Fire 107.6
Encyclopedia
Fire Radio is a United Kingdom radio station based in Bournemouth
, Dorset
.
The station was launched on 26 June 1999 by founding Directors James Bromley
and David Harber as The NRG FM 107.6, but changed name a year later following a dispute with French radio station NRJ
. The station is now part of The Triple Broadcast Co Ltd.
, and the Ministry Of Sound
Dance Party.
challenged "The NRG" over the use of the name as the pronunciation was the same.
In discussion with the station's solicitors (Stephens Innocent) the station management agreed that although there was a "chance" that the Bournemouth
station could win the challenge - and even if not, they could go to Appeal and "almost certainly" win - the costs involved in challenging one of Europe's biggest radio brands would be too high for a small station on the South Coast of the UK.
Despite the notion of 'borrowing station names', Managing Director David Harber renamed the station "The Fire" after a Chicago based station "WFYR" which had been 'off-air' for a number of years. The station changed name on Bonfire Night
, 2000.
to purpose-built studios at the The Picture House on Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth
in June 2007.
.
The Local Radio Company then sold Fire 107.6 to Westward Broadcasting in June 2009. Westward Broadcasting Limited, and are a wholly owned subsidiary of Triple Media Communications Group and this becomes their first analogue radio purchase.
At time of sale the station announced plans to expand onto DAB
. Fire Radio joined DAB in June 2010, and is due to report a new RAJAR
ratings survey from Q4 2011 for the South coast area covered by DAB.
Some Fire Radio presenters such as Dave Taylor and Niall Moloney appear on shows for sister station Nova Radio based in Weston-super-Mare
this is due to the same ownership. No programming is networked between the radio group stations.
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
The station was launched on 26 June 1999 by founding Directors James Bromley
James Bromley
James Bromley was the founder of Fire Radio, a UK-based dance music radio station in 1999 and a small student mobile phone sales enterprise. Following the sale of Fire Radio to Guardian Media Group in 2001 Bromley left the business....
and David Harber as The NRG FM 107.6, but changed name a year later following a dispute with French radio station NRJ
NRJ Radio
NRJ French multimedia group based in Paris. Since its foundation in 1981 as a French pop music radio station it has grown and evolved to become the NRJ Group...
. The station is now part of The Triple Broadcast Co Ltd.
History
The NRG (Nerve Radio Group) was born out of the Bournemouth student station Nerve* Radio. The launch team included David and Emily at Breakfast, Max Hailey, James "Lloydie" Lloyd and Dan Lodge on the schedule. A range of specialist DJs were included in the schedule, such as Jay Ratchett, Ross EB, Jon Langford, Michael Artwell and Jez Welham. Specialist programmes also included Club Versive hosted by Boy GeorgeBoy George
Boy George is a British singer-songwriter who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by...
, and the Ministry Of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
Dance Party.
Name change
French broadcaster NRJNRJ Radio
NRJ French multimedia group based in Paris. Since its foundation in 1981 as a French pop music radio station it has grown and evolved to become the NRJ Group...
challenged "The NRG" over the use of the name as the pronunciation was the same.
In discussion with the station's solicitors (Stephens Innocent) the station management agreed that although there was a "chance" that the Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
station could win the challenge - and even if not, they could go to Appeal and "almost certainly" win - the costs involved in challenging one of Europe's biggest radio brands would be too high for a small station on the South Coast of the UK.
Despite the notion of 'borrowing station names', Managing Director David Harber renamed the station "The Fire" after a Chicago based station "WFYR" which had been 'off-air' for a number of years. The station changed name on Bonfire Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
, 2000.
Studios
The station moved from the original studios in the Quadrant Shopping Centre, BournemouthBournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
to purpose-built studios at the The Picture House on Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
in June 2007.
Ownership
The station was sold by its original founders in October 2001 to Radio Investments Limited, which later became known as The Local Radio CompanyThe Local Radio Company
The Local Radio Company is a British media company, originally based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, that owns ten independent local radio stations in the UK...
.
The Local Radio Company then sold Fire 107.6 to Westward Broadcasting in June 2009. Westward Broadcasting Limited, and are a wholly owned subsidiary of Triple Media Communications Group and this becomes their first analogue radio purchase.
At time of sale the station announced plans to expand onto DAB
Digital audio broadcasting
Digital Audio Broadcasting is a digital radio technology for broadcasting radio stations, used in several countries, particularly in Europe. As of 2006, approximately 1,000 stations worldwide broadcast in the DAB format....
. Fire Radio joined DAB in June 2010, and is due to report a new RAJAR
RAJAR
RAJAR was established in 1992 to operate a single audience measurement system for the radio industry in the United Kingdom. RAJAR is jointly owned by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the RadioCentre...
ratings survey from Q4 2011 for the South coast area covered by DAB.
Some Fire Radio presenters such as Dave Taylor and Niall Moloney appear on shows for sister station Nova Radio based in Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
this is due to the same ownership. No programming is networked between the radio group stations.
DJs and shows
- Dave Taylor - Dave's Morning Bit
- Angela Cassidy - Weekdays 11:00am - 3:00pm
- Niall Moloney - "Weekdays 3:00pm - 7:00pm"
- Lucy Ambache - "Weekends on Fire"
- Daniel Baker - Saturday noon - 5.00pm and Sunday Mornings 8.00am - noon
- Jay Rachet - Monday Pure FIRE
- James Herkes - Tuesday Pure FIRE
- J Fresh - Wednesday Pure FIRE
- Simon Sinfield - Friday Pure FIRE
- Ross E B - Saturday Pure FIRE
- Chris Connor - Pure FIRE
- Mike Swaine - Pure FIRE: Bass and Breaks
- The Big Top 40 ShowThe Big Top 40 ShowThe Vodafone Big Top 40 is a chart show broadcast on 140 radio stations in the UK. The chart is based on music download figures provided by iTunes.-Format:...
- with Richard ClarkeRichard Clarke (radio personality)Richard "Rich" Clarke is a British radio presenter and DJ from Worcester, England currently employed by Global Radio as a presenter on Capital FM and The Vodafone Big Top 40.-Student radio:...
and Kat ShoobKat ShoobKatherine 'Kat' Shoob is a British radio presenter on The Vodafone Big Top 40.Shoob modelled for Maxim in September 2006.Shoob presented The Mint, a phone-in quiz that was shown on ITV1 and ITV2...
Slogans
- 'Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch'
- 'Playing the very best Non-Stop 90s and now'
- 'Set your Radio on FIRE'
- 'You're on FIRE'
- 'Love the new FIRE 107.6'
- 'Only FIRE news is all local, all day'
- 'The hit music station for Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch'
- 'The Most Hit Music'
- 'This is FIRE Radio'