Kmfm
Encyclopedia
KMFM is the name of seven Independent Local Radio
stations and one digital station (on the Kent Digital Multiplex) owned by the KM Group
, each broadcasting locally to a region of Kent
in the United Kingdom. Although similarly branded, the stations are officially seven separate licenses.
KMFM's target audience are 25-54 year old males and females in Kent and offers its listeners local news and music. KMFM plays a mix of music covering the current Top 40 hits and pop songs from the 80's and 90's, along with some of the classics from the 60's and 70's. Further to this, KMFM's specialist shows cater for the more acquired taste which include KMFM Dance, Essential 80's and Sunday Night Love.
on the NOW Kent multiplex. Apart from KMFM Ashford, each station was previously independent before being bought by the KM Group and rebranded.
Previously Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons had also been local - this had been the case since September 14, 2009, following approval from OFCOM the previous month.
Originally each station produced its own programming during daytime. Apart from Medway, from 2007 each station grouped with its neighbour (West Kent and Maidstone; Canterbury and Thanet; Ashford and Shepway and White Cliffs Country) to network programmes between 11am and 7pm. The programmes were merged in April 2009 to create 2 groups with their own networked programming - West (Maidstone, Medway and West Kent) and East (Ashford, Canterbury, Shepway and White Cliffs Country, and Thanet). At other times (evenings and weekends) programming was broadcast across all seven stations.
near Margate (having been relocated from Margate harbour). All 3 stations in the West network broadcast from Medway. Each station has however retained its sales teams within the transmission area.
Local bulletins have since been superseded by a county-wide bulletin. This system operates from 6am until 7pm on weekdays and 8am until 1pm on weekends; outside of those hours KMFM's off-peak news service is provided by Sky News Radio
. News bulletins are provided on the hour; and also at 7.30am, 8.30am, 4.30pm and 5.30pm on weekdays. The half-past bulletins started in September 2006 to replace extended news bulletins at the top of the hour.
Broadcast journalists include.
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
stations and one digital station (on the Kent Digital Multiplex) owned by the KM Group
KM Group
The KM Group, formerly known as the Kent Messenger Group until 2008, is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent in South East England...
, each broadcasting locally to a region of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in the United Kingdom. Although similarly branded, the stations are officially seven separate licenses.
KMFM's target audience are 25-54 year old males and females in Kent and offers its listeners local news and music. KMFM plays a mix of music covering the current Top 40 hits and pop songs from the 80's and 90's, along with some of the classics from the 60's and 70's. Further to this, KMFM's specialist shows cater for the more acquired taste which include KMFM Dance, Essential 80's and Sunday Night Love.
Stations
KMFM operates seven local stations on FM throughout Kent, and one county-wide station on DABDigital 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....
on the NOW Kent multiplex. Apart from KMFM Ashford, each station was previously independent before being bought by the KM Group and rebranded.
| Station | Former name(s) | First air date | Frequency(ies) |
|---|---|---|---|
| KMFM Ashford KMFM Ashford KMFM Ashford is an Independent Local Radio serving the borough of Ashford and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:... |
LARK FM (Never used on air) | October 3, 2005 | 107.6 FM |
| KMFM Canterbury KMFM Canterbury KMFM Canterbury is an Independent Local Radio serving the City of Canterbury and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:... |
106 CTFM | September 21, 1997 | 106.0 FM |
| KMFM Maidstone KMFM Maidstone KMFM Maidstone is an Independent Local Radio serving the town of Maidstone and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:... |
CTR-FM | October 18, 2003 | 105.6 FM |
| KMFM Medway KMFM Medway KMFM Medway is an Independent Local Radio serving the Medway Towns and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:... |
Medway FM; Mercury FM | September 1997 | 100.4 FM / 107.9 FM |
| KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country is an Independent Local Radio serving the districts of Dover and Shepway and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.... |
Neptune Radio | September 29, 1997 | 96.4 FM / 106.8 FM |
| KMFM Thanet KMFM Thanet KMFM Thanet is an Independent Local Radio serving the Isle of Thanet and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:... |
TLR | January 17, 1998 | 107.2 FM |
| KMFM West Kent KMFM West Kent KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England... |
KFM; Mercury FM | July 8, 1995 | 96.2 FM / 101.6 FM |
| KMFM Extra KMFM Extra KMFM Extra is a DAB radio station based in Rochester and broadcasting to the county of Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.... |
km-d; KM Digital | May 1, 2004 | NOW Kent NOW Kent NOW Kent is a DAB Digital Radio broadcast multiplex covering the county of Kent in South-East England. Because of concerns over frequency overlap with France, the service is not available in extreme coastal areas of the county; however, much of the county away from the coast is covered... |
Programming
SInce July 2010, following the relaxation of OFCOM regulations, each KMFM station produces its own breakfast show on Monday to Friday (West Kent and Maidstone share a breakfast show since January 2011). At all other times, programmes are networked across all seven KMFM stations. KMFM Extra has its own schedule.Previously Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons had also been local - this had been the case since September 14, 2009, following approval from OFCOM the previous month.
Originally each station produced its own programming during daytime. Apart from Medway, from 2007 each station grouped with its neighbour (West Kent and Maidstone; Canterbury and Thanet; Ashford and Shepway and White Cliffs Country) to network programmes between 11am and 7pm. The programmes were merged in April 2009 to create 2 groups with their own networked programming - West (Maidstone, Medway and West Kent) and East (Ashford, Canterbury, Shepway and White Cliffs Country, and Thanet). At other times (evenings and weekends) programming was broadcast across all seven stations.
Studios
Originally all seven stations broadcast from studios within their transmission area. KMFM Canterbury moved to the Ashford studio in 2008, and KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country joined it in April 2009. KMFM Thanet currently still broadcasts from CliftonvilleCliftonville
Cliftonville is a coastal area of the town of Margate, situated to the east of the main town, in the Thanet district of Kent, South East England, United Kingdom. It also contains the area known as Palm Bay....
near Margate (having been relocated from Margate harbour). All 3 stations in the West network broadcast from Medway. Each station has however retained its sales teams within the transmission area.
News service
Initially, each station provided an independent service during peak hours from their respective newsroomsLocal bulletins have since been superseded by a county-wide bulletin. This system operates from 6am until 7pm on weekdays and 8am until 1pm on weekends; outside of those hours KMFM's off-peak news service is provided by Sky News Radio
Sky News Radio
Sky News Radio is the radio arm of the Sky News division of British Sky Broadcasting. It has been operating since June 1999, providing a news bulletin service for UK commercial radio stations operators across the UK and for a number of English-speaking radio stations across the world.The Sky News...
. News bulletins are provided on the hour; and also at 7.30am, 8.30am, 4.30pm and 5.30pm on weekdays. The half-past bulletins started in September 2006 to replace extended news bulletins at the top of the hour.
- KMFM Group News Editor - Susan Hilder.
Broadcast journalists include.
- Jo Sword.
- Rhona Jamieson.
- Aurelia Allen.
- Katie Alston.