast

Previous DJs

Presenters from the station's first 10 years (alphabetically):

* Mike Allen
* Phil Allen
* Richard Allinson (BBC Radio Oxford, BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Two)
* Keith Ashton
* Michael Aspel
* Robbie Barish (American)
* David Briggs (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)
* Mick Brown Radio Jackie October 2008
* Dave Cash
* Bryan Chalker
* Dave Collins
* Steve Collins (now Smooth Radio 100.4)
* Sue Cook
* Gary Crowley
* Ian Davidson (presented London Link International in the early days)
* Graham Dene (now presenting 102.2 Smooth Radio Breakfast)
* Mike Dickin (died 2006)
* Greg Edwards
* Ray 'Raymondo' Edwards
* Kenny Everett (died April 1995 but the station still provides [http://www.creationpodcasts.com/ podcasts] of his archive shows)
* Alan Freeman (died November 2006)
* Froggy
* Vincent 'Fab Vinnie' Hanley (died April 87)
* Gerald Harper
* Brian Hayes
* Nicky Horne
* Marsha Hunt
* Peter James
* Duncan Johnson
* Kerry Juby (died July 2003)
* Sean Kelly
* Adrian Love (son of Geoff Love - died March 1999)
* Sarah Lucas
* Colin Maitland
* Becky Manesseh
* Al Matthews
* Monty Modlyn
* Tony "Topless Tone" Myatt (102.2 Smooth Radio)
* Maggie Norden (presenter of Hullabaloo and daughter of Denis Norden)
* Paddy O'Byrne
* Robin Ray (classical music presenter and son of Ted Ray)
* Tim Rice
* David "Ram-Jam" Rodigan
* Brian Rust (hosted the jazz programme "Mardi Gras" 1973-1984)
* John Sachs (son of Andrew Sachs)
* Roger Scott (died Oct 1989)
* Sam Scott (Hallelujah - Gospel Music)
* Joan Shenton
* Mike Smith
* David Symonds
* Kelly Temple
* Tommy Vance (died March 2005)
* Sarah Ward
* Peter Young Jazz FM

Subsequent Presenters have included:

* Pat Sharp
* Paul McKenna (hypnotist)
* David Jensen Gold
* Chris Tarrant (who hosted the breakfast show for 17 years)
* Neil Fox (Magic 105.4)
* Jakki Brambles
* Clive Warren (Century Radio)
* Lynn Parsons (102.2 Smooth Radio)
* Martin Collins (102.2 Smooth Radio)
* Charlie Jordan
* Russ Williams (Virgin Radio now Absolute Radio
* Tim Smith (BBC Radio 2)
* Pete Tong (BBC Radio One)
* Paul Phear (Magic 105.4)
* Tim Westwood (son of Bishop Bill Westwood)
* Neil Long (Radio Jackie)
* Sandy Beech
* Steve Penk Owner / Presenter on 96.2 The Revolution
* Gary King (Totally 80's 96.2 The Revolution 2008 Jazz FM 2008
* Neil Francis (Virgin Radio Changed Name In 2008 To Absolute Radio
* Jane Gazzo
* Mike Toolan (Key 103)
* Chris Moyles (BBC Radio One)
* Richard Bacon Five Live
* Katy Hill
* Jeremy Kyle Television presenter
* Nicky Campbell(Five Live)
* Justin Wilkes (Kiss100)
* Kate Lawler (Kerrang! Radio)
* Tim Lichfield (left in Early Summer 2007. Used to present the Nightshift show, 1-4am weekdays) (Virgin Radio Changed Names In 2008 To Absolute Radio
* Bam Bam (left the station after 9 months, he presented the evening show)
* Jamie Wright Joined 22/04/03 Left to join Magic 105.4 22/04/07. For 4 years kept london moving as a traffic & travel presenter and also presented his own shift Nightshift show before Tim Lichfield.
* Sam Mann presents the evening show, 7-10pm.
* Matt Brown
* Craig DoyleITV Sports Presenter
* Dave Berry XFM
* Myleene Klass
* Denise Van OutenTV Presenter

The following also worked on Capital's sister station Capital Gold:
* Richard Skinner
* Paul Burnett

ee also

*Capital Radio Group
*Independent Local Radio
*Capital FM Network
*List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
*Bong Game

References

External links

* [http://www.capitalradio.co.uk/ Capital Radio]
* [http://www.ssaunders.plus.com/thisisilr/cr/crinfo.html Capital Radio history on This Is ILR]