100.7 Heart FM

Radio station


name = Heart
airdate = September 6 1994
frequency = MHz 100.7 MHz
Freeview 728

share = 8.5%
share as of = September 2007
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area = West Midlands
format = Contemporary
owner = Global Radio UK
website = [http://www.heartfm.co.uk www.heartfm.co.uk]

100.7 Heart fm is a radio station based in Birmingham, with a regional license to broadcast to the West Midlands. It is aimed primarily at women aged 25-44. The first song to be played on 100.7 Heart fm was Something Got Me Started, by Simply Red. It was the first ever radio station owned by Global Radio UK, which owns the other Heart stations in London and Nottingham, as well as the Galaxy Radio, LBC and The Arrow radio brands.

History

Early days

Heart began broadcasting on the 6th of September 1994, as the UK's third Independent Regional Radio station, five days after Century Radio and Jazz FM North West. with its original format of "soft adult contemporary" music, comprising of such artists as Lionel Richie, Simply Red and Tina Turner. Reflecting this, its early slogan described the station as being "100.7 degrees cooler".

Its programming format was modified in 1996, a year after Chrysalis launched Heart 106.2 in London. The new format saw the "soft" AC music replaced with a generally more neutral music playlist, with more upbeat music from the same big-name artists like Phil Collins. This saw radio audience listening figures grow to equal that of local rival BRMB, which was for a long time undisputed number one commercial radio in the West Midlands. New disc-jockeys were brought in from other stations; Daryl Denham arrived in 2000 from Hallam FM's breakfast show in a high-profile move. Ian Danter and Carlos also arrived from BRMB.

Tushar Makwana

One of Heart's most popular DJs, Tushar Makwana, was killed in 2004 following a burglary at his home which left him injured on his doorstep [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/3483125.stm DJ dies after gang robbery] . The station's staff paid tribute to the presenter on-air, and campaigned for the person(s) responsible to be brought to justice. The station's reception area now includes a photographic tribute and plaque.

Recent History

Following a corporate re-brand of the station, including a change of logo, the more contemporary look was soon reflected in the station's sound. The format is now described as more Hot AC and features more music from the likes of Natasha Bedingfield, James Blunt and Keane as well as soul music from the 1970s, branded as "Club Classics". During this relaunch long-time DJs departed the station, such as Ian Danter, Carlos, Paul Bryant and Nick Piercey, to be replaced by younger DJs such as Steve Denyer, Dave Clarke and Matt Wilkinson.

2005 saw the evacuation of its studios after West Midlands Police alerted staff and other civilians following a bomb alert in Birmingham's Broad Street complex station [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4668313.stm Birmingham threat 'real' - police] . The station continued to operate initially relaying sister station LBC News 1152 before transmission switched to the studios of Century 106 (now Heart 106) in Nottingham which broadcast reports from DNN Journalists John Collins and Dave Richards, who had to broadcast from a phone booth due to restrictions on the use of mobile phones.

On September 11th 2006, new station idents and jingles were used for the first time, and saw the station referred to purely as 'Heart' rather than '100.7 Heart fm'.

From April 28th 2008 Heart began simulcasting some of its programmes from Heart 106.2 in London. There are now only ten hours of local programming from Birmingham during weekdays and four hours on Saturday and Sunday.

tation Information

Ranking

Heart FM is the most listened-to radio station in the West Midlands region, having successfully overtaken its city rivals BRMB, as well as all of the BBC stations both in Birmingham, and in the wider West Midlands region. (RAJAR: W1 2007)

Location

The station is housed in 111 Broad Street - the same building as Global Radio UK-owned sister stations Galaxy Birmingham and The Arrow. The Digital News Network (DNN) also broadcast from the building until it ceased transmission in August 2006, to be replaced by LBC, whose regional DAB service was fully rolled out on September 1. Regional news continues to be broadcast from the building on Heart and Galaxy, but LBC's regional news for the West Midlands is actually broadcast from London.

Transmitter

The FM signal comes from the Sutton Coldfield transmitter, and is audible throughout a large part of the Midlands, including the East Midlands towns of Leicester, Derby and parts of Nottingham.It can be heard with fairly decent auidable quality in Kingswood Bristol.This is because Kingswood is very high up meaning there is a clear line of sight between the north and Kingswood.This means that there is a large area which is covered by both 100.7 Heart fm, and its East Midlands counterpart, Heart 106. The station is available on DAB, thanks to eight transmitters throughout the West Midlands on the MXR 12A multiplex, with strong signals from The Wrekin and Ilmington in south Warwickshire.

Main Presenters

* Ed James and Rachel New - "Heart Breakfast"
* Steve Denyer - "Morning Show" (Monday to Friday)
* Nick Snaith - "Afternoon Show" and Saturday Lunchtime 12pm-4pm
* Dave Clarke - "Drivetime"
* Matt Wilkinson - "All Request Evening Show" and Heart Breakfast (Saturday)
* Simon Beale - "The Heartbreakers"
* Paul Hayes - Club Classics
* Natalie B - [Heart Breakfast] (Sunday)
* Matt Jarvis - Weekend Mornings (Saturday and Sunday)
* Paul Hollins - Overnights (Mon-Sun) and Early Breakfast (Mon) and (Sun)
* Emma B-Sunday Afternoons
* Jim Davis-Club Classics

Past DJ's on Heart

*Carlos,
* Paul Bryant
*Daryl Denham
*Phil Upton
*Nick Piercey
*Darren Kelly
*Kim Shaw
*Sarah Jane Mee
*Hellon Wheels
*Charlie Jordan
*Warren Moore

Chrysalis Radio Sold

On the 25 June 2007 it was announced that Heart along with its sister stations The Arrow, LBC and Galaxy were to be sold for £170 million to Global Radio UK from Chrysalis Radio. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/06/25/bcnchrys125.xml Chrysalis sells three radio stations] ]

Logos

Images used with permission of 100.7 Heart fm.

References

ee also

* Heart (radio network)
** Heart 106.2 (London)
** Heart 106 (East Midlands)
** Heart Digital Broadcast to the regions on digital radio

External links

* [http://www.heartfm.co.uk Official website]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/suttoncoldfield/index.asp Sutton Coldfield transmitter]
* [http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/music-radio-stations/heart-100-7-fm-west-midlands DooYoo]