Vectis Radio

Vectis Radio is an community radio station in Newport on the Isle of Wight. The station began transmitting exclusively online from 23 January 2010, and continued to broadcast this way until beginning FM broadcasting on 4 November 2017. Vectis Radio transmits on FM from Newport Golf Club.

Vectis Radio
Broadcast areaIsle of Wight
Frequency104.6 Mhz
SloganFor the people, by the people
Programming
FormatContemporary
Ownership
OwnerVectis Radio CIC
History
First air date23 January 2010 (Internet only), 4 November 2017 (FM)

History

Vectis Radio was founded in 2010 when Ian Mac created a studio for broadcast from The Quay Arts Centre in Newport. Described as a "broom cupboard", the team of presenters, less than ten in number, then moved to locations such as St Georges Park and studios in Crocker Street and West Street, Newport respectively. They moved into their current home at The Riverside Centre in Newport in 2013.[1] The station's slogan fits inline with their community outreach, as a station 'for the people, by the people'. In 2017, Vectis Radio became a Community Interest Company.

FM launch

The station applied in October 2015 to Ofcom after the regulators welcomed bids for FM broadcasting by community radio stations in the South of the United Kingdom. The license was granted in June 2016.[2] A crowdfunding period then began to fund Vectis Radio's aim to go to FM broadcasting - launched on air by Manager Ian Mac. Enough funding was secured by this process and by other means to begin the work. In the meantime marketing drive began to promote the Vectis Radio name in time for the FM launch.[3]

The station began broadcasting on FM 104.6 on 4 November 2017. The launch took place at their studio in The Riverside Centre, Newport. 4Ps student and presenter Hannah Barker was selected to press the button that commenced transmissions.[4]

In Late 2019, Vectis Radio was granted a coverage extension by Ofcom and work is currently under way to upgrade the transmitter to improve the output power. It is hoped this will be complete by Spring 2020.

The 4Ps Project

In 2012 the station launched a teaching program called The 4Ps Project for people aged 11 – 19 (and up to 25 with additional needs).[5]

The project covers four ingredients the station deems required for radio broadcasting: Presenting, Producing, Podcasting and Promoting. The aim of the scheme is to give people the opportunity to broadcast on a local radio station, and to give members and students a chance to put a skill on their CV.[6]

In 2018, Vectis Radio won a bronze award at the Community Radio Awards for the project in the Community Development Project of the Year category.[7] The station also picked up a Highly Commended award in the Business in the Community category at the 2019 Isle of Wight Chamber Of Commerce awards. The station gained another Bronze for its 4Ps project and a Silver Sage award in the Community Radio Awards in October 2019.

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References
  1. Mac, Ian (19 January 2019). "Our story". Vectis Radio. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  2. "Ofcom awards five new community radio licences". Ofcom. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  3. Perry, Sally (10 November 2017). "Vectis Radio now live on 104.6fm". On the Wight. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  4. Wright, Richard (17 November 2017). "Vectis Radio now on the airwaves". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  5. "What Is The 4P's Project?". The 4Ps Project. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  6. Pearce, Emily (27 February 2019). "Tesco shoppers urged to support Vectis Radio funding bid". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  7. Smith, Chris (17 September 2018). "Recipients announced for the 2018 Community Radio Awards". Community Radio Awards. Retrieved 14 March 2019.

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