Cheshire FM
Cheshire FM was a community radio station serving the towns of Northwich, Middlewich and Winsford in the English county of Cheshire, and broadcast on 92.5 FM from its studios in Winsford.
 | |
| Broadcast area | Mid-Cheshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.5 FM |
| Slogan | Playing More of Your Favourite Songs |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult Contemporary Music / Speech |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Cheshire FM Ltd |
| History | |
| First air date | Autumn 2006 |
| Last air date | 27 January 2012 |
| Technical information | |
| Transmitter coordinates | 53.2147°N 2.5053°W |
| Links | |
| Website | cheshire.fm |
Background
Cheshire FM was founded by David Duffy and Phil Houltby. It launched at 8:00 a.m. on 30 March 2007. The station broadcast a mix of adult contemporary music and presenter chat, with hourly national news bulletins from Sky Radio News. Its aim was to provide an area of over 93,000 residents with a local service similar to that of many other local stations in the UK but, as the area can already receive many other 'out-of-area' stations, intended to bring a focus to the Mid-Cheshire towns, something the other stations have previously been unable to do.
On 8 April 2006, Cheshire FM operated a three-week Restricted Service Licence broadcast on 87.7 FM, which was based at a temporary studio in London Road in the centre of Northwich.
Cheshire FM's five-year licence was granted in May 2006, and it was announced some months later that full-time operations would be based at Cheshire County Council's 'Verdin Exchange' building in Winsford. Cheshire FM's transmitter site was located near the village of Moulton, atop an elevator shaft at one of the area's numerous salt mines.
In March 2008, Cheshire FM was named Cheshire County Council's Start-up Business of the Year in the Vale Royal Small Business Awards.
The station was successfully awarded a renewed five-year licence from Ofcom in December 2011 for when the original licence expired in March 2012. During the same month, the station received a winding-up order due to misappropriation of funds. The order was granted in January 2012 and at 2.31pm, on Friday 27 January 2012, Cheshire FM Ltd. ceased trading and transmissions concluded. The last record broadcast was Take That's 'Happy Now'.
Presenters
Some of Cheshire FM's presenters included:
- Phil Johnson (Breakfast)
- Cliff Martin (Mornings)
- Laura Knight (Afternoons)
- Dave Brierley-Jones (Evenings)
- David Duffy (Drivetime)
- Big Al (Daytime & Soul Show)
- Mark Richards (Friday & Saturday Night Dance Sessions)
- Sam Walton (Saturday Breakfast)
- Damian Horrill (Local Bands)
- Rick O'Shay (Cheshire Country)
- Ernie & Roger (The Irish Show)
- Jodie Forshaw (Boogie Nights)
- Stuart Heard (The Quiet Storm)
- James Brown (The Grind)
- Mike McGuinness (Lempo)