Pirate FM

Infobox Radio station


name = Pirate FM
branding = "Cornwall's Pirate FM"
Slogan = "Real Music Variety"
airdate = April 3 1992
frequency = 102.2 MHz, 102.8 MHz
share = 14.70%
share as of = December 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area = Cornwall
format = Adult Contemporary
owner = UKRD Group

Pirate FM is one of the Independent Local Radio stations for Cornwall. It plays a range of music styles from 60's to present day.

Background

The station was launched in 1992 under the name of "Pirate FM 102" with the voice of breakfast presenter Roger Day (a well-known ex-pirate DJ from Radio Caroline and Radio North Sea International). The station's launch Chief Executive was Mike Powell who specified digital technology so advanced at the time that it was featured on the BBC science programme, "Tomorrow's World".

The station's initial sales director, Joseph Swain, would go on to become Managing Director when Mike Powell moved on to build up the UKRD Group of radio stations - Pirate being the group's first licence win.

Many awards have been picked up by presenters, directors and news coverage. A notable one is The Sony Radio Academy Awards where it received the gold award - for station of the year in the 300,000-1,000,000 transmitter service area category - in the years 2003 and 2006.

In July 2006, Pirate FM saw its monopoly of Cornwall diminish as Atlantic FM launched, covering the same area and seeking to appeal to Pirate's target audience, although this has so far failed to make an impact on its listenership.

In September 2005 the stations branding changed from "The Southwest's Pirate FM" to "Cornwall's Pirate FM". Listeners appear to have increased in Cornwall following the move, however it reduced their audience in West Devon (including Plymouth, where Pirate FM had a separate office and studio prior to the rebrand).

The Pirate Trust is the charitable arm of Pirate FM that raises thousands of pounds yearly for good causes in Cornwall with their 'Cornwall in Need Appeal'. Yearly fundraisers include the 'Garden Party' and the all day on air & on line auction known as 'Radiothon'. Radiothon [2007] [http://www.itsmymarket.com/auction/details.php?auction=7] and Radiothon [2008] [http://www.itsmymarket.com/auction/details.php?auction=12] were both run in collaboration with free classifieds website itsmymarket.com

Presenters & Programming

Current presenters include Bob McCreadie, Allen Fleckney (known as Fleckers), Neil Caddy, James Dundon (known as Dunders), Katherine Le Jeune (known as KLJ), James Martin, Dave Gould, Kirsten Maun, Jim Colvin, Andy Maple & Tony Townsend. The station manager is Beverley Warne.

All programming is locally produced, with the exception of Sundays, where networked programmes "Hit 40 UK" and "Totally 80s" are broadcast between 4pm and 9pm.

Schedule

"Monday-Friday"
06:00-10:00 Bob McCreadie for Breakfast with Tristan Hunkin and James Martin. Travel with Dave Hill.
10:00-14:00 Getting Through Your Workday With Allen Fleckney.
14:00-18:00 Neil Caddy's Drivetime including Travel with Dave Hill.
18:00-23:00 James Dundon in the Evening
23:00-00:00 Love at Eleven With KLJ
00:00-06:00 Through the Night

"Saturdays"
06:00-10:00 Allen Fleckney with Saturday's Big Weekend Breakfast
10:00-14:00 Dave Gould on Saturday's Late Breakfast
14:00-18:00 Saturday Afternoons with James Dundon
18:00-00:00 Saturday Night Cornwall with KLJ
00:00-06:00 Through the Night

"Sundays"
06:00-10:00 Tony Townsend with Sunday's Big Weekend Breakfast
10:00-13:00 Sunday Brunch with James Martin
13:00-16:00 Sunday Afternoons with Jim Colvin
16:00-19:00 Hit40UK with Lucio
19:00-21:00 Totally 80's with Gary King
21:00-00:00 Sunday Evenings with Kirsten Maun
00:00-06:00 Through the Night

News

Pirate FM has its own news centre which produces local and national bulletins between 6am and 6pm Monday-Friday and 7am to 2pm on weekends and certain bank holidays.
The news bulletins are broadcast every hour on the hour with additional bulletins at 6.30am, 7.30am, 8.30am and 5.30pm.
The current journalists are:
Tristan Hunkin (news editor); takes bulletins between 6am and 10am Monday to Friday
Matthew Clarke (deputy news editor)
Emma Carton (senior journalist)
Natalie Stanton (journalist)
Natalie Oram (journalist)
Rachel Yates (journalist); takes bulletins on Saturday

Transmission Details

Pirate FM's two transmitters broadcast different advertising output. The Redruth transmitter on 102.8 MHz FM includes advertisements for the mid and west of the county of Cornwall, and the Caradon Hill transmitter (on 102.2 MHz FM) covers advertising for the East and North of the county, as well as covering Plymouth and West Devon as well. However, all other output, including news, talk and music is identical on both transmitters.
"see also: Cornish media"

Branding

Pirate FM's original jingles were sung by JAM productions, Dallas in 1992, which included the famous "Tamar bridges" Cornwall Theme Tune, which used to be played after Midnight and before 6am every day!

A new jingle package was first aired in December 2005, made by jingleproduction company IQ Beats. It was a re-sing of a previous package made for Heart 106.2 in London.

Its strapline is "Real Music Variety" which it has had for 5 or 6 years now. Previously "Better Variety, More Music", "The World's greatest Music" and "Greatest Memories, Latest Hits" have been some of the straplines. Another strapline being used more recently is "Love Cornwall, Love Pirate FM" At launch, one line used on air tended to be "The Latest Technology, and the best records too"

External links

* [http://www.piratefm.co.uk/ The Pirate FM Website]