| Broadcast area | Swindon |
|---|---|
| Slogan | "More Music, More News, More You" |
| Frequency | 107.7 MHz FM and online |
| First air date | 2 September 2006 |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Owner | More FM Ltd |
| Website | More Radio online |
More Radio is a radio station which broadcasts on 107.7 MHz FM in Swindon in Wiltshire, England and is owned by More FM Ltd (formally known as One Gold Radio Ltd). Its is located from its Lime Kiln studios in Royal Wootton Bassett, near Swindon which at first originally belonged to former station Wiltshire Radio/GWR (now Heart Wiltshire) and launched in 1982.
For a short while More Radio used to serve the areas of Frome and West Wiltshire on 107.5, and in Bath on 107.9, but by late September 2011 Celador purchased the new licence in Bath, then later by early November 2011 Celador acquired the licence for Warminster, Westbury and Frome areas and rebranded both stations as The Breeze 107.9[1] and The Breeze 107.5[2] respectively.
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More Radio started off as a proposed station called Now FM around in early 2006 after The Local Radio Company applied for a new licence.
In 2005, after the radio group Swindon FM lobbied for a second FM Radio Licence to be granted for Swindon, Ofcom invited applications for the 12-year broadcasting licence for Swindon. The Local Radio Company applied for licence proposing a radio station called Now FM. After being awarded the licence they renamed the station to Brunel FM, after Isambard Kingdom Brunel whose railway network had converted to Swindon from a small village on the top of a hill, to an extremely large town. Brunel Radio was also the previous name for Classic Gold Radio (now DAB station Gold) when Wiltshire Radio /GWR-FM (now Heart Wiltshire) launched on FM. Brunel Radio was on the AM frequency however Brunel FM and Brunel Radio/Brunel Classic Gold have no connection other than name and where their studios are based.
For some weeks before its launch, the station was in test transmissions, allowing listeners a preview of the station launched at 10am on 2 September 2006 to the sound of many people from around the coverage area wishing the station luck.
In June 2008, Brunel FM was sold to Laser Broadcasting along with sister stations Bath FM and 3TR FM. Following the buyout a number of the station's staff resigned, allegedly due to lack of payment.
In October 2008, Brunel FM was sold again to South West Radio Ltd[3], following the collapse of Laser Broadcasting, who went into administration.[4]
In August 2009 South West Radio itself collapsed and was also placed into administration. Brunel FM was then acquired by YMC Ltd, along with Bath FM, 3TR FM, Quay West 107.4 and Quay West 102.4/100.8. YMC Ltd then ran the 5 licensed stations as a group, with local broadcasting throughout the day and some shared or "networked" programming over the weekend. On 24 March 2010, the 5 YMC Ltd stations were closed by administrators after muliple refusals on the part of regulator OFCOM to transfer the the licences, following a number of financial issues at the stations following TLRC's sale.[5]
Brunel FM plus its other sister stations, 3TR FM, Bath FM and the two Quaywest stations were eventually bought by One Gold Radio Ltd. All five stations were rebranded Total Star as part of an agreement with Total Star 107.5 in Gloucestershire which is owned by Storm Radio Ltd.
In May 2011, it was announced that Total Star Swindon (along with "Total Star" sister stations in West Wiltshire & Bath) has been re-branded as More Radio from June 2011. This is due to the owners of the stations, One Gold Radio Ltd (now More FM Ltd) breaking ties with the Cheltenham based Total Star group, Storm Radio Ltd.[6] This coincides with the Bath licence renewal not being taken up by the group. That particular licence was soon awarded to Celador and started broadcasting as The Breeze from September 2011. Celador also purchased the licence for the Warminster/Frome area on 107.5 FM from November 2011 and is re-branded as The Breeze.
Following the relaunch of More Radio, former GWR-FM/Heart/Total Star presenter Howard Taylor has become More Radio's new Programme Manager.