Somer Valley FM
Encyclopedia
Somer Valley FM is a local community radio
that serves Midsomer Norton
, Radstock
and surrounding areas. The station is based in the grounds of Somervale School
, though it serves the full community population in excess of 21,000, not just the school. It was launched in 2008.
in Midsomer Norton has a permanent seat on the board currently filled by Deputy Head Mark Kenny.
, Midsomer Norton
, Westfield
, Paulton
, Peasedown St John
, Kilmersdon
, Clutton
, Shoscombe
, Stratton-on-the-Fosse
, Downside
, Chilcompton
, Farrington Gurney
, Gurney Slade, Litton
, Ston Easton
, Chewton Mendip
and Timsbury
. Somer Valley FM is the only broadcaster focusing exclusively on this region.
In 2011 local market research company Cognisant Research carried out an audience survey for the station. This found that 48.1 per cent of people living in the station's broadcast area have heard of the station and just above 16 per cent listen at least once a week.
The idea for the station came from local councilor Chris Watt and Somervale School’s Mike Gormen and Mark Kenny who saw the value to school students of learning about radio production. The original board of directors was Mark Kenny, Mike Walker and Chris Watt. Having successfully achieved funding for the project Somervale’s dilapidated old caretakers’ house, which adjoins the school, was redeveloped as a radio station with three ‘on air’ studios and good production facilities. In July 2008 the directors appointed Dom Chambers, from a background in ILR and BBC, as the station manager. The station launched with a grant awarded by the RDA which was match funded by Bath and North East Somerset Council. In November 2008 Rupert Kirkham was appointed to lead production and school’s radio training. In the same month Dom Chambers was invited to join the board of directors. .
Somervale School
continues to support Somer Valley FM with sponsorship and the use of its property in return for educational services provided to its students. The station has also sponsorship arrangements with education across the region including Norton Hill School, City of Bath College and Writhlington School.
Somer Valley FM is now a commercially oriented Community station providing opportunities for the commercial community to raise awareness of products and services with a local customer base. The station is funded by a combination of advertising, sponsorship, grant funding, media training and commissioned programmes.
In March 2011 the station were highly commended at The Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Business Awards in the Not Profit category.
In May 2011, the station had a breach recorded against its license by Ofcom
after a request show asked listeners to pick songs even though it wasn’t being broadcast live. Ofcom had received complaints from two listeners who had discovered that the Jukebox Hour on 28 February 2011 at 5pm had been recorded prior to broadcast but the presenter was still inviting listeners for song requests. The station offered its ‘unreserved’ apologies that it ‘inadvertently may have misled the listener’ and said that as a result of the incident it has tightened its procedures.
In July 2011 Station Manager Dom Chambers was elected to the national council of the Community Media Association (CMA), which looks after the interests of community media nationally. [citation required]
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
that serves Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Radstock
Radstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
and surrounding areas. The station is based in the grounds of Somervale School
Somervale School
Somervale School is situated in Midsomer Norton in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England. The school, which has academy status, is a specialist Arts College. It is one of two schools in the area, providing secondary education to local children and some pupils who live outside the...
, though it serves the full community population in excess of 21,000, not just the school. It was launched in 2008.
Ownership and structure
The station is owned by Somer Valley FM Community Radio Ltd, a not-for-profit organisation that exists for community benefit. It has two employees and averages 200 regular volunteers. The company’s Board of Directors has ultimate responsibility for every aspect of the running of Somer Valley FM. There are four Directors: Dom Chambers, Graeme King, Mark Kenny and Chris Watt. Somervale SchoolSomervale School
Somervale School is situated in Midsomer Norton in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England. The school, which has academy status, is a specialist Arts College. It is one of two schools in the area, providing secondary education to local children and some pupils who live outside the...
in Midsomer Norton has a permanent seat on the board currently filled by Deputy Head Mark Kenny.
Coverage
The station broadcasts on 97.5 FM as well as online. Its target area covers RadstockRadstock
Radstock is a town in Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and north west of Frome. It is within the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and had a population of 5,275 according to the 2001 Census...
, Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton
Midsomer Norton is a town near the Mendip Hills in Somerset, England, south-west of Bath, north-east of Wells, north-west of Frome, and south-east of Bristol. It has a population of 10,458. Along with Radstock and Westfield it used to be part of the conurbation and large civil parish of Norton...
, Westfield
Westfield, Somerset
Westfield is a settlement lying on the Fosse Way between Radstock and Midsomer Norton in Somerset, England. In 2011 it was raised to the status of a civil parish....
, Paulton
Paulton
Paulton is a large village and civil parish, with a population of 4,896, located to the north of the Mendip Hills, in the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset , England....
, Peasedown St John
Peasedown St John
Peasedown St John is one of the largest villages in Somerset, England. Located on a hilltop roughly south-southwest of the city of Bath, Peasedown used to be a coal mining village. When the last of the mines was shut in the 1950s it became a dormitory village for both Bath and, to a lesser...
, Kilmersdon
Kilmersdon
Kilmersdon is a small village located in the north of Somerset between the towns of Radstock and Frome. The settlement is recorded in William I's Domesday book and dates back at least 1,000 years; though the core of the village dates from the mid nineteenth century.-History:The name Kilmersdon...
, Clutton
Clutton, Somerset
Clutton is a village and civil parish within the Chew Valley in Somerset in the Bath and North East Somerset Council area on the A37 road. It is located 10 miles from Bristol and Bath, very near Temple Cloud. The nearest town is Midsomer Norton...
, Shoscombe
Shoscombe
Shoscombe is a small village and civil parish in the valley of the Wellow Brook in north-east Somerset, about south of Bath. The parish has a population of 462....
, Stratton-on-the-Fosse
Stratton-on-the-Fosse
Stratton-on-the-Fosse is a village and civil parish located on the edge of the Mendip Hills, south-west of Westfield, north-east of Shepton Mallet, and from Frome, in Somerset, England. It has a population 1,045, and has a rural agricultural landscape, although it was part of the once-thriving...
, Downside
Redhill, Somerset
Redhill is a village in the parish of Wrington, Somerset, England, on the A38 Bridgwater Road about south of Bristol and close to Bristol International Airport. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset-History:...
, Chilcompton
Chilcompton
Chilcompton is a civil parish and village in Somerset, England, situated in the Mendip Hills two miles south of Midsomer Norton and 2.5 miles south-west of Westfield, close to the A37 .-History:...
, Farrington Gurney
Farrington Gurney
Farrington Gurney is an English village and civil parish situated in Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority. The village lies on the junction of the A37 and the A362 in Somerset. The parish has a population of 846.-History:...
, Gurney Slade, Litton
Litton, Somerset
Litton is a small village and civil parish between Chewton Mendip and West Harptree in the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Sherborne. Very close to the village are the Litton Reservoirs.- History :...
, Ston Easton
Ston Easton
Ston Easton is a linear village and civil parish in the English county of Somerset. It is southwest of Bath and north of Shepton Mallet. It forms part of the Mendip district and lies along the A37 road south of the cities of Bristol and Bath and to the west of the town of Midsomer Norton...
, Chewton Mendip
Chewton Mendip
Chewton Mendip is a village and civil parish in the Mendip District of Somerset, England. It is situated north of Wells, south of Bristol on the Mendip Hills and is the source of the River Chew. The parish includes the hamlet of Bathway.- History :...
and Timsbury
Timsbury, Somerset
Timsbury is a village and civil parish in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority of the county of Somerset, south-west of Bath England...
. Somer Valley FM is the only broadcaster focusing exclusively on this region.
In 2011 local market research company Cognisant Research carried out an audience survey for the station. This found that 48.1 per cent of people living in the station's broadcast area have heard of the station and just above 16 per cent listen at least once a week.
History
The station originally grew from a schools radio project organised in Somervale School in 2006. This led to the station’s first broadcast on a temporary Restricted Service License (RSL) in August that year. This resulted in an application for a full community license which Ofcom awarded in 2007. The station launched on the internet on 20th October 2008 and began FM transmission on 12th January 2009.The idea for the station came from local councilor Chris Watt and Somervale School’s Mike Gormen and Mark Kenny who saw the value to school students of learning about radio production. The original board of directors was Mark Kenny, Mike Walker and Chris Watt. Having successfully achieved funding for the project Somervale’s dilapidated old caretakers’ house, which adjoins the school, was redeveloped as a radio station with three ‘on air’ studios and good production facilities. In July 2008 the directors appointed Dom Chambers, from a background in ILR and BBC, as the station manager. The station launched with a grant awarded by the RDA which was match funded by Bath and North East Somerset Council. In November 2008 Rupert Kirkham was appointed to lead production and school’s radio training. In the same month Dom Chambers was invited to join the board of directors. .
Somervale School
Somervale School
Somervale School is situated in Midsomer Norton in Bath and North East Somerset in South West England. The school, which has academy status, is a specialist Arts College. It is one of two schools in the area, providing secondary education to local children and some pupils who live outside the...
continues to support Somer Valley FM with sponsorship and the use of its property in return for educational services provided to its students. The station has also sponsorship arrangements with education across the region including Norton Hill School, City of Bath College and Writhlington School.
Somer Valley FM is now a commercially oriented Community station providing opportunities for the commercial community to raise awareness of products and services with a local customer base. The station is funded by a combination of advertising, sponsorship, grant funding, media training and commissioned programmes.
In March 2011 the station were highly commended at The Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Business Awards in the Not Profit category.
In May 2011, the station had a breach recorded against its license by 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...
after a request show asked listeners to pick songs even though it wasn’t being broadcast live. Ofcom had received complaints from two listeners who had discovered that the Jukebox Hour on 28 February 2011 at 5pm had been recorded prior to broadcast but the presenter was still inviting listeners for song requests. The station offered its ‘unreserved’ apologies that it ‘inadvertently may have misled the listener’ and said that as a result of the incident it has tightened its procedures.
In July 2011 Station Manager Dom Chambers was elected to the national council of the Community Media Association (CMA), which looks after the interests of community media nationally. [citation required]