Peak FM (North Derbyshire)

Infobox Radio station
name = Peak FM


airdate = October 7 1998
frequency = 102.0 MHz, 107.4 MHz
share = 9.6%
share as of = April 2008
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area = North Derbyshire
format = Contemporary
owner = UTV Radio
website = [http://www.peakfm.net/ Peakfm.net]

Peak FM is the local radio station in North Derbyshire. It uses the tag line 'You Love, It Way Play It' as the playlists are built on lots of in-depth research with the general public and the station prides itself on updating the area on local news and sport.

Coverage Area

Towns

Based in Sheepbridge, Chesterfield, Peak FM's coverage area includes the towns of Alfreton, Bakewell, Bolsover, Clay Cross, Dronfield, Matlock, Pinxton, Ripley, Shirebrook, South Normanton and Staveley. Southern districts of the City of Sheffield are also included, though the topography of the area makes reception unreliable.

Frequencies

*107.4 FM covers Chesterfield, south Sheffield, North Alfreton, north-eastern Derbyshire, Mansfield and Worksop.
*102.0 FM covers Matlock, Bakewell, The Derbyshire Dales and Central Alfreton.

Peak FM is now available as an audio stream on the internet, and will be available on DAB Digital Radio soon as part of the NOW Derbyshire DAB Multiplex. [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/dcr/awards/derbyshire/]

History

Though served by Hallam FM in Sheffield, Chesterfield missed out on having a commercial radio station of its own for two decades.

With this in mind a group of radio enthusiasts from the Chesterfield & Mansfield area began to do research in the area. Members of the group included Phil Penny, formally of Center Radio & High Peak in Buxton and Leyton Morris now breakfast presenter at High Peak. The letter of intent for the Chesterfield area was put into the Radio Authority around 8 years before the area was put on the working list. After all this work was done after 5 years the guys gave it up as a bad job and passed all of the paperwork over to Chris Knight, manager of Amber Sound FM. Who in turn handed over the paperwork and the name of Peak FM to Wayne Chadwick of Grand Central Broadcasting.

Another group who lost out on this licence were "Spire FM" fronted by The Jenner Brothers now running "High Peak Radio" in Buxton. Also failing to win the licence was "Trust FM", the former Chesterfield Hospitals Radio which broadcast from the Royal Hospital.

Peak FM began broadcasting to Chesterfield as 'Peak 107 FM' on Wednesday October 7, 1998 at 8 am, with the Simple Minds song 'Alive and Kicking' being the first song on the station. The Radio Authority had awarded Grand Central Broadcasting the licence earlier in the spring.

The station was launched by Dave Kilner, with the (then) Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield. Mark Burrows presented Breakfast after the launch, followed by Dave Kilner on mid-mornings, James Hilton on drive, Trev Parsons 1 hour of drive and the evening show and Richard Spinks on late night love.

At the same time, the authority also awarded licenses for two other small stations, in nearby Bassetlaw and Mansfield.

Forever Broadcasting

In 2001, Forever Broadcasting bought out Grand Central Broadcasting, and Peak 107 was rebranded as 'The 50/50 Music Mix of Yesterday And Today', with an accompanying change in music policy.

Forever sold three of its stations in 2003, with three remaining- Peak, Tower FM in Bolton and Wolverhampton's 107.7 The Wolf. In early 2004, Forever Broadcasting was itself bought by The Wireless Group, run by former newspaper editor Kelvin MacKenzie.

Wireless Group

Under the new regime, the station changed its name to the shorter 'Peak FM' from 'Peak 107' in summer 2004. This was due to the station broadcasting over two frequences, 107.4FM and 102FM

Station output did not change dramatically after the takeover, but presenters were occasionally required to promote other stations and services offered by The Wireless Group, which was itself taken over by UTV Radio in June 2005.

Peak FM's website [http://www.peakfm.net] was relaunched in Autumn 2004 and again in May 2007.

It was announced on May 7th 2008, that Programme Controller Chris Buckley would leave Peak FM to take up the same position at UTV's new station Central Radio in Preston. [http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.3363.17/ Central announce Programme Controller]

Peak FM launched a major marketing campaign in May 07 with 48 foot posters, bus backs and bus stop ad's around the TSA and took deleivery of a marked up new Mini Clubman.

Past Presenters & Where are they now?

*Jeff Cooper - Former Programme Controller (Now at Smooth Radio, Nottingham)
*Gav P presented drivetime with the famous "Gav's Challenge" and Saturday breakfast
*Trevor Parsons former Evening Show Presenter, Commercial Producer & Creative [http://www.trev.biz]
*Mark Burrows former Breakfast presenter (Now has own production company in Derby)
*Dave Kilner former mid-morning presenter and launch programme Controller (Now fund raising manager for help a Hallam Child)
*James Hilton former Afternoon Drive and Street Cred presenter
*Paul Denton former Weekend Breakfast presenter [http://www.pauldenton.co.uk]
*Craig Pattison former Programme Manager and weekday lunchtime presenter
*David Ross former Mid-Morning and Saturday Breakfast Presenter (Now at Lincs FM)
*Chris Birks presented Early Weekend Breakfast (Now at Mansfield 103.2) [http://www.chrisbirks.co.uk]
*Richard Spinks former Peak FM Chilled presenter [http://www.richardspinks.net]
*Chris Payne presented the Peak Party in Saturday Evenings

Current Presenters

*Sean Goldsmith and Becky Measures co-present the Breakfast Show from 6-10am & Round Your Place 11-2 on Saturdays
*Mark Burrows on Mid Mornings 10-2pm
*Stewart Nicholson Drives You Home from 2-7pm & Saturdays 2-6pm
*Perry Spiller presents the Stress Busters and Ultimate 80's show from 7pm Sunday - Thursday
*Dave Vickers is one of Peak's cover presenters
*Andy Martindale presents Late Night Love Monday-Friday from 10pm & Sunday from 12pm
*Paul Edwards takes you through the night from 2am

News

*Laura Pankhurst
*Holly Knebel
*Sam Smith

External links

* [http://www.peakfm.net/ Peakfm.net]