Mercia (radio station)

For other uses, see Mercia (disambiguation).

Mercia

Broadcast area	Coventry, Solihull, and Warwickshire
Slogan	"Made for Coventry and Warwickshire" "The Best Mix of the 80s, 90s & Today"
Frequency	97.0 MHz, 102.9 MHz RDS:_mercia_ DAB Online
First air date	23 May 1980
Format	Contemporary hit radio
Audience share	9.6% (March 2011, [1])
Owner	Orion Media
Website	www.mercia.co.uk

Mercia (formerly Mercia Sound) is an Independent Local Radio station serving Coventry and Warwickshire. The station, owned and operated by Orion Media broadcasts from studios shared with BRMB at Broad Street in Birmingham.

History

The station begun broadcastion as Mercia Sound at 0700 BST on 23 May 1980 with an opening announcement by Programme Director Ian Rufus, followed by breakfast presenter Gordon Astley and a news bulletin read by Mike Henfield. In its first year of operation, it boasted the highest weekly reach of any commercial radio station in England and Wales, a record that still stands to this day.

In 1987, the station moved FM frequencies, along with most ILR stations at the time to 97.0 FM. Shortly after this a new transmitter on 102.9 FM was created to serve South Warwickshire.

In 1989, along with BRMB in Birmingham, the AM frequency was split from the FM transmissions to create a new radio station called Xtra AM which played music from the 60's and 70's.

In 1993, the station's owners, Midlands Radio plc, sold the station to Capital Radio who, shortly afterwards sold it to GWR, who re-branded it in-line with their "Today's Best Mix" slogan from 1994 onwards. During this period numerous presenters from other GWR stations joined Mercia, including Craig Strong (Trent FM, Ram FM, Leicester Sound) Tim Gough (Trent FM) Rachel Hopper (Ram FM) and Sean Goldsmith (Trent FM). From 2002 onwards, the slogan was "Playing the best mix of the 80's, 90's and today". In 2007, it reverted back to the old slogan of "Today's Best Mix".

However on 13 August 2007, the 'FM' was dropped from the station's name, and it is now known on air as 'Mercia'.

On 8 August 2008, it was confirmed that due to competition 'conflict of interests' in the West Midlands (and in other areas), Mercia would be sold by Global Radio, along with other West Midlands owned GCap/Global stations BRMB, Wyvern FM, Heart 106 and Beacon Radio. In July 2009, the station was sold officially to a company backed by Lloyds TSB Development Capital and Phil Riley^[1] called Orion Media.

In common with many other ILR stations, the last decade has seen an increase in networked programming shared between stations operated by the same 'parent' group. Automation and presentation techniques during these hours insert local idents, jingles and commercials. Currently, seven hours of local programming are broadcast each weekday with four hours on weekend mornings and additional hours for live football commentary of Coventry City matches. Outside of these hours, programming is simulcast with Orion Media's local FM stations in the West Midlands from Orion's Birmingham studios.

On 8 July 2011, Orion Media announced plans to close Mercia's Coventry studios and co-locate the station to the company's headquarters in Birmingham - the move took place two months later, leaving Coventry with only one local station left (BBC Coventry & Warwickshire). The local mid-morning programme on weekdays is now simulcast with BRMB.^[2]

Programming

Weekdays Time Main presenter(s)/programme Location 0100 – 0600 Overnights Birmingham/Nottingham 0600 – 1000 The JD Show: John Dalziel Birmingham 1000 – 1300 Russ Morris 1300 - 1600 Dan Morrissey 1600 – 1900 Andy Goulding 1900 – 2200 James Merritt 2200 – 0100 The Sanctuary: Caroline Martin

Weekday variations Day Time Main presenter/programme Location Monday & Friday 0100 - 0600 Adam Wilbourn Birmingham Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Dan Wood (voicetracked) Nottingham Friday 2200 - 0100 The Sanctuary: Will Batchelor Birmingham

Saturday Time Main presenter(s)/programme Location 0100 – 0700 Adam Wilbourn Birmingham 0700 – 1100 Justin Walker 1100 – 1400 The Saturday Show: Sam Pinkham & David Tanner Nottingham 1400 - 1800 The Goalzone Birmingham 1800 - 2200 Justin Walker 2200 – 0100 Will Batchelor

Sunday Time Main presenter(s)/programme Location 0100 – 0700 Adam Wilbourn Birmingham 0700 - 1100 Justin Walker 1100 - 1300 Sam Nixon & Mark Rhodes London 1300 - 1600 Dan Morrissey Birmingham 1600 – 1900 The Vodafone Big Top 40 Leicester Square, London 1900 – 2200 David Francis Birmingham 2200 - 0100 The Sanctuary: Caroline Martin

Weekday evening and weekend schedules vary during the football season, owing to live coverage of Coventry City matches.

News and Sport staff

Head of News Vicky Breakwell

Head of Sport Tom Ross (also The Goalzone presenter)

Broadcast Journalists Dan Dawson Stuart Bailey Stacey Foster Darryl Murphy (Coventry and Warwickshire reporter)

Goalzone commentators Dave Bennett Joe Holt

Past presenters

Richard Neale Gordon Astley Stuart Linnell (Now at BBC Radio Northampton and BBC Coventry & Warwickshire) Tony Gillam Dave Jamieson Andy Lloyd Paul Robinson Jim Lee (now at BBC Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra) Tom Clapton Bernie Keith (now at BBC Radio Northampton) Jeff Harris Graham Bradshaw Ted Elliott Rob Jordan Lyndon Jenkins Franklyn Hughes Phil Upton (Now at BBC WM) Beverley Napier Barrett Neil Kefford Kirsty Sillitoe Stewart White Jan Edwards Bob Brolly (Now at BBC Coventry and Warwickshire)

Mark Keen Craig Beck (aka 'Beck', formerly breakfast host at Real Radio North East) Rachael Hopper Simon Moss Marc Silk Shaun Tilley Clive Skelhon Gary Hynes Andy Lloyd Dave Simms (now an actor/creative in Australia) John Warwick - deceased Alan Turner - deceased Annie Othen (now at BBC Coventry and Warwickshire) Ian Shepherd (now at Radio Wave 96.5) Chris Radley Rick Ward Chris Pegg Ed James (Now at Heart West Midlands) Helen Knott Trevor Marshall Adrian Eyre Craig Bevan Steve Dawson Malcolm Halliday

References

1. ^ Radio Today
2. ^ Orion Media moves Mercia to Birmingham, Radio Today, 8 July 2011

External links

• Official website
• Mercia on Facebook
• Mercia on Twitter
• Mercia on Youtube