Radio Broadland
Encyclopedia
Heart Norwich was an Independent Local Radio
station for Norfolk
and North Suffolk
, including Norwich
, Great Yarmouth
and Lowestoft
, until early 2009. The station, latterly part of the national Heart Network
, was owned and operated by Global Radio
.
A number of people with solid radio experience were brought in to start the station. Russell Stuart arrived from Gwent Broadcasting in Newport as MD, Mike Stewart from Radio West in Bristol as programme controller and Robb Young moved from Radio Orwell in Ipswich as sales manager.
Stewart put together the first team of presenters. Nick Risby joined from Red Rose Radio
in Preston, Tony Gillham came from Chiltern and BBC Bedfordshire, Dave Brown from Radio Tees
, Rob Chandler from Radio Orwell and Adrian Finighan from Radio Gwent. Rob Chandler remains after more than 20 years as breakfast presenter. Bob Harris
presented on the station for a time while living in Norfolk.
For the first two years, Radio Broadland went off air at 10pm and started at 6am next morning. The station simulcast on 97.6FM and 1152AM for three years but in 1987, due to national changes in local radio frequencies, moved to 102.4FM. Broadland at the end of the 80s, was achieving a 50% audience reach and weekly listening of up to 17 hours, some of the best in the UK.
In 1990, Broadland took over Suffolk Group Radio
which owned Radio Orwell in Ipswich and Saxon Radio in Bury St Edmunds. The two Suffolk stations were re-named SGR and to reflect the addition of these new stations, the group became East Anglian Radio Group.
Initially, Radio Broadland played both classic hit music and current chart hits, but in 1995 the decision was made by the East Anglian Radio Group to make better use of the AM slot. Amber Radio
was created in Norfolk
and Suffolk
, playing 60's and 70's music whilst Broadland 102 focused more on current and recent chart hits. The EAR group continued to be run by the original Broadland management team.
In 1996, the GWR Group bid for the entire East Anglian Radio Group, whih resulted in changes to the station such as networked programming and a new strapline of "Today's Better Music Mix". The original management remained in different roles with GCap but had all left by 2003. Mike Stewart and Russell Stuart were part of a new company, Norwich Radio Group which narrowly failed to win a new ILR licence advertised in 2005 for Norwich.
In 2007, the station reverted back to Radio Broadland, adapting 'More Music Variety' to reflect an emphasis on classic hits in place of chart material. Also that year, as with all of GCap's One Network, the station gained a new logo and website.
An offer of £375 million for the GCap group from Global Radio
, owner of Heart
and LBC
in London and Galaxy station, was accepted in 2008. All GCap's senior management departed on completion of the takeover.
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
station for Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and North Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, including Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, until early 2009. The station, latterly part of the national Heart Network
Heart Network
Heart is a radio network of 17 adult contemporary independent local radio stations in central & southern England and north Wales. Each station broadcasts local breakfast and drive time shows and simulcasts network programming at all other times...
, was owned and operated by Global Radio
Global Radio
Global Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
.
Station history
On 1 October 1984, a new independent local radio station called "Radio Broadland" was launched by a Norfolk-based group with experience in local business, newspapers and television, but little in radio.A number of people with solid radio experience were brought in to start the station. Russell Stuart arrived from Gwent Broadcasting in Newport as MD, Mike Stewart from Radio West in Bristol as programme controller and Robb Young moved from Radio Orwell in Ipswich as sales manager.
Stewart put together the first team of presenters. Nick Risby joined from Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Radio is the former name of two radio stations in Lancashire, England. Both are owned by the same company, although they now have different names:* 97.4 Rock FM, "contemporary" format, station has also been named Red Rose Rock FM...
in Preston, Tony Gillham came from Chiltern and BBC Bedfordshire, Dave Brown from Radio Tees
Radio Tees
Radio Tees was the original name of TFM Radio, the Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in North East England, serving Teesside and parts of County Durham and North Yorkshire....
, Rob Chandler from Radio Orwell and Adrian Finighan from Radio Gwent. Rob Chandler remains after more than 20 years as breakfast presenter. Bob Harris
Bob Harris (radio)
Robert Brinley Joseph "Bob" Harris, OBE , known as "Whispering" Bob Harris, is British radio host who currently works for BBC Radio 2, presenting music two nights a week...
presented on the station for a time while living in Norfolk.
For the first two years, Radio Broadland went off air at 10pm and started at 6am next morning. The station simulcast on 97.6FM and 1152AM for three years but in 1987, due to national changes in local radio frequencies, moved to 102.4FM. Broadland at the end of the 80s, was achieving a 50% audience reach and weekly listening of up to 17 hours, some of the best in the UK.
In 1990, Broadland took over Suffolk Group Radio
Suffolk Group Radio
Suffolk Group Radio was the parent company for two Independent Local Radio stations serving the county of Suffolk in England.-The Stations:Radio Orwell began transmissions in Ipswich on 28 October 1975. It was one of the original group of ILR stations set up by the Independent Broadcasting...
which owned Radio Orwell in Ipswich and Saxon Radio in Bury St Edmunds. The two Suffolk stations were re-named SGR and to reflect the addition of these new stations, the group became East Anglian Radio Group.
Initially, Radio Broadland played both classic hit music and current chart hits, but in 1995 the decision was made by the East Anglian Radio Group to make better use of the AM slot. Amber Radio
Amber Radio
Amber Radio was a golden oldies radio station operating from Norwich, part of East Anglia in the United Kingdom.It was the AM sister station of SGR and Radio Broadland and served Norfolk and north Suffolk and Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds.-History:...
was created in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, playing 60's and 70's music whilst Broadland 102 focused more on current and recent chart hits. The EAR group continued to be run by the original Broadland management team.
In 1996, the GWR Group bid for the entire East Anglian Radio Group, whih resulted in changes to the station such as networked programming and a new strapline of "Today's Better Music Mix". The original management remained in different roles with GCap but had all left by 2003. Mike Stewart and Russell Stuart were part of a new company, Norwich Radio Group which narrowly failed to win a new ILR licence advertised in 2005 for Norwich.
In 2007, the station reverted back to Radio Broadland, adapting 'More Music Variety' to reflect an emphasis on classic hits in place of chart material. Also that year, as with all of GCap's One Network, the station gained a new logo and website.
An offer of £375 million for the GCap group from Global Radio
Global Radio
Global Radio UK Ltd. is a British commercial radio company, the largest in the country following acquisitions of Chrysalis Radio and GCap Media.The company's Chief Executive Officer is Stephen Miron, while the Group Chairman is Charles Allen...
, owner of Heart
Heart 106.2
Heart 106.2 is an Independent Local Radio station based in London and is owned by Global Radio as part of the Heart Network.On 25 June 2007 it was announced that Heart along with its sister stations The Arrow, Sky News Radio, LBC and Galaxy were to be sold for £170 million to Global Radio from...
and LBC
LBC 97.3
LBC 97.3 is a London-based talk and phone-in radio station. It is one half of the latest incarnation of LBC, the news and speech service which was Britain's first commercial radio station when it went on air in October 1973...
in London and Galaxy station, was accepted in 2008. All GCap's senior management departed on completion of the takeover.