Lantern FM

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Lantern FM

Broadcast area	North Devon and Torridge
Frequency	96.2 MHz (North Devon) 97.3 MHz (Ilfracombe)
First air date	19 October 1992
Format	Contemporary
Audience share	20.3% (September 2007, [1])
Owner	Global Radio
Website	www.lanternfm.co.uk

Lantern FM is an Independent Local Radio station in the North Devon area. .

1 Technical
2 History
3 Presenters
4 External links

[edit] Technical

The station broadcasts from two locations: its main transmitter at Huntshaw Cross on 96.2FM, and a relay station to cover the Ilfracombe area on 97.3FM. Both frequencies broadcast the same output.

[edit] History

It began as Lantern Radio, taking its name from Lantern Hill. Its owners, "Orchard Media", came from Orchard FM in Somerset. GWR Group purchased both stations in 1999, GWR later merged with the Capital Radio Group so now Lantern FM is owned by Global Radio.

Intitially based in the town of Bideford, Lantern is now based in Roundswell Business Park in Barnstaple. The majority of its programming is locally produced; however, networked programming from other stations is also broadcast, particularly at night and at weekends.

Former logo

In November 2005 it was announced that GCap's local radio stations in the South West, including Lantern FM, were to be sold, as they lay outside the company's primary target area. However, no acceptable offer was made for the stations, and the sale has now been abandoned. [2].

[edit] Presenters

Lantern FM's Current presenters include James Chapple, Paul Hopper (Hopps), Susan Gale (Suse), Mike Harwood, Martin King, Rachel Knight.

Previous presenters included: Tim Ley (Atlantic FM), Lee Wardle, Alan Dunn (now at South Hams Radio), Fred Marden (now at BBC Southern Counties Radio and Farnborough College of Technology), Gordon Somerville, Ian Starling (now at Exeter FM & Palm FM), Keith Oliver, John Autton, John Brocks, Guy Fenton, Robbie Ryan, Matt Young (Spanky - now at Gemini FM), Joe Hellier (now at Exeter FM), Ian Brass (now at BBC Radio Devon), Dave Gould (now Pirate FM), Tony Townsend (now Pirate FM) and Johnathan Fido (at 3TR FM).