Essex FM

Infobox Radio station
name = Essex FM


area = Essex
airdate = 12 September 1981
format = Contemporary
frequency = 96.3 MHz, 102.6 MHz, 97.5 MHz
share = 14.2%
share as of = March 2008
share source = [http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php]
owner = GCap Media
website = [http://www.essexfm.co.uk/ www.essexfm.co.uk]

Essex FM is a British commercial radio station. It was originally launched as Essex Radio on September 12,1981, broadcasting from studios in Southend-on-Sea and since 2004 from Chelmsford, both in Essex. It is known throughout the area for its informative and up-to-date content of music and chat. The Essex Radio Group owned and launched several nearby stations, including Ten-17 FM in Harlow in 1993, oldies station Breeze (now Classic Gold Essex) in July 1989, and dance station Vibe FM (now renamed Kiss 105-108) in 1997. Essex FM became part of the GWR Group (now Global Radio) in October 2000 from the Daily Mail and General Trust (who bought the Essex Radio Group in 1998). Essex Radio was relaunched as Essex FM in January 1994.

Programme controller Craig Denyer introduced the highly-successful 'Greatest Memories Latest Hits' format in the late eighties. The format was launched on April Fool's day when a number of presenters supposedly went on strike because of their objection to the station's format. Station identification was provided by Airforce (Radio Commercials & Music Production). They were also responsible for the earlier 'Together we can Make it' package.

Essex FM's Creative Team (founded in 1987) helped the station to win numerous awards for radio advertising and soundtracks, including Creative Circle Honours, Independent Radio Advertising Awards and a bronze award in the Sony Awards for 'Now in 1939' a contemporary musical documentary to commemorate World War 2. Commercial producers included John Calvert, Carolyn Rogers, Lisa Rutherford, Scott Young, Chris Slack & Pete Sipple.

Famous presenters on Essex Radio in the 1980s and 1990s included Graham Bannerman, Jon Scragg, Tim Lloyd (Timbo), Keith Rogers, Dave Gregory, John Leech, Peter Holmes, Dave Gilbee, Terry Davis, Paul Lee, Lindsay King, Andy Anderson, Caesar the Boogeyman and many others.

On October 27, 2004, the station moved from Southend-on-Sea to Chelmsford. The 102.6FM signal comes from Baker's Wood to the west of Chelmsford, 96.3FM comes from Benfleet, and 97.5FM comes from Maitland House in central Southend-on-Sea.

Martin Day is the station's most well-known and longest-serving presenter (since 1994), who since July 1996 has presented the station's 5am to 10am breakfast show. He can also be heard on Sunday's "The Best 80s Show In The World Ever!" between 10am and 12pm. Martin began his broadcasting career on LWR thanks to his friend Simon Lee. Since then he has been arrested as a pirate DJ on Radio Jackie and had stints at Chiltern Radio and on KIMN in Ft Collins, Northern Colorado. Martin was regularly the subject of national attention in 1998 after a BBC1 weekly series called "Lakesiders" (looking at life in and around the shopping centre), partially focussed on life for Martin at Essex FM and away from the microphone.

As well as Martin Day, the station's presenters include Su Harrison (breakfast sidekick and Saturday breakfast co-presenter), Chris Skinner (weekday afternoons from 1300-1600), Angela Johnson (AJ) (Big Drive Home anchor), Dominic Atkins (weekday travel man and Saturday breakfast co-host), Alex Williamson (Morning Crew apprentice) and Tim Murphy (regular stand-in).

In April 2007, drivetime presenter James Bassam left Essex FM after 12 years to join Capital Radio in London to do the Early Breakfast. His farewell show was broadcast live from Chicago Rock Cafe in Chelmsford with the entire on-air team joining him to send him off. James was best known for getting a public on-air ticking off from Victoria Beckham in 1999 for insulting her husband David's new haircut and its implications for his business deal with Brylcreem. Victoria happened to be listening that Sunday morning and called James to vent her fury at the presenter.

For many years, Essex FM was the only One Network station which retained most of its local output, opting out of big shows like "Late Night Love" and "The Jeremy Kyle Show". They also broadcast their own radio jingles - made by "Reelworld Productions" in New York, and were very similar to those of Hallam FM. However, in June 2008 the station fell into line with the rest of the network, dropping most of its non-peaktime locally produced programming, including the weekday 10am-1pm slot. Presenters dropped included Jay-Louise Knight, Pete Chapman and Harvey Lee. The popular "Club Essex" show with DJs Mark Elliott and Paul "Kitch" Kitchener was also dropped, after featuring on the station since March 1997, making it one of the longest continuously running dance music shows on UK radio. The station also changed its music style and introduced a format that was more like London station Heart FM and dropped all of its sung jingles except those on the breakfast show. The station's strapline was changed to "More Music Variety".

In September 2008 it was reported that Essex FM, along with 28 other stations across England and Wales, will be re-branded as Heart by 2010.

External links

* [http://www.essexfm.co.uk/ Essex FM]
* [http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/essexradio.html Essex Radio Remembered]
* [http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKEssex.htm History of local radio in Essex]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/bakers-wood-chelmsford.php Bakers Wood transmitter]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/benfleet.php Benfleet transmitter]
* [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/maitland-house.php Maitland House transmitter]
* [http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/radioessex.html Radio stations in Essex]
* [http://www.airforce.co.uk Airforce]