GLOSS FM
Encyclopedia
GLOSS FM is a community radio station in the United Kingdom, which started broadcasting to the South Gloucestershire
area on 19 April 2010.
It is a member of the Community Radio Association.
It originally started as Thornbury FM
, a smaller station broadcasting to the market town of Thornbury
in November 2005. In November 2009 the station relocated its transmitter which increased its coverage area. After an open competition GLOSS FM was chosen as the station's new name in order to be more relevant to all listeners. GLOSS FM is a legal radio station, broadcasting under the terms of Ofcom
's Restricted Service Licence
regime. This currently restricts the station to a maximum of two 28 day broadcasts per year in addition to its webcasts which operate 365 days per year, 24 hours a day.
, which is similar to a UK limited company except that a profit may not be extracted and all assets are locked within the company for use in the interests of the local community. GLOSS FM's aim is to be "Radio for the Whole Community" in South Gloucestershire, linking both geographical communities and communities of interest in the area. It is run by volunteers and broadcasts on 87.7 MHz to the South Gloucestershire area from studios in Thornbury.
. The transmission site was moved in the Summer of 2009 from a low site in Thornbury town centre to a high site overlooking the Severn Vale. The resulting coverage area has been approximately doubled with this move, meaning that the station now covers a potential audience of over 100,000 people in South Gloucestershire from Bradley Stoke in the south, to Berkeley in the north, and from Yate in the East to Chepstow in Wales.
This stream is global during Restricted Service Licence
(RSL) broadcasts, but limited to UK-only between RSL broadcasts.
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
area on 19 April 2010.
It is a member of the Community Radio Association.
It originally started as Thornbury FM
Thornbury FM
Thornbury FM was a local radio station in the United Kingdom, broadcasting to the South Gloucestershire area of England. It operated from the market town of Thornbury from November 2005 until November 2009 under the terms of Ofcom's Restricted Service Licence regime...
, a smaller station broadcasting to the market town of Thornbury
Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Thornbury is a market town in South Gloucestershire, England, approximately 12 miles north of the city of Bristol, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom...
in November 2005. In November 2009 the station relocated its transmitter which increased its coverage area. After an open competition GLOSS FM was chosen as the station's new name in order to be more relevant to all listeners. GLOSS FM is a legal radio station, broadcasting under the terms of Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
's Restricted Service Licence
Restricted Service Licence
A UK Restricted Service Licence , is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event...
regime. This currently restricts the station to a maximum of two 28 day broadcasts per year in addition to its webcasts which operate 365 days per year, 24 hours a day.
About the station
GLOSS FM is owned by Severnvale Media CIC, a community interest companyCommunity interest company
A community interest company is a new type of company introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good...
, which is similar to a UK limited company except that a profit may not be extracted and all assets are locked within the company for use in the interests of the local community. GLOSS FM's aim is to be "Radio for the Whole Community" in South Gloucestershire, linking both geographical communities and communities of interest in the area. It is run by volunteers and broadcasts on 87.7 MHz to the South Gloucestershire area from studios in Thornbury.
Programming
GLOSS FM provides a range of programmes including news, sport, interviews, chat and music. These are all produced by volunteers in South Gloucestershire. It broadcasts 24 hours a day.FM Transmission
GLOSS FM transmits its signal on 87.7 MHz FM with a power of 25 watts ERPEffective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
. The transmission site was moved in the Summer of 2009 from a low site in Thornbury town centre to a high site overlooking the Severn Vale. The resulting coverage area has been approximately doubled with this move, meaning that the station now covers a potential audience of over 100,000 people in South Gloucestershire from Bradley Stoke in the south, to Berkeley in the north, and from Yate in the East to Chepstow in Wales.
Webstream
As well as FM broadcasts, GLOSS FM also broadcasts its output 365 days a year, 24 hours a day on its webstream.This stream is global during Restricted Service Licence
Restricted Service Licence
A UK Restricted Service Licence , is typically granted to radio stations and television stations broadcasting within the UK to serve a local community or a special event...
(RSL) broadcasts, but limited to UK-only between RSL broadcasts.