Phoenix FM
Encyclopedia
Phoenix FM is a community radio
station serving the areas of Brentwood
and Billericay
, England
. It was formed in 1996 and has broadcast twelve 28-day restricted service licence broadcasts on FM
. The station's presenters include local snooker
hero Steve Davis
, Boxer Rebellion
drummer Piers Hewitt, and former Carter USM
guitarist
/songwriter
Les "Fruitbat" Carter. Phoenix FM was also the first community radio station in the UK to provide a streaming internet
service, in 2001.
On 16 February 2006 Ofcom
announced that Phoenix FM, after ten years of campaigning, had been awarded a full-time Community Radio licence. On Saturday 4 March 2006 the station started podcasting for the first time, with Brentwood's Only Alternative publishing the first show using this method.
Phoenix FM moved its base of operations to the Baytree Centre in early 2007 and started broadcasting full time on 98.0 FM at 7pm on Friday 23 March 2007.
The station's broadcasts have provided a valuable platform for local bands
looking to gain airtime. Inme
, who were then known under the name of Drowned, were one band whose first radio play and interview
s were on the station. The station's Creative Sessions have given studio recording time to unknown and young local bands.
The station includes local MP Eric Pickles
among its presenters. Pickles has been described as "the Euro-friendly MP for Brentwood and Ongar and occasional star of a chat'n'music programme on local station Phoenix FM"
Community radio in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, Community Radio refers to a system of licensing small, micro-local, non-profit radio stations, which started in 2002. In its early days, the pilot scheme was known as Access Radio.-History:...
station serving the areas of Brentwood
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
and Billericay
Billericay
Billericay is a town and civil parish in the Basildon borough of Essex, England. It lies within the London Basin, has a population of 40,000, and constitutes a commuter town east of central London. The town has three secondary schools and a variety of open spaces...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was formed in 1996 and has broadcast twelve 28-day restricted service licence broadcasts on FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
. The station's presenters include local snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
hero Steve Davis
Steve Davis
Steve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
, Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion (band)
The Boxer Rebellion is an international indie band formed in London, United Kingdom around 2001, consisting of Tennessee-native Nathan Nicholson , Australian Todd Howe , and Englishmen Adam Harrison , and Piers Hewitt...
drummer Piers Hewitt, and former Carter USM
Carter USM
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine is a British indie rock band formed in 1988 by singer Jim "Jim Bob" Morrison and guitarist Les "Fruitbat" Carter. They made their name with a distinctive style of power pop, fusing samples, sequenced basses and drum machines with rock 'n' roll guitars and...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
/songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Les "Fruitbat" Carter. Phoenix FM was also the first community radio station in the UK to provide a streaming internet
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
service, in 2001.
On 16 February 2006 Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
announced that Phoenix FM, after ten years of campaigning, had been awarded a full-time Community Radio licence. On Saturday 4 March 2006 the station started podcasting for the first time, with Brentwood's Only Alternative publishing the first show using this method.
Phoenix FM moved its base of operations to the Baytree Centre in early 2007 and started broadcasting full time on 98.0 FM at 7pm on Friday 23 March 2007.
The station's broadcasts have provided a valuable platform for local bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
looking to gain airtime. Inme
InMe
InMe are an English alternative metal band from Brentwood, Essex, who were formed in 1996. To date they have released four studio albums – Overgrown Eden ; White Butterfly ; Daydream Anonymous and Herald Moth and a greatest hits compilation album, Phoenix: The Very Best of InMe...
, who were then known under the name of Drowned, were one band whose first radio play and interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
s were on the station. The station's Creative Sessions have given studio recording time to unknown and young local bands.
The station includes local MP Eric Pickles
Eric Pickles
Eric Jack Pickles is a British Conservative Party politician. Pickles was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government of the coalition government headed by Prime Minister David Cameron on 12 May 2010....
among its presenters. Pickles has been described as "the Euro-friendly MP for Brentwood and Ongar and occasional star of a chat'n'music programme on local station Phoenix FM"