Lochbroom FM

Last updated

Lochbroom FM
Broadcast area Wester Ross
Frequency 96.8 MHz, 102.2 MHz
Programming
Format Community info & mixed music
Ownership
Owner Community owned via Wester Ross Radio Ltd
History
First air date
1995
Last air date
2020
Links
Website www.lochbroomfm.com

Lochbroom FM was a radio station based in Ullapool, Wester Ross in the Highlands of Scotland that broadcast 1995-2020 and which was Britain's smallest radio station.

The station now broadcasts as 'Radio Wester Ross' across the area after a rebrand to unite the broadcast areas of Two Lochs Radio and Lochbroom FM.

A community radio association was formed in 1994. They broadcast in 1995 using a three-month temporary commercial radio licence from a small tin shack with a transmission radius of 20 miles. [1] A further two-month licence let them broadcast in 1996, and then a full eight-year licence came into operation at the end of May 1997. [1]

A purpose-built station was proposed, which was to be funded through a variety of grants. [2] In 1996, it was announced that they had secured £45,000 of lottery funding towards the purchase and fitting out of a new building. [3]

Lochbroom FM launched on 23 May 1997. It broadcast on 96.8 MHz and 102.2 MHz. [4] The studio opened in September 1998. [5]

In 2012, the station started to use neighbouring commercial station Two Lochs Radio as its sustaining service. [6] [7] In 2020, broadcasting regulator Ofcom formally transferred the Lochbroom FM licence to Wester Ross Radio Ltd, the company that also holds the Two Lochs Radio licence. [8]

The station rebranded to Radio Wester Ross on Monday 29th April 2024.

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References

  1. 1 2 Stephinson, Ken (15 September 1997). "Play it again, Hamish". The Independent . Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  2. ↑ "A radio move to the tune of #100,000". The Herald . 6 January 1998. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  3. ↑ Bruce, Keith (29 June 1996). "Theatre gets biggest Scots award as art college head calls for lottery cash to solve funding crisis Curtain rises on £4.3m". The Herald. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  4. ↑ "Analogue Radio Stations > Lochbroom FM". www.ofcom.org.uk. Ofcom . Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  5. ↑ "New LochBroom sweeps in". The Herald. 1 September 1998. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. ↑ "West coast community radio stations join forces". The Scotsman. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. ↑ "Lochbroom FM shares all output with 2LR". Radio Today. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Radio broadcast update March 2020". www.ofcom.org.uk. Ofcom. 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021.

57°53′55″N5°09′37″W / 57.8986°N 5.1603°W / 57.8986; -5.1603

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