Kmfm

Radio station


name = kmfm|Ashford Frequency. airdate = September 21 1997,
September 29 1997,
September 1 1997,
January 17 1998,
July 8 1995,
October 3 2005
September 12 2007
frequency = 107.6 MHz
106.0 MHZ
96.4 MHz
106.8 MHz
105.6 MHz
100.4 MHz
107.9 MHz
96.2 MHz
101.6 MHz
107.2 MHz
share = 6.2%
share as of = RAJAR Q1 2008
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
area = Ashford
Canterbury
Dover
Folkestone
Maidstone
Medway
Sevenoaks
Thanet
Tunbridge Wells
format = Contemporary
owner = The Kent Messenger Group

KMFM is the name of seven Independent Local Radio stations and one digital station (on the Kent Digital Multiplex) owned by KM Radio Ltd, each broadcasting locally to a region of Kent. Although similarly branded, they are officially seven separate licenses, named
*KMFM for Canterbury,
*KMFM for Shepway & White Cliffs Country (broadcasting to Dover & Folkestone),
*KMFM for Medway,
*KMFM for Thanet,
*KMFM for West Kent,
*KMFM for Ashford,
*KMFM for Maidstonecite web|url=http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.2441|title=KM Group rebrands ctr 105.6|accessdate=2007-09-12|date=2007-09-12|publisher=Radio Today] ,
*KMFM Digital (broadcasting to Kent via DAB),

with offices in Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover, Rochester, Margate, Tonbridge, Ashford and Maidstone respectively.

KMFM's target audience are 25-54 year old male and female in Kent. KMFM offers its listeners local news and music. KMFM plays a mix of music covering the current hits with the best from the 80's and 90's along with some of the best classics from the 60's and 70's. Further to this, KMFM's specialist shows cater for the more acquired taste which include KMFM Dance, KMFM Rock, KMFM Chill and KMFM Love.

*The West Kent licence was originally KFM and launched in 1995. Later owned by DMG, it was bought by GWR and named it West Kent's Mercury. In 2002 the Kent Messenger Group purchased it, renaming it KMFM for West Kent.
*The Thanet station TLR launched in January 1998.
*Neptune Radio covering Shepway and Dover launched in 1997.
*The Canterbury licence launched on the 21 September 1997 as 106ctfm and was renamed KMFM 106 in January 2003.
*CTR 105.6 fm (abbreviated from County Town Radio) was broadcast to Maidstone and the mid-Kent area of the county and rebranded to KMFM Maidstone on September 12, 2007.cite web|url=http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.2441|title=KM Group rebrands ctr 105.6|accessdate=2007-09-12|date=2007-09-12|publisher=Radio Today]

KMFM Maidstone

"KMFM" in Maidstone originally operated under the name of CTR 105.6 fm, launched as the independent radio station for Maidstone and Mid-Kent on October 18th, 2003 under the directorship of former TLR 107.2 programme controller Jon Maxfield, prior to a buyout by the Kent Messenger Group in November 2006.

The station began life as an RSL named Maidstone Festival Radio in the early 1990s, before changing name to CTR FM, and, at the request of the Radio Authority, rebranding a third time to 20/20fm (after the A20 and M20 trunk roads that run through the area), following concerns that the station would be confused with the similarly named 106ctfm, which had just launched a full-time service in Canterbury.

Mike Russell was the first voice on air in 2003; the first song to be played was 'Start Me Up' by the Rolling Stones.

CTR's launch line-up, which, rather unusually, featured many of the members of the original RSLs, was as follows:

*Jon Maxfield - MD, Mid-Mornings and station founder (now at Atlantis FM in Tenerife)
*John Brocks - Programme Controller, Drivetime (now running RadioWorks)
*Mike Russell - Producer, Breakfast
*Sarah Thompson - Head of Sales
*Rob Wills - Cover Presenter/ The Heat (now on kmfm Medway and runs Situpandlisten Limited)
*Kevin Field - Marketing and Promotions Manager, Presenter - 'The Heat' (dance show) and Outside Broadcast Presenter
*Patrick Foster - Mellow Grooves and Cover Presenter
*Colin Woolven - Saturday Breakfast
*Brian Jones - IT and Evening Presenter (Now presenting evenings on Atlantis FM on Tenerife)
*Richard Cave - Sports Presenter
*Russell Card - Head of IT and Sports Cover
*Moira Mitchell - News Editor/Breakfast Co-Host (now editor of the Downs Mail newspaper)
*Helen Fisher - News Editor/Breakfast/Drivetime Co-Host (now with GMTV)

KMFM Thanet

"KMFM" in Thanet began life as Thanet Local Radio (TLR 107.2), founded by Alan Mackay, and launching in January 1998 from studios at Margate harbour. Pete Willson was the first voice on-air; the first song to be played was Take That's 'Back For Good', with reggae star Pato Banton recording a special version of his duet with UB40, Baby Come Back, for the station's launch. The station's line-up was largely unchanged for five years.

TLR was originally owned by a consortium of local investors, with local businessman Ken Wills being the majority shareholder. The Kent Messenger Group took control of TLR in 1999, and subsequently bought out the other investors in March 2003, rebranding the station to KMFM, relocating it to their own premises in Cliftonville.

The station covers Sandwich and Deal as part of its transmission area.

Among the station's presenters prior to the KMFM takeover:

*Pete Willson - Breakfast
*Mike Stevens - Mid-Mornings
*Jon Maxfield - Drivetime (under the pseudonym Jon Rogers)/Programme Controller
*Horace - Programming Assistant and Outside Broadcast Co-ordinator
*Howard Evans - Cover Presenter,outside broadcast and community development.
*Richard Cave - Saturday Sport
*Patrick Foster - Cover Presenter
*Nigel Harris - Cover Presenter
*Jerry Wright - Overnights(Before automation)
*Bob Mower - Cover Presenter
*Colin Woolven - Sunday Breakfast
*Mike Russell - Cover Presenter
*Johnny Lewis - Breakfast/Drivetime/Evenings
*Kevin Field - Cover Presenter/Marketing Manager/Prize Monkey
*Paul Pearson - Weekend Presenter
*Doc Atherton - Weekend Presenter
*Cheryl Pendry - Head of News
*Pete Liggins - Journalist
*David Allen - Journalist
*Ros Connors - Journalist
*Griselda Caan - Journalist
*Julia Rouse - Journalist

KMFM Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay

106ctfm began broadcasting in 1997 to Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay; KM increased their involvement in the station's day-to-day running in October 2000 with a re-launch and programming re-direction. The station became the fastest growing in the UK in terms of listenership with a 48% increase in listening in Q4 rajar 2000.

In 2001 programme sharing initially began on Saturday nights with Brian Jones presenting his show across TLR and 106ctfm. Also in 2001 the Kent Messenger Group took control of Neptune radio from which time programme sharing began across all three neighbouring East Kent stations (TLR and Neptune Radio).

The station was rebranded to "KMFM" in 2002.

Former Presenters/Staff include:

*Ian St James - Breakfast Presenter
*Kevin Field - Cover and Saturday Evenings/Breakfast Producer/Marketing Manager
*Bob Mower - Drive Presenter
*Nigel Harris - Mid-Mornings
*Jon Maxfield - Presenter/PC (He was on air the day the Twin Towers came down in the US)
*John Humphries - News
*Will Inglis - News
*Ryan Woodman - News/Presenter
*Sarah Saunders - News
*John Holmes - Presenter
*Mat Willcocks - Producer

kmfm for Shepway and White Cliffs Country

96.4 or 106.8fm - or online at kmfm.co.uk/shepway

Like 106ctfm, Neptune Radio began broadcasting on September 29, 1997 from premises on Church Street in Dover to Folkestone and the area termed White Cliffs Country. Initially, a split mid-morning show was broadcast for each town respectively. This had, however, been dropped prior to the kmfm takeover and rebranding at the beginning of 2003, which coincided with a relocation to the KM newspaper offices on Sandgate Road in Folkestone.

Current line-up includes Adam Dowling on breakfast, Richard Adams on daytimes, and Neil Redding on drivetime...

kmfm for Medway

kmfm for Medway launched in September 1997 as Medway FM, broadcasting on 100.4 and 107.9 FM. The station was later purchased by DMG and subsequently re-branded to Medway’s Mercury FM. A year later DMG sold their radio assets to GWR who, in 2002, sold the station to The Kent Messenger Group. The station was re-branded to kmfm for Medway later that year. In 2004, kmfm for Medway was relocated from premises on Rochester High Street to Medway House on Medway City Estate in Strood.

kmfm for West Kent

kmfm for West Kent launched on 8th July 1995 as Kfm, broadcasting on 96.2 and 101.6 FM. The station was later purchased by DMG and subsequently re-branded to Mercury FM in December 1999. A year later DMG sold their radio assets to GWR who, in 2002, sold the station to The Kent Messenger Group. The station was re-branded to kmfm for West Kent later that year.

kmfm for Ashford

kmfm for Ashford launched on 3rd October 2005, broadcasting on 107.6 FM. The license was awarded to an organisation called Lark FM (Local Ashford Radio Kent) in which The Kent Messenger Group had a majority stake.

The original lineup consisted of Scott Phillips and Fia Tarrant at breakfast, Myma Seldon on daytimes and Toby Mackenzie on drivetime. The current lineup consists of Kirstyn Read and John Webster (Webbo) at breakfast, Richard Adams on daytimes and Neil Redding on drivetime. Louis Hurst presents the evening show which is broadcast across the kmfm network from the Ashford studio.

Digital radio

The Kent Messenger Group also operates a separate countywide DAB service on the Now Kent multiplex, also called kmfm.

Current kmfm presenters

Richard Adams, Tony Blackburn, Spencer Cork, Adam Dowling, Vanessa Elms, Neil Faraday, Kevin Field, Chris Finn, Nigel Harris, Louis Hurst, Oli Kemp, Johnny Lewis, Toby Mackenzie, Bob Mower, Ant Payne, Kirstyn Read, Myma Seldon, Benedict Smith, Emma Smith, Neil Taylor, Richard Walters, John Webster, Danny Williams and Rob Wills.

News Service

Initially, each station provided an independent service during peak hours from their respective newsrooms, with an off-peak service from Independent Radio News. Local bulletins have since been superseded by a network bulletin encompassing the county during peak hours; "KMFM"'s off-peak news service is now provided by Sky News Radio.

References

External links

* [http://www.KMFM.co.uk KMFM]
* [http://www.atlantis.fm Atlantis fm]
*http://www.roundsandsounds.co.uk/