ContactEssex Radio
"This. Is Essex..."
Essex Radio
Essex Radio
A station that is actually older than most people think, Essex Radio commenced broadcasting to Southend as far back as 12th September 1981.
Broadcasts to Chelmsford started later on 10th December of the same year. It started by simulcasting on FM 95.3 & AM 1431 (210meters) for Chelmsford and FM 96.4 & AM 1359 (220meters) for Southend. By the mid 1980s, a national decision was made to divide the band into different sectors, BBC & Commercial - as a result, Chelmsford's 95.3 became 96.3 and Southend's 96.4FM became 102.6 where the FM services remain to this day. Southend itself now has a transmitter for Essex FM on 97.5FM.
Along with other commercial radio stations, a split in broadcasting came and the AM service became Breeze 1359/1431. Essex FM became the flagship and mothership of the Essex Radio Group based at Radio House, Clifftown Road, Southend-on-Sea, the group which included Breeze 1359/1431, Ten17, Vibe FM & 96.6 Oasis FM. In the early part of 1998, DMGT (Daily Mail & General Trust) took a controlling share of Essex Radio plc - Essex FM became the first radio purchase for DMG Radio and it's offer valued the station at £21million. It had previously held shares since 1994, but DMG had been investing in the industry since it's inception in 1973 - with the purchase of Essex Radio, DMG collected a potential audience of over 3 million listeners across the group's stations. At the time, DMG had interests in Australian commercial radio, radio in Sweden and was a shareholder in Radio Danubius in Hungary. It had shares in GWR and London News Radio.
In October 2000, GWR acquired Essex FM and the parent group Essex Radio plc when it took on DMGT's radio interests. It was the purchase of Essex Radio & Marcher Radio (Wales) that pushed GWR over the points ownership precipice and this led to the 'sale' of the Classic Gold network, or in proper terms, the control of, to UBC. The Radio Authority renewed Essex FM's licence for a further eight years from 12th September 2001 due to it's involvement with providing a feed of it's service on the local digital network. Another fact about the station is that it's output and the activities of legendary former Controller Paul Chantler, were featured on a BBC television documentary about a major Shopping Centre in the county.
Amended and adapted from the excellent Aircheck UK website.
We also highly recommend you visit the brilliant Essex Radio Remembered website.
Essex Radio Jingles
- Essex Radio - station launch
- Breeze AM - Main Cuts from TM Century's 1992 package