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.

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. The studio opened in September 1998. [4]

In 2012, the station started to use neighbouring commercial station Two Lochs Radio as its sustaining service. [5] [6] 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. [7]

It was announced on the 9th of April 2024 that the station would be rebranding to have one united name for programming across both stations. RWR - Radio Wester Ross is to launch as of Monday 29th April 2024, with Two Lochs Radio becoming RWR Gairloch and Lochbroom FM becoming RWR Lochbroom.

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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. "New LochBroom sweeps in". The Herald. 1 September 1998. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. "West coast community radio stations join forces". The Scotsman. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. "Lochbroom FM shares all output with 2LR". Radio Today. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. "Radio broadcast update March 2020". www.ofcom.org.uk. Ofcom. 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.

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