The Capital Gold radio station started in London in 1988 on Capital Radio's AM frequency, after the Independent Broadcasting Authority had urged stations to end simulcasting (broadcasting the same programmes simultaneously on AM and FM) and threatened to remove one of their frequencies if simulcasting continued. The original DJs on the early incarnation of Capital Gold included Tony Blackburn, Kenny Everett and David Hamilton. The hiring of radio personalities to host networked shows continued to be a feature of the Capital Gold network as it grew.
As required by the forthcoming Broadcasting Act, in 1987 the IBA and the Home Office ruled that all ILR stations were to permanently split their AM and FM frequencies (instead of simulcasting the same service) in order to create new local radio stations and improve choice. In 1986 Capital Radio had experimented with split contemporary formats at weekends, but now responded by launching a "golden oldies" station on its AM frequency, 1548 AM Capital Gold. The station launched on 2 July 1988 as a weekend-only service and went full time on 1 November 1988, while on that date Capital on FM became 95.8 Capital FM, a chart contemporary music station. Both stations received brand-new jingle packages from Muff Murfin and TM Productions in Dallas. These were later followed up by new packages from Californian jingle house Who Did That Music (later Groove Jingles) which went on to become well known and essential parts of its music programming.[citation needed]
Capital Gold featured a strong presenting lineup such as Tony Blackburn, who joined from BBC Radio London and launched the station,[1] "Diddy" David Hamilton, Paul Burnett, Paul Gambaccini and Kenny Everett, who returned to daily broadcasting at Capital Gold, hosting daytime shows on weekdays until 1994, when his deteriorating health meant he was unable to continue. The mid-late 1990s saw Capital Gold rated London's most popular AM radio station and the third-most-popular music station, behind Capital FM and BBC Radio 1.[citation needed]
With Capital Gold proving popular with its London audience, the station management decided to syndicate Tony Blackburn's Sunday soul show and expand its popular 'Sportstime' brand to Birmingham station Xtra AM, which Capital had purchased in 1993 along with BRMB to form Capital Radio Group plc. This was followed in 1994 with the purchase of the Southern Radio Group.[citation needed]
Both Capital Radio plc and GWR Group lobbied the then Radio Authority to allow syndicated programmes to be broadcast on their AM stations. The Radio Authority agreed and it was announced early in 1998 that Capital Gold from London would replace Invicta Supergold; Xtra and South Coast followed on 1 June.
The networking was agreed by the Radio Authority with the stipulation that at least four hours a day of weekday broadcasting were kept and local news, traffic announcements and advertising remained on each station. Listeners to the previous local stations were dismayed that so much local broadcasting was to be eliminated, resulting in the loss of jobs. Capital Radio boss David Mansfield maintained that AM listenership had steadily declined and required a consistent, high-quality programme offering across all stations to remain competitive.
Initially, the four hours were scheduled in the afternoon drivetime slot (3–7p.m.) with a networked breakfast/morning show hosted by comedian Mike Osman (7–11a.m.).[2] This surprised many people in the industry as this sidelined Capital Gold's biggest radio name at the time, Tony Blackburn, who had previously presented the weekday breakfast show to weekends. However, a few months later Blackburn was moved back on the weekday schedule in the afternoon drivetime slot, while local breakfast shows were reintroduced to meet the four-hour requirement. A new jingle package from now-defunct jingle company AJ Productions and a new slogan – "Great Time Music" heralded the major change.
In 1999, Capital Radio plc acquired Red Dragon FM and its medium wave service Touch Radio in South Wales, with the result being that Capital Gold replaced Touch Radio. 1999 saw the station's reach increase yet again: across the UK and Ireland on Sky.
In 2002, new logos and imaging re-launched the Capital Gold Network, with the new slogan, "The Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s", and a further medium wave station in Manchester was added after the former Wireless Group agreed to sell Big 1458 AM's broadcasting licence.
Sport
1988 also saw the launch of live, uninterrupted football coverage with a programme called Capital Gold Sportstime, presented by Jonathan Pearce, who was known for his loud, enthusiastic delivery. Prominent football clubs featured on the show included Arsenal, Spurs, Fulham. West Ham, Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea and Wimbledon.
Digital
In 1999, CE Digital – a consortium made up of Capital Radio plc and Emap Radio – won local DAB digital radio licences for Manchester, Birmingham and London. This was followed by similar wins by Capital Radio plc in Kent, Sussex and Hampshire. Capital Gold actively encouraged listeners to switch to DAB Digital Radio which offered stereo broadcasts for the first time in its history.
In a dispute with station bosses, Tony Blackburn left the station in 2002, having been at the station since Gold's launch in 1988.[3] He hosted weekday drivetime and the Soul Spectrum until being replaced by Greg Edwards. Blackburn would later appear on the Classic Gold Digital Network, leaving when this was combined into Gold.
In 2004, station management decided to stop broadcasting live football coverage under the Capital Gold Sportstime title. Jonathan Pearce had moved to BBC Radio 5 Live,[4] and the fees involved in acquiring live radio coverage rights had become too costly. A replacement sports show, Sports Saturday now covers sports results. A Saturday Football League preview magazine was briefly aired in 2004 but discontinued after a few months.
Programming
Capital Gold played a range of music, from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and added 1990s music and later. The station had a weekly playlist of new material, plus a "Rated And Recommended" list which was chosen by David Jensen. The station played classic hits and almost every song played was by a major artist.
On Saturday morning David Jensen hosted a celebrity and showbiz programme and recent notable guests have included Paul Weller, Jools Holland, Jeremy Irons, Smokey Robinson and Juliette Lewis. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, Greg Edwards hosted a soul show called Soul Spectrum, the name taken from his Capital show in the 1970s. On Sunday mornings from 11:00, a chart rundown show called From the Bottom to the Top featured the top 20 tracks when the featured guest was riding high in the charts.
Merger with Classic Gold
Following the 2004 merger of Capital Radio plc and GWR Group plc to form GCap Media[5] in 2005, a review of station assets was carried out by Chief Executive Ralph Bernard. One of the aims for 2006 was that Capital Gold would be carried on a national digital multiplex – enabling near-nationwide coverage – by the merger between itself and digital-only station Capital Life. However, following GCap's purchase of the Classic Gold network in April 2007, the earlier plan was scrapped, and it was decided to merge the two networks to form the 'Gold Network' (this began at 7p.m. on 3 August 2007).
Compilation CDs
Capital Gold released a CD compilation early in 2001 called Capital Gold Legends, featuring artists such as Blondie, Queen and Tina Turner. This was followed in November 2001 by Capital Gold Legends Vol. 2 and in March 2002 by Volume 3, and in November 2002 by Sixties Legends, Seventies Legends and Eighties Legends.
Related Research Articles
Capital London is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by the Global media company as part of its national Capital FM Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Britain's first two commercial radio stations. Its brief was to entertain, while its opposite number, London Broadcasting (LBC), was licensed to provide news and information. In search of a larger audience in 1974, Capital Radio rapidly moved from a general and entertainment station with drama, features, documentaries and light music to a more successful pop music-based format.
Capital South Coast was a regional radio station owned by operated by Global Radio as part of the Capital radio network. It broadcast to Hampshire from studios in Segensworth, Fareham. In 2019, Capital South Coast was replaced by Capital South following a merger with Capital Brighton.
Heart Kent was a local radio station owned and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart network. It broadcast to Kent from studios at John Wilson Business Park in Whitstable.
Gold is a network of oldies radio stations in the United Kingdom, which was formed by the merger of the Capital Gold network and the Classic Gold network in August 2007. The station relaunched in March 2014 as a partly-automated service, broadcasting in fewer areas, after many of Gold's local AM/DAB frequencies were transferred to Smooth Radio. Most programming is broadcast from the Global Radio's studios in Leicester Square, London.
Solid Gold GEM AM was a United Kingdom radio station, broadcasting to much of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland and East Staffordshire from studios in Nottingham, and later Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
Free Radio Birmingham is an Independent Local Radio station based in Birmingham, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Birmingham and the West Midlands.
GCap Media was a British commercial radio company formed from the merger of the Capital Radio Group and GWR Group. The merger was completed in May 2005. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. On 31 March 2008 the company agreed a takeover by Global Radio for £375 million. This was completed on 6 June 2008, and the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Global Radio.
Trent FM was an Independent Local Radio station which broadcast to Nottinghamshire. The station merged with two other East Midlands stations, Leicester Sound and Ram FM to form Capital FM East Midlands on Monday 3 January 2011.
Gold North Wales and Cheshire was a British Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Wrexham, Chester, Flintshire and some of the Wirral, and was part of the Gold radio network. It is the "sister" station to local FM station, Marcher Sound, launched by Marcher Radio Group in 1989. After a period of sales and takeovers which led to Gold being operated by a separate company to its FM sister station, both are now owned by Global Radio. It is broadcast from Mold Road, Gwersyllt, Wrexham, although most programming comes from London. Gold North Wales and Cheshire was replaced by Smooth Radio in March 2014.
Plymouth Gold was a radio station broadcasting to the city of Plymouth in Devon and surrounding areas. It is owned by GCap Media and was part of the national Classic Gold Digital Network. It broadcasts on 1152 kHz AM, DAB digital radio, as well as online and on Sky Digital Channel 0189. Based at Earl's Acre, Plymouth, its sister station is Heart Plymouth, formerly known as Plymouth Sound until 2009.
Classic Gold 1332 was a British radio station broadcasting to the Peterborough area on 1332 kHz AM and DAB digital radio. It also was available around Cambridge on DAB digital radio. It was part of the Classic Gold Digital Network which was owned by GCap and was the sister station of 102.7 Hereward FM. Its studios were based in the Queensgate Centre, Peterborough.
Classic Gold Digital Network was one of the biggest 'gold' (oldies) formatted radio networks in the United Kingdom, with a potential audience of 47 million. Classic Gold was broadcast on analogue and DAB digital platforms, as well as Sky channel 0189. The first stations were launched in 1988; the network grew to 18 stations and was merged into what became the Gold network in 2007.
Capital Life, also known as Life, was a digital radio station broadcasting across the UK on the Digital One network and streamed online. Capital Life was due to be available on DTV but never launched due to the closure of the station.
Amber Radio was a classic hits/gold radio station operating from studios in both Norwich and Ipswich, in the region of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. It was the AM sister station of Radio Broadland and SGR and served Norfolk and Suffolk, covering a population of over a million.
Midlands Radio plc was an independent radio operator, which operated seven radio licences in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and surrounding areas in the United Kingdom.
Capital is a network of twelve independent contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom, broadcasting a mix of local and networked programming. Ten of the stations are owned and operated by Global Media & Entertainment, while the other two are owned and operated under separate franchise agreements.
Free Radio is a regional group of local radio stations in the West Midlands, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network.
Smooth Wales is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to the Cardiff area of South Wales and to the Wrexham area of North Wales, as well as parts of Cheshire in England. All programming content is now shared to both areas. It is the only AM station in the Smooth radio network to have its own content, a local four-hour weekday show, as all other Smooth AM stations, as added to the network in 2014, carry the London network FM content, opting out only for local news and advertising breaks. The local show on Smooth Wales was carried over from the station's previous incarnation as Gold.
This is a timeline of Capital London, from its initial period as an Independent Local Radio station for Greater London to the present day CHR network serving most of the UK.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
