Lochbroom FM

Last updated

Lochbroom FM
Broadcast area Wester Ross
Frequencies 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 between 1995 to 2020 and which was Britain's smallest radio station.

Contents

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

History

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.

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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