Sovereign FM
| Broadcast area | Eastbourne & Hailsham |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Where great music lives |
| Frequency | 107.5 MHz |
| First air date | 17 November 1997 |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Transmitter coordinates | 50°47′30″N 0°14′25″E / 50.7917°N 0.2404°ECoordinates: 50°47′30″N 0°14′25″E / 50.7917°N 0.2404°E |
| Owner | Media Sound Holdings |
| Sister stations | Arrow FM, Bright FM, Splash FM |
| Website | sovereignfm.com |
Sovereign FM is an Independent Local Radio station serving Eastbourne, Hailsham, Polegate and surrounding areas. It is owned and operated by Media Sound Holdings and broadcasts from studios in Worthing, as part of a network of locally-branded stations across Sussex.
History
Sovereign Radio was founded in 1992 by local radio executives Mark Briggs and Matthew Wheeler, who established RSL trial broadcasts in December 1992 and the summer of 1993. The second RSL was based on board an old ferry from the Shetland Islands called the Earl of Zetland, which was temporarily moored in Sovereign Harbour. Some of the station's original presenters included Gavin Lawrence, Paul Martin, Terry James and Zora Suleman.
The broadcasts were part of a campaign to demonstrate viability to the Radio Authority (a legacy regulator now part of Ofcom) to advertise a full licence. The full licence was eventually awarded in 1994 to a group which included many of the original team. It was later acquired by The Local Radio Company in 2000 and for a year, was once again managed by co-founder Mark Briggs, who also managed neighbouring sister stations Arrow FM in Hastings and Neptune Radio (now KMFM in Dover and Folkestone.
Media Sound Holdings acquired the station from The Local Radio Company in June 2009 along with Hastings-based Arrow FM, with both stations were operating at a loss.[1] The group already owned Splash FM and Bright FM which were acquired in April 2008.[2]
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."[3]
In November 2010, Ofcom approved a request to share programming across all four stations, stating the changes would not substantially alter the character of the service.[4]
Programming
All programming on the station is produced from Media Sound's Worthing studios and shared with Arrow FM, Bright FM and Splash FM with opt-outs for local news and advertising.[5] The network's presenters include Paul Williams (weekday breakfast), Anna Bingham (weekday daytime) and Simon Osborne (weekday drivetime).
Local news airs every hour from 6am to 6pm on weekdays and from 8am to 12pm on Saturdays with headlines on the half hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows.[6] National news bulletins from Sky News Radio are carried hourly at all other times.
References
- ↑ "Disposal of Arrow FM Limited and Sovereign Radio Limited". 29 June 2009. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
- ↑ Bright and Splash to merge Radio Today, 8 April 2008
- ↑ "More sharing for Sussex stations". 7 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
Sussex radio stations Splash, Sovereign, Bright and Arrow have been given permission to share all programmes across the stations, Ofcom has announced.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ Sovereign FM public file
- ↑ Sovereign FM public file