Time 107.3
Encyclopedia
South London Radio was a South London-based radio station, previously known as FLR 107.3, Fusion 107.3 and Time 107.3, which ceased broadcasting in April 2009.
, sharing its premises with sister station Time 106.8
.
South London Radio was, in the final five years of its life, owned by the Sunrise Radio Group
.
town centre, backed by the UKRD Group
, who sold their stake in the company to Fusion Radio Holdings in April 2000. This transfer of ownership saw the station adopt a new moniker, Fusion 107.3, on 4 December that year.
Fusion Radio Holdings were purchased by the Milestone Group
in April 2003, taking control of the former's similarly named Fusion 107.9 station in Oxford
, and adding a second operation to its portfolio of London-based radio stations - the first being Time 106.8
, operating from studios in Plumstead
.
The sale of Milestone
's London assets to the Sunrise Radio Group
in February 2004 saw Fusion rebranded as Time 107.3, under the directorship of former Ten-17 FM
and Dream 107.7 chief Gary Mulligan, with the intention to temporarily move the operation into office space at the group's existing site in Plumstead
, facilitating programming-sharing, which formed a significant part of the two stations' output for several months. Ofcom agreed to this 'co-location arrangement' in March 2006, with the stations continuing to operate from premises outside its own service area, although programme sharing was ended.
issued Time 107.3
with a 'yellow card', officially recognising that the station was not operating within its format obligations. Following a listener complaint, Ofcom
found the station in breach of its music policy - playing a significantly higher percentage of 'current chart hits' than its 33% limit - as well as the accuracy of its 'public file', which carried misleading information as to the amount of automated programming broadcast per day.
Ofcom's report carried the admission from the station's management that outside breakfast, output was automated - indeed, during the latter days of Time's operation, only four hours of daily output were live, and Time's 'public file' was amended accordingly.
The 'yellow card' was lifted at the end of August 2007, after Ofcom concluded that, after further sampling, the station was now operating within its format.
, an entirely new presentation line-up was introduced, with seventeen hours of live output a day.
The station's coverage area was also altered - no longer serving Southwark
, and instead, thanks to approved transmitter adjustments, moving westwards to focus on the boroughs of Lewisham
, Bromley
, Croydon
and their conurbations.
, South London Radio struggled badly to deliver large audiences in a cut-throat London radio market. Despite an adjustment in the survey area to incorporate the boroughs of Bromley
and Croydon
in late 2007, RAJAR
figures were largely unaffected: in its final listening survey at the end of 2008, the station reached 19,000 listeners a week, representing a 0.4% audience share.
In an unusual move, the Sunrise Radio Group put the station up for sale via a message on its website in mid-October 2008, and following disputed claims a buyer had been found, South London Radio ceased broadcasting at midnight on Saturday 4 April 2009.
The line-up at the station's relaunch in May 2007:
Other past presenters included:
Background
Despite the geography of South London Radio's coverage area, the station operated out of studios on Basildon Road on the outskirts of PlumsteadPlumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
, sharing its premises with sister station Time 106.8
Time 106.8
106.8 Time FM was a local commercial radio station located in the south-east London and north-west Kent area of England, which broadcast to Greenwich and Bexleyheath in London and Dartford and Gravesend in Kent on 106.8 FM, and ceased transmission in April 2009.-Background:The station started...
.
South London Radio was, in the final five years of its life, owned by the Sunrise Radio Group
Sunrise Radio Group
Sunrise Radio Group Limited is a UK radio broadcaster. The group is owned by the Litt Corporation , and runs Sunrise Radio, Yarr Radio, Kismat Radio and Punjabi Radio...
.
Early history
The station began life as FLR - 'First Love Radio' - on 8 February 1999, broadcasting from studios in Astra House on the outskirts of LewishamLewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
town centre, backed by the UKRD Group
UKRD Group
The UKRD Group Ltd is a British media company which owns 16 commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The name originates from UK Radio Developments.-History:...
, who sold their stake in the company to Fusion Radio Holdings in April 2000. This transfer of ownership saw the station adopt a new moniker, Fusion 107.3, on 4 December that year.
Fusion Radio Holdings were purchased by the Milestone Group
Milestone Group
The Milestone Group is a British Technology company. Originally a cross media proprietor who had holdings in radio, publishing and television, it now focuses on digital solutions and creates websites and mobile applications...
in April 2003, taking control of the former's similarly named Fusion 107.9 station in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, and adding a second operation to its portfolio of London-based radio stations - the first being Time 106.8
Time 106.8
106.8 Time FM was a local commercial radio station located in the south-east London and north-west Kent area of England, which broadcast to Greenwich and Bexleyheath in London and Dartford and Gravesend in Kent on 106.8 FM, and ceased transmission in April 2009.-Background:The station started...
, operating from studios in Plumstead
Plumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
.
The sale of Milestone
Milestone Group
The Milestone Group is a British Technology company. Originally a cross media proprietor who had holdings in radio, publishing and television, it now focuses on digital solutions and creates websites and mobile applications...
's London assets to the Sunrise Radio Group
Sunrise Radio Group
Sunrise Radio Group Limited is a UK radio broadcaster. The group is owned by the Litt Corporation , and runs Sunrise Radio, Yarr Radio, Kismat Radio and Punjabi Radio...
in February 2004 saw Fusion rebranded as Time 107.3, under the directorship of former Ten-17 FM
Ten 17
Ten-17 was an Independent Local Radio station, broadcast from studios at the Latton Bush Centre in Harlow. The station launched in May 1993 and served East Hertfordshire and West Essex until its closure on 25 July 2010.-1993 to 1999 - The Essex Radio Group:...
and Dream 107.7 chief Gary Mulligan, with the intention to temporarily move the operation into office space at the group's existing site in Plumstead
Plumstead
Plumstead is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. Plumstead is a multi cultural area with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean communities, in similarity to local areas such as Woolwich and Thamesmead...
, facilitating programming-sharing, which formed a significant part of the two stations' output for several months. Ofcom agreed to this 'co-location arrangement' in March 2006, with the stations continuing to operate from premises outside its own service area, although programme sharing was ended.
Ofcom Yellow Card
On 17 August 2006, industry regulator OfcomOfcom
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...
issued Time 107.3
Time 107.3
South London Radio was a South London-based radio station, previously known as FLR 107.3, Fusion 107.3 and Time 107.3, which ceased broadcasting in April 2009.-Background:...
with a 'yellow card', officially recognising that the station was not operating within its format obligations. Following a listener complaint, 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...
found the station in breach of its music policy - playing a significantly higher percentage of 'current chart hits' than its 33% limit - as well as the accuracy of its 'public file', which carried misleading information as to the amount of automated programming broadcast per day.
Ofcom's report carried the admission from the station's management that outside breakfast, output was automated - indeed, during the latter days of Time's operation, only four hours of daily output were live, and Time's 'public file' was amended accordingly.
The 'yellow card' was lifted at the end of August 2007, after Ofcom concluded that, after further sampling, the station was now operating within its format.
South London Radio relaunch
At 11am on 20 May 2007, Time 107.3 was relaunched as South London Radio with Tom Hogan playing the first song, George Benson's 'Never Give Up On A Good Thing', and, with the exception of the then-breakfast presenter Jonathan MilesJonathan Miles (radio presenter)
Jonathan Miles is a British radio presenter. He has previously worked for a number of radio stations, including Channel 4 FM in Dubai, Radio Luxembourg, Jazz FM, British Forces Broadcasting Service, Capital Life, Invicta FM and South London Radio....
, an entirely new presentation line-up was introduced, with seventeen hours of live output a day.
The station's coverage area was also altered - no longer serving Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, and instead, thanks to approved transmitter adjustments, moving westwards to focus on the boroughs of Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
, Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
and their conurbations.
Performance and subsequent closure
Much like sister station Time 106.8Time 106.8
106.8 Time FM was a local commercial radio station located in the south-east London and north-west Kent area of England, which broadcast to Greenwich and Bexleyheath in London and Dartford and Gravesend in Kent on 106.8 FM, and ceased transmission in April 2009.-Background:The station started...
, South London Radio struggled badly to deliver large audiences in a cut-throat London radio market. Despite an adjustment in the survey area to incorporate the boroughs of Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
and Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
in late 2007, 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...
figures were largely unaffected: in its final listening survey at the end of 2008, the station reached 19,000 listeners a week, representing a 0.4% audience share.
In an unusual move, the Sunrise Radio Group put the station up for sale via a message on its website in mid-October 2008, and following disputed claims a buyer had been found, South London Radio ceased broadcasting at midnight on Saturday 4 April 2009.
Presenters
The final line-up prior to the station's closure was as follows:- Dan Davis - Breakfast and Saturday Breakfast
- Joanna Welsh - Daytime
- Tara Jay - Drivetime
- Lee Johnson - Saturday Mid-Mornings
- Joe Amphlett - Saturday Afternoons and Lions Live (a phone-in for supporters of local football team Millwall FC)
- Bola Thomas - The Gospel Show
- Trevor Smith - Sunday Breakfast
- Michael Taliadoros - Sunday Mid-Mornings
- Andrew Lunan - Sunday Afternoons
- Pete Flynn - Cover Presenter
- Lee Sweeney - Cover Presenter
The line-up at the station's relaunch in May 2007:
- Jonathan Miles - Breakfast (now with BBC Radio NewcastleBBC Radio NewcastleBBC Newcastle is the BBC Local Radio service English metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, broadcasting from studios on Barrack Road in Newcastle upon Tyne.- Technical :...
) - Trevor Smith - Mornings
- Tom Hogan - Afternoons (now with BBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio OxfordBBC Radio Oxford is the BBC Local Radio station for the English county of Oxfordshire, broadcasting on 95.2 FM via the Oxford transmitter and online. The station broadcasts live from the BBC's Summertown studios in Oxford between 5am and 7pm each weekday, for over 13 hours on Saturdays & 19 hours...
) - Lynsey Rose Masora - Drivetime
- Doug Williams - Evening Show (Monday-Wednesday)
- Eddie Matthews - Evening Show (Friday), Saturday Lunchtimes and Sunday Breakfast (now with KMFMKmfmKMFM is the name of seven Independent Local Radio stations and one digital station owned by the KM Group, each broadcasting locally to a region of Kent in the United Kingdom...
) - Kenny Alan - Weekend Breakfast (formerly with Choice FM and Sound Radio)
- Sharon Linton - Saturday Lunchtimes
- Neil Redding - Saturday Afternoons (now with KMFMKmfmKMFM is the name of seven Independent Local Radio stations and one digital station owned by the KM Group, each broadcasting locally to a region of Kent in the United Kingdom...
Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay) - John Varnham - Soul Selection
- Andrew Lunan - Sunday Afternoons
Other past presenters included:
- Amy Casey - Drivetime
- Eamonn KellyEamonn KellyEamonn Kelly is an Irish born disc jockey based in the UK, who can currently be heard on 106.6 Smooth Radio in the East Midlands.His broadcasting career started while he was still at school in Dublin on Kiss FM and Q102...
- Breakfast (now with Gold) - Paul Ellen - Interim Breakfast
- Kevin Bright - Afternoons
- Ayo Johnson - Night Flow (Sunday evening specialist music programme)
- Matt White - Breakfast
- Emma Feline - Drivetime
- Dave Moses - Mid-Mornings (Now Imaging Producer at Capital (radio network))
- Jason Rosam - Drivetime, Breakfast and Weekends (now with BBC London 94.9BBC London 94.9BBC London 94.9 is London's BBC Local Radio station, and part of BBC London. Broadcasting across Greater London and beyond on 94.9 FM, DAB, Virgin Media Channel 930, Sky Channel 0152 and also online...
) - Fiona Neerajohn - Evening Show (Monday-Wednesday & Friday)
- Lady J Love - Weekend Grooves (Saturday evening specialist music programme)
- Ben Hartley - Drivetime (now with BBC SurreyBBC SurreyBBC Surrey is the BBC Local Radio service covering the English county of Surrey, along with North-East Hampshire and the northern fringes of West Sussex including Crawley, East Grinstead and Gatwick Airport...
) - Alex Stevanovic - Sunday Mid-Mornings