SkylineFM

Skyline FM is one of the "third tier" of UK radio stations licenced by Ofcom, which launched in January 2006. The station broadcasts on 102.5FM from studios based in Hedge End, Hampshire, to primarily the villages of Hedge End, West End, and Botley, although it can be received in other parts of the Borough of Eastleigh.

The station plays a wide range of music, along with regular items of interest to the local community, focusing on groups such as amateur dramatic societies, choirs, senior citizens clubs and scout groups, which are considered too small to be given much airtime by larger radio stations in the area. Skyline is run almost entirely by volunteers, and although many of them have broadcasting experience from Hospital or University radio, for many this is their first time on the radio, with training given by the station.

The name Skyline dates back to a London pirate station from the 1980s, also run by David Algate, licencee of the community station. There was also an RSL in Southampton in 1994 called Skyline FM, probably most noted for it's closure ahead of the publicised date due to the presentation team withdrawing their services and equipment when it was discovered that some of the licences had not been paid for by the licencee. The community station has had a difficult time compared to some community stations, with owner and licencee David Algate attempting to sell the station in 2007 due to the ongoing costs of the station not being met by advertising or external funding. [http://http://www.mediauk.com/discussions/viewtopic.muk?t=45294 Media UK discussion board] This attempt was unsuccessful, but did provoke a fair deal of discussion as to whether or not it was legal to sell a community station on various internet forums relating to the media. The station was also threatened with legal action by a member of staff who had been hired to act as programme controller, and in doing so caused the departure of many volunteers who had been with Skyline from the start. This was due to the programme controller not receiving the payment he had been promised, something that was publicised on the website they were using at the time, www.skylinefm.com. More recently, Skyline featured in the Ofcom [http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/obb107/ Broadcast Bulletin 107 ] due to one of their presenters causing a listener to complain to the regulatory authority about the content of his broadcast. No investigation into the complaint could take place as the radio station had failed to maintain a system to record it's output and retain the recordings, which in itself is a matter treated very seriously indeed. Indeed, almost half way into Skyline's five year licence, there are still many hours of unfilled time when they play back to back music, which to some would suggest a lack of interest in the station.

Skyline FM is the new brand name for Skyline Community Radio.

Although there have been several staff changes Skyline Community Radio continues to be very unique in southern Hampshire.