- Southern FM
Radio station
name = Southern FM
airdate =29 August 1983
frequency = 103.5 MHz, 96.9 MHz,
102.4 MHz and 102.0 MHz
share = 13.3%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area = As far west asChichester , as far north asCrawley , and as far east asEastbourne ,Hastings , and Rye. The radio station can also be received in some parts along the north coast ofFrance
format = Contemporary
owner =Global Radio
website = [http://www.southernfm.com/ www.southernfm.com]Southern FM is an
Independent Local Radio station which is owned byGCap Media (formerlyCapital Radio Group ) and plays commercial, chart-oriented popular music. Broadcast fromPortslade , the station plays a mix of pop, rock andRnB with the tag line being 'More Music Variety'.The Breakfast Show (formerly known as "Danny and Nicky in the Morning") is presented by
Danny Pike , Lynsey Bartlett and "Jack the Lad". Until recently, Nicky Keig-Shevlin used to host the show. Other presenters include Dan Gasser, Chris Copsey and until recently Luke Smith, Nick Simon and Garry Wilson. However shows presented by these people have been replaced with shows syndicated across a number ofGlobal Radio owned stations. Southern FM, like muchGlobal Radio 's One Network, now produce only the minimum amount of locally produced radio as required by OFCOM.On the 17th September 2008 it was announced that Southern FM is one of 30 local radio stations to face a re-brand within the next 18 months. Southern FM will then be known as Heart FM Sussex. It is yet unknown as to the future of the current DJ's with the breakfast show most likely to change to a nationally broadcast programme. Hit 40 UK will also be removed from the schdule.
The station launched as Southern Sound Radio from the converted Rothbury Cinema in Franklin Road Portslade. Under the leadership of Managing Director Rory McLeod, early presenters included Sean Bolger, Louis Robinson, Stewart MacIntosh, Vince Geddes, John Mann, Chris Copsey,
Russ Williams and Becky Manesseh.Tommy Boyd joined the station, initially as a fill in for Timbo (Tim Lloyd) and was subsequently hired to present a regular Sunday evening show with a team of assistants including Nicky Keig Shevlin, Steve Lawrence, Cathy and Mary.At the launch of the station, Southern Sound broadcast only to Brighton and parts of West Sussex. In 1987 transmissions were extended to Lewes, Newhaven and Seaford. Then on 5th February 1989 the station won a new licence for East Sussex too. Initially running split programming for East and West Sussex, the station now only splits for commercial breaks.
In 1994 the Radio Authority merged the two licences to become one official ILR licence.
The station broadcasts to the following areas:
*Analogue VHF FM
**96.9MHz - Newhaven Transmitter
**102.0 MHz - Hastings Transmitter
**102.4 MHz - East and West Sussex, including Eastbourne (Heathfield Transmitter)
**103.5 MHz - Brighton and Worthing (Whitehawk Hill Transmitter)*DAB Digital Radio: Block 11B 218.64 MHz
**Worthing (Findon Transmitter)
**Newhaven (Beddingham Transmitter)
**Hastings (Hastings Transmitter}
**Eastbourne (Eastbourne Transmitter}
**Chichester (Burton Down Transmitter)
**Brighton (Whitehawk Hill Transmitter)External links
* [http://www.southernfm.com/ Official website]
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