KMFM West Kent

Last updated

KMFM West Kent
Broadcast areaWest Kent
Frequency FM: 96.2 MHz (Royal Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge)
101.6 MHz (Sevenoaks)
RDS KMFM
Programming
Format Contemporary hit radio
Network KMFM
Ownership
Owner KM Group
History
First air date
8 July 1995
Former names
KFM
(1995–2000)
Mercury FM
(2000–2002)
Links
Website www.kmfm.co.uk

KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Royal Tunbridge Wells plus the surrounding areas of the South East of England. It is the West Kent region of the KMFM radio network (owned by the KM Group), containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

Contents

History

KMFM West Kent launched on 8 July 1995 as KFM, broadcasting on 96.2 and 101.6 FM and owned by Kent and Sussex Radio. As well as West Kent, the station also included parts of East Sussex, such as Crowborough, in its broadcast area. The station was later purchased by DMG Radio [1] and subsequently re-branded to Mercury FM in December 1999. A year later DMG sold their radio assets to GWR who, in 2002, sold the station to the KM Group following a readvertising of the licence. [2] The station was re-branded to KMFM West Kent in September that year. [3]

The station moved its studios and presenters, along with those of KMFM Maidstone, to the KMFM Medway studios in 2008, following Ofcom approval. [4] The sales team are still based at the KM office in Tonbridge.

The KM Group were awarded a four-year extension of the licence, to 7 July 2015, in March 2010. [5]

Like the rest of the KMFM network. the station was relaunched in September 2010 with new jingles, schedule changes and more emphasis on music.

The KMFM network switched to a contemporary hit radio format in 2012 following the merging of KMFM Extra with KMFM. The music now focuses mainly on Top 40 hits, and contains a lot more dance and R&B than before.[ citation needed ]

Programming

All programming across the KMFM network is now shared across all seven stations following OFCOM approval in February 2012. [6] The local breakfast show, by then the only local show on the station, was replaced by a county-wide show on 12 March 2012.

Until 2007 KMFM West Kent produced its own programmes during daytimes, before it joined up with KMFM Maidstone to network all programmes other than breakfast. The stations joined with KMFM Medway to create a West Kent network in April 2009, [7] before all programmes apart from weekday/Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons were networked across all KMFM stations in September 2009. [8] In July 2010, Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons became networked.

The breakfast show for Maidstone was merged with that of West Kent in January 2011. [9]

News bulletins come from the KMFM News Centre in the Medway studios. National news bulletins come from Sky News Radio at times. Traffic and travel updates are broadcast.

Presenters

Former presenters

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent</span> County of England

Kent is a county in the South East England region, the closest county to continental Europe. It borders Essex across the entire estuary of the River Thames to the north; the French department of Pas-de-Calais across the Strait of Dover to the south-east; East Sussex to the south-west; Surrey to the west and Greater London to the north-west. The county town is Maidstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paddock Wood</span> Town and civil parish in Kent, England

Paddock Wood is a town and civil parish in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England, about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Maidstone. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 8,263, falling marginally to 8,253 at the 2011 Census. Paddock Wood is a centre for hop growing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonbridge and Malling</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

Tonbridge and Malling is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. The council is based at Kings Hill. The borough also includes the towns of Tonbridge and Snodland along with numerous villages including Aylesford, West Malling and surrounding rural areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Tunbridge Wells</span> Borough and non-metropolitan district in England

The Borough of Tunbridge Wells is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The borough also contains the towns of Paddock Wood and Southborough, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Large parts of the borough fall within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart Kent</span> Radio station in Whitstable

Heart Kent was an Independent 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">More Radio Eastbourne</span> Radio station

More Radio Eastbourne, formerly Sovereign FM, is an Independent Local Radio station serving Eastbourne, Hailsham, Polegate and surrounding areas. It is owned and operated by Total Sense Media and broadcasts from studios in Burgess Hill, as part of a network of stations across Sussex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM (radio network)</span> English radio station

KMFM is a network of radio stations that was formed from the merger of seven Independent Local Radio stations and one digital station owned by the KM Group, broadcasting to the county of Kent in the United Kingdom. Whilst the station broadcasts as one countywide station, it is officially eight separate licenses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart (radio network)</span> British radio network

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.

Transportation needs within the county of Kent in South East England has been served by both historical and current transport systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KM Media Group</span> English multimedia company

KM Media Group is a multimedia company in the county of Kent, England which originated as the publisher of the Kent Messenger. The Group now produces local newspapers, radio stations, TV and websites throughout the county. Iliffe Media acquired KM Media Group in April 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Maidstone</span> Radio station

KMFM Maidstone is an Independent Local Radio serving the town of Maidstone and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the Maidstone region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Canterbury</span> Radio station

KMFM Canterbury is an Independent Local Radio serving the City of Canterbury and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the Canterbury region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Ashford</span> Radio station

KMFM Ashford is an Independent Local Radio serving the Borough of Ashford and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the Ashford region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country</span> Radio station

KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country is an Independent Local Radio station serving the districts of Dover and Folkestone and Hythe and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the South Kent region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Thanet</span> Radio station

KMFM Thanet is an Independent Local Radio serving the Isle of Thanet and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the Thanet region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Medway</span> Radio station in Strood

KMFM Medway is an Independent Local Radio serving the Medway Towns and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is the Medway region of the KMFM radio network, containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KMFM Extra</span> Radio station

KMFM Extra was a DAB radio station based in Rochester and broadcasting to the county of Kent, South East England. It was part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.

This is a list of radio stations that broadcast on FM frequency 101.6 MHz:

This is a timeline of the development of independent radio in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart South</span> British radio station

Heart South is a regional radio station owned and operated by Global as part of the Heart network. It broadcasts to the south and south east of England from studios in Fareham, Hampshire.

References

  1. ↑ Cross Media Public Interest Test For Tunbridge/Tonbridge Wells/Sevenoaks Radio Licence
  2. ↑ Radio Authority re-advertises local licence for Tunbridge Wells/Sevenoaks
  3. ↑ "KMG stations re-named". Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  4. ↑ Maidstone's KMFM leaves town Archived 17 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Radio Broadcast Update March 2010
  6. ↑ KMFM Group can have one breakfast show
  7. ↑ "Agreed Change of Format: KMFM West Kent and Maidstone (Page 2)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  8. ↑ KMFM to share more programming
  9. ↑ KMFM merge two breakfasts Archived 16 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine

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.