Arrow FM (Hastings)

Arrow FM
Broadcast area Hastings & Bexhill
Slogan Where great music lives
Frequency 107.8 MHz
First air date 10 April 1998
Format Adult Contemporary
ERP 100w
Class omni polarisation
Owner Media Sound Holdings
Sister stations Bright FM, Sovereign FM and Splash FM
Website arrowfm.co.uk

Arrow FM is a United Kingdom radio station, based in Hastings, East Sussex, and operated by Media Sound Holdings Ltd. The station plays a selection of hit songs from the last forty years, and offers regular updates on local news, sport, travel and events. The station also works with a number of local charities and organisations, and can regularly be seen broadcasting from events in their transmission area.

The station serves the towns of Hastings, Bexhill, Battle - plus the many surrounding villages.

History

The history of the station dates back to 1992 when two local radio entrepreneurs, Mark Briggs and Matthew Wheeler, conducted several highly successful pilot broadcasts in Hastings (HLR) using Restricted Service Licences, as well as two in Eastbourne 'ELR' and 'Sovereign' which broadcast from the bridge of the "Earl OF Zetland" a floating restaurant at Sovereign Harbour. A third trial broadcast to Hastings "Splash FM" took place in June 1993; the licence holder was local DJ Terry James and the station manager was Terry Kane.

The group disbanded a year before the Radio Authority advertised a licence for one or more services in East Sussex, leaving well respected local businessman Bill Uttley-Moore CBE to assemble a consortium of local investors and existing radio operators.

His company, Conqueror Broadcasting Ltd, was awarded the licence for Hastings in the summer of 1997. Founder Mark Briggs joined as Managing Director and successfully launched the station on Good Friday, 10 April 1998.

By 2000 the station became part of a larger radio company, Radio Investments Ltd, which also had interests in nearby stations. This group went on to become The Local Radio Company which then sold Arrow FM along with sister station Sovereign FM to Media Sound Holdings in 2009.

In November 2010, Ofcom approved Media Sound Holdings's application to share all programmes across their four stations Arrow FM, Bright FM, Sovereign FM and Splash FM, given that the stations "already share all programming outside of breakfast, so these changes will not substantially alter the character of the service."[1]

Past presenters

Some of the presenters who were with Arrow FM in the early days of launch included Mike Buxton (news and mid-morning), Peter Quinn (Breakfast), Clive Garrard (Breakfast and Clive's Sunday afternoon stroll), Tony Pankhurst (Saturday Sport and Sunday Night Live) now formed Hastings Local Radio, Gavin Lawrence (news and features), Bob James (mornings), Rob Wilson, Leon Jackson (Afternoons).

Chris Copsey's death

On 11 January 2011, breakfast show host Chris Copsey died suddenly. It is believed he collapsed in a Sainsbury's store, just hours after presenting his breakfast show.

Chris (also known as Coppo) had been on the airwaves across Sussex for over 25 years. He was a former presenter for the breakfast show on Southern Sound, soon to become Southern FM.[2]

In 2009, shortly after the Heart brand took over Southern FM, Chris moved to Media Sound Holdings to present the mid-morning show and revive his 'Retro Show' on Sunday afternoons. He moved to do the breakfast show shortly after that. As well as Arrow FM, Chris could also be heard on the other three stations owned by Media Sound Holdings.[3]

Chris leaves behind his wife Yvonne and two children.[4]

Presenters

  • Kevin King (Weekday breakfast, Sunday morning/lunchtime "The Interactive Weekend")
  • Paul Williams (Weekday morning/lunchtime, Saturday morning/lunchtime "The Interactive Weekend")
  • Simon Osborne (Weekday drivetime, Sunday evening "The Late Lounge")
  • Nick Osborne (Weekday evenings)
  • Dave Adams (Saturday breakfast)
  • Dave Phoenix (Saturday afternoon)
  • Rik Scott (Saturday evening "Rik Scott's School Reunion")
  • Anna Bingham (Sunday breakfast)
  • Pete McIntosh (Sunday afternoon "The Rewind")

News team

References

  1. ↑ "More sharing for Sussex stations". 7 December 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2011. Sussex radio stations Splash, Sovereign, Bright and Arrow have been given permission to share all programmes across the stations, Ofcom has announced.
  2. ↑ Daughter of tragic Sussex radio DJ pays tribute to "best dad in the world" The Argus, 13 January 2011
  3. ↑ Chris Copsey comes back for more Radio Today, 4 August 2009
  4. ↑ Tributes paid to Scaynes Hill radio star Mid Sussex Times, 12 January 2011

External links