Wessex FM facts for kids
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| Broadcast area | Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport & North Dorset |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.0, 97.2 MHz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| History | |
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First air date
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3 September 1993 |
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Last air date
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31 August 2020 |
Wessex FM was a local radio station that broadcast to areas like Weymouth, Dorchester, and Bridport in Dorset, England. Its main studios were in Dorchester.
The station played music and news on two different frequencies. In Weymouth and Dorchester, you could find it on 97.2 MHz. In Bridport, it was on 96.0 MHz.
Contents
History of Wessex FM
How Wessex FM Started
For a while, some local radio fans really wanted a new radio station in Dorset. A group called the Radio Authority, which oversees radio stations, announced in 1992 that they were looking for someone to start one. In 1993, they chose a group called 'Regent Radio'.
Regent Radio was made up of local business people. These included Peter Bolton, who worked with properties, Michael Ridley, who owned a local museum, and Tom Singh, who started the New Look clothing store. They also had support from other radio companies.
Stephen Oates became the first boss of Wessex FM in February 1993. He had experience starting other radio stations before.
Stephen found a good spot for the studios in Trinity Street in Dorchester. It took about two months to build the studios in the summer of 1993. The station used a big antenna on Bincombe Hill to send out its signal.
The name "Wessex FM" was chosen, and its first slogan was "Pure Dorset Radio."
A new team was hired to run the station. Roger Kennedy was in charge of the shows, Jane Soole led the news team, and Derek Bateman managed sales. The main people on air included Iain Meadows for breakfast, Roger Kennedy in the mornings, Maria Ferguson in the afternoons, and Stuart McGinley in the evenings.
Wessex FM started broadcasting on 97.2 FM at 10 AM on September 4, 1993. Famous people like Tony Blackburn and Lionel Blair were there for the launch. On its first day, the station also broadcast live from the Dorchester County Show.
Wessex FM's Final Years
Before Wessex FM closed on August 31, 2020, about 42% of people in its area listened to it.
What Wessex FM Played
All of Wessex FM's shows were made and broadcast from its studios in Dorchester. Shows with presenters were on from 6 AM to midnight on weekdays. On Saturdays, they were on from 6 AM to 6 PM, and on Sundays, from 8 AM to 4 PM. When there wasn't a live presenter, the music and other content played automatically.
Wessex FM Closes Down
In 2019, a company called Bauer Media bought Wessex FM and several other radio stations. On May 27, 2020, it was announced that Wessex FM would change its name to Greatest Hits Radio in early September 2020.
Before the change, the station slowly started playing more music from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. The jingles (short songs or sounds that play between songs) also changed to say "greatest hits." Wessex FM officially became Greatest Hits Radio at 6:00 AM on September 1, 2020.
