| Broadcast area | Oxford |
|---|---|
| Slogan | "You'll Feel Every Song" |
| Frequency | 107.9 MHz and online [5] |
| First air date | 18 August 2010 |
| Format | Contemporary |
| Audience share | 0.5% (August 2011, [6]) |
| Owner | Passion Radio (Oxford) Limited, part of ARI Consultancy (Absolute Radio International Consultancy) |
| Website | http://www.glidefm.co.uk/ |
Glide FM 107.9 is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom on FM, and online. It is aimed at "under 30 professionals" with a "female skew", and is a music-heavy station with only limited speech and seven hours per week of specialist music (fulfilled by a nightly "chillout" show) as required by Ofcom.[1] Glide FM competes with Heart Thames Valley, BBC Oxford and sister station Jack FM Oxfordshire in Oxfordshire.
Previously known under a variety of names (see history), most recently Oxford's FM 107.9, the station launched in its current incarnation on 18 August 2010 following a publicity stunt playing only songs from the TV series Glee.[2]
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The origins of the station lie in a student radio station, Oxygen 107.9 which was acquired in late 2000 by Fusion Radio Holdings, which rebranded the station as Fusion 107.9.[3] Fusion merged with the Milestone Group in 2003[4] and the station was relaunched as Passion 107.9 (and is still legally known as Passion Radio), but was sold to Absolute Radio International [5] in 2006. The station is based at 270 Woodstock Road in north Oxford, formerly the site of Six TV - The Oxford Channel and shared with Jack FM Oxfordshire.
In September 2006, former Big Brother contestant Eugene Sully (who also worked for the Sussex-based station Passion Radio) 'took over' the airwaves and played The Muppets' 'Mahna Mahna' non-stop for six hours until Passion FM managers came round to his way of thinking that better music was played on the station, and to be hired as a chief engineer there. This was supposedly a stunt to highlight the relaunch of the station.[6]
On 16 August 2010 the station became Glee FM, playing only music from the US TV series, Glee.[7] The stunt attracted media attention from across the country and even in America, with stories appearing on Digital Spy,[8] Sky News,[9] The New York Post[10] and even "celebrity blogger" Perez Hilton noting the station's launch.[11] For "legal reasons" the station ceased broadcasting at 5pm on 18 August, relaunching as Glide FM shortly afterwards[12].
In February 2010, the station's owners lodged a request with Ofcom to change the station's format to one for over 45-year-olds.[13] The station argued the "transient" nature of students makes it commercially difficult to market a radio station to an audience that leaves the city each year.[14] Several fans of late night "specialist" shows responded to Ofcom's public consultation as well as local business owners. Ofcom considered this, but the Radio Licensing Committee has rejected this proposal.[15] The station responded by saying that changes it had made meant the format change had become less necessary.[16]
Won while under the branding of FM107.9.