 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(November 2017) |
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | East Devon, Exeter and Torbay |
| Frequencies | 97.0/96.4/103 FM and 666/954 AM |
| History | |
First air date | 7 November 1980 |
Last air date | 31 December 1994 |
DevonAir Radio was the Independent Local Radio station serving East Devon, Exeter and Torbay. [1]
On 27 March 1978, the Independent Broadcasting Authority invited applicants for the licence to serve the Exeter and Torbay area. Three applicants came forward – Bay City Radio in Exeter, Radio Haldon Limited in Torquay and Riviera Radio in Paignton. The IBA awarded the licence to Radio Haldon Limited on 16 June 1979. [2] The licensee name was changed to DevonAir Radio Limited on 4 October 1979. [3]
On 7 November 1980, DevonAir began broadcasting to Exeter and mid-Devon from its studios at St Davids Hill in the city. [4] The first presenter on air was Bob Kingsley, who opened the station with its first song Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles. On 12 December 1980, the station opened new studios above a former ballroom and nightclub at Harbour Point in Torquay. DevonAir became the first twin radio station in the UK, hence the on air branding of Double DevonAir. [5]
In 1987, the station was acquired by London-based Capital Radio. In 1989, the Home Office granted permission for broadcasting on a new relay transmitter at Stockland Hill, allowing DevonAir's signal to be heard in East Devon, West Dorset and South Somerset. The relay broadcast on 103 FM from 4 July 1989, under the name of South West 103. [6]
In 1991, the Bristol-based GWR Group bought a stake in DevonAir meaning it was now part-owned by two large radio groups. The station was relaunched on 9 November 1992 as the New DevonAir FM with the slogan "Devon's Better Music Station" – a change which coincided with the departure of several presenters as a result of a change in format.
DevonAir's broadcast licence went up for renewal in 1993 with two further groups bidding to take over – Gemini Radio (owned by Somerset-based Orchard Media) and Wild West Radio. The Radio Authority requested more time to make a decision on the licence award – Wild West Radio was ruled out of the final shortlist before on 8 October 1993, the authority announced that Gemini would takeover DevonAir's licence from 1 January 1995. The winning franchise had proposed to broadcast two separate services on the FM and medium wave frequencies while DevonAir proposed to continue with a sole service, claiming it had maintained a listenership of around 80,000 listeners because of simultaneous broadcasting.
The station ended broadcasting at 1pm on 31 December 1994 following an hour-long retrospective programme presented by Paul Saunders. The last song played on DevonAir was The Sun Ain't Going to Shine Anymore by The Walker Brothers. Up until midnight on 1 January 1995, the station aired pre-recorded music leading up to the handover of Gemini FM. [7] [ failed verification ]
DevonAir's successor Gemini FM (later rebranded as Heart Exeter and Heart Torbay) continued to broadcast until 27 August 2010, when it was merged with four Heart Network stations in north & south Devon and the South Hams to form a single county-wide Heart station, broadcasting from Exeter and London.
On 1 March 2024 East Devon Radio changed its name to DevonAir Radio and the heritage name returned to the airwaves after co-founder and station manager, Andy Green secured the “DevonAir Radio” brand. [8]
DevonAir Radio presenters included: Bob Kingsley, Paul Owens, Travis Baxter, John Pierce, Ian Waugh, John Reynolds, John Brocks, Gordon Sommerville, Tim Arnold, Mike Powell, Glen Richards, David Lowe, Stephen Ayres, James Lee, David FitzGerald, Kevin Kane & Keri Jones.
Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of the county of Devon in England. It is 28 miles (45 km) from the county town of Exeter. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 5,626, increasing to 5,761 at the 2011 census. The town contains two electoral wards whose combined population is 7,110. The market is still held every Thursday.
BBC Radio Devon is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Devon.
Heart Berkshire was an Independent Local Radio station, serving Berkshire and North Hampshire from studios in Reading.
Ten-17 was an Independent Local Radio station, broadcast from studios at the Latton Bush Centre in Harlow. The station launched in May 1993 and served Harlow, East Herts and West Essex until its closure on 25 July 2010.
Heart Plymouth was an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Plymouth in Devon, England.
Heart North Devon was an Independent Local Radio station in North Devon.
Heart South Devon was an Independent Local Radio station serving the South Hams area of Devon, England. The station began broadcasting on 1 December 1999 and until its closure, was run as a joint venture between UKRD Group and Global Radio from studios at South Hams Business Park at Churchstow, Kingsbridge.
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 studios in Leicester Square, London.
Greatest Hits Radio Somerset (Yeovil) is an Independent Local Radio station serving Yeovil, South Somerset and West Dorset in England.
The Beacon Hill transmitting station is an English telecommunications facility located at Beacon Hill, Marldon, Devon. It includes a guyed mast and a free-standing lattice tower, both of which support various antennas.
Heart is a network of thirteen independent adult contemporary radio stations in the United Kingdom, broadcasting a mix of local and networked programming. Ten of the stations are owned and operated by Global, while the other three are owned and operated under separate franchise agreements. The national version of the network is widely available on Global Player, Freeview, Sky, Freesat, Virgin Media and Digital One DAB.
The Breeze (South Devon) was an Independent Local Radio station serving South Devon, England.
Heart Exeter and Torbay were part of the Heart Network of commercial local radio stations operated by Global Radio in the United Kingdom. The stations were launched on 23 March 2009, and replaced Gemini FM, which was the previous commercial radio station for the Exeter and Torbay areas in Devon.
Radio Exe is an Independent Local Radio station based in Exeter, Devon, England.
This is a list of events in British radio during 1994.
DevonAir Radio is a community radio station, based in Exmouth, Devon, United Kingdom.
Heart South West was a regional radio station owned and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart network. It broadcast to Devon and Cornwall from studios in Exeter.
The Voice is a local radio station serving North Devon, and based at studios in Barnstaple.
A timeline of notable events relating to Heart, a 22-strong network of hot adult contemporary commercial radio stations operated by Global.
Heart West is a regional radio station owned and operated by Global as part of the Heart network. It broadcasts in South West England and South Wales from studios in Bristol.
