Vixen FM
Encyclopedia
Vixen 101 is a community radio
organisation based in the town of Market Weighton
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
.
The station has transmitted several Restricted Service Licence
28 day broadcasts and on 20 December 2007 was awarded a five year community radio licence for the area. The station then began permanent broadcasting on 10 January 2009 on the frequency of 101.8 FM
.
station, under his belt. This, together with his involvement with other radio projects in the area, and his work with the Giant Bradley Festival Committee in Market Weighton, led him to thinking that it would be good for the area to set-up a temporary radio station to promote the Giant Bradley Festival
and Market Weighton's local businesses, and offer local information. Another part of the plan was to provide a very wide music policy, including music from as far back as the 1940s and 1950s, together with specialist music programmes, rarely catered for by other broadcasters.
At this point in time, Market Weighton and the surrounding villages were in the middle of a government-funded regeneration project initiated through Yorkshire Forward, and managed by the, Weighton Area Regeneration Partnership (WARP). With many ideas and new projects starting to take shape in the area, it seemed like a good time and a major step forward in this new dawning era for the area to bring a truly local radio service to the population.
So it was in January 2002 that Paul started the process of setting up Vixen 87, with the target of the first month-long broadcast commencing in May 2003. Setting-up a high quality, professional sounding new radio station from scratch is a mammoth and expensive task. 16 months was calculated as being a realistic timescale to set-up Vixen 87.
After initially obtaining help from the Council For Voluntary Service (CVS) in Beverley, Paul called upon a couple of experienced colleagues from Hospital Radio
, and some members of the local Chamber of Trade for their collective expertise in broadcasting and operating businesses. The group formed a committee, and drew-up an official Constitution to create the organisation, Market Weighton Community Radio, which would broadcast under the call sign, Vixen 87.
After over a year of working with potential grant funders, recruiting volunteers, purchasing equipment, finding premises for the station and a transmitter site, building studios, working through a multitude of officialdom with many bodies, including The Radio Authority (now OFCOM
), The Performing Rights Society
, Phonographic Performance Ltd, The Mechanical Copyright Society and many others, the station launched on target at 8 minutes to 7 a.m. on Sunday 4 May 2003. This time of day was chosen to coincide with the first part of the stations frequency of 87.9 FM, with a National news bulletin at 7:00 a.m. followed by the breakfast show at 7:03 a.m., presented by the founder himself, starting off with the track "Inner Smile
", by the pop group Texas
.
In May 2011 Vixen 101 presenters Bill Horncastle and Dave Henderson set a new world record by presenting a 53 hour long radio show, beating the record set by Chris Moyles
of Radio 1 by one hour. The record is still subject to final confirmation by Guinness.
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...
organisation based in the town of Market Weighton
Market Weighton
Market Weighton is a small town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is one of the main market towns in the East Yorkshire Wolds and lies midway between Hull and York, about from either one...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The station has transmitted several 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...
28 day broadcasts and on 20 December 2007 was awarded a five year community radio licence for the area. The station then began permanent broadcasting on 10 January 2009 on the frequency of 101.8 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
.
History
The concept for Vixen came from local Market Weighton born and bred man, Paul Stellings. By the start of 2002, Paul had 18 years broadcasting and management experience with Radio Medica - a local hospital radioHospital radio
Hospital radio is a form of audio broadcasting produced specifically for the in-patients of hospitals. It is primarily found in the United Kingdom.-History:...
station, under his belt. This, together with his involvement with other radio projects in the area, and his work with the Giant Bradley Festival Committee in Market Weighton, led him to thinking that it would be good for the area to set-up a temporary radio station to promote the Giant Bradley Festival
William Bradley (giant)
William Bradley , known more commonly as Giant Bradley or the Yorkshire Giant, is the tallest recorded British man that ever lived, measuring 7 feet 9 inches....
and Market Weighton's local businesses, and offer local information. Another part of the plan was to provide a very wide music policy, including music from as far back as the 1940s and 1950s, together with specialist music programmes, rarely catered for by other broadcasters.
At this point in time, Market Weighton and the surrounding villages were in the middle of a government-funded regeneration project initiated through Yorkshire Forward, and managed by the, Weighton Area Regeneration Partnership (WARP). With many ideas and new projects starting to take shape in the area, it seemed like a good time and a major step forward in this new dawning era for the area to bring a truly local radio service to the population.
So it was in January 2002 that Paul started the process of setting up Vixen 87, with the target of the first month-long broadcast commencing in May 2003. Setting-up a high quality, professional sounding new radio station from scratch is a mammoth and expensive task. 16 months was calculated as being a realistic timescale to set-up Vixen 87.
After initially obtaining help from the Council For Voluntary Service (CVS) in Beverley, Paul called upon a couple of experienced colleagues from Hospital Radio
Hospital radio
Hospital radio is a form of audio broadcasting produced specifically for the in-patients of hospitals. It is primarily found in the United Kingdom.-History:...
, and some members of the local Chamber of Trade for their collective expertise in broadcasting and operating businesses. The group formed a committee, and drew-up an official Constitution to create the organisation, Market Weighton Community Radio, which would broadcast under the call sign, Vixen 87.
After over a year of working with potential grant funders, recruiting volunteers, purchasing equipment, finding premises for the station and a transmitter site, building studios, working through a multitude of officialdom with many bodies, including The Radio Authority (now 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...
), The Performing Rights Society
Performing Right Society
PRS for Music is a UK copyright collection society undertaking collective rights management for musical works. PRS for Music was formed in 1997 as the MCPS-PRS Alliance, bringing together two collection societies: the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society and Performing Right Society...
, Phonographic Performance Ltd, The Mechanical Copyright Society and many others, the station launched on target at 8 minutes to 7 a.m. on Sunday 4 May 2003. This time of day was chosen to coincide with the first part of the stations frequency of 87.9 FM, with a National news bulletin at 7:00 a.m. followed by the breakfast show at 7:03 a.m., presented by the founder himself, starting off with the track "Inner Smile
Inner Smile
Inner Smile is a song by Scottish pop group Texas, originally released on their 2000 album The Greatest Hits and co-written by Gregg Alexander and Rick Nowels. It was released as the second single from The Greatest Hits album in the United Kingdom and peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart...
", by the pop group Texas
Texas (band)
Texas are a Scottish pop band from Bearsden, near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee...
.
In May 2011 Vixen 101 presenters Bill Horncastle and Dave Henderson set a new world record by presenting a 53 hour long radio show, beating the record set by Chris Moyles
Chris Moyles
Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
of Radio 1 by one hour. The record is still subject to final confirmation by Guinness.
Presenters
- Graham L Hall.
- Bill Horncastle.
- Erica Close.
- John Hodgson.
- James Clark.
- Aaron Yeates.
- Howard Coates.
- Pandora.
- Pete Campbell.
- Emperor RoskoEmperor RoskoMike Pasternak, better known by his stage name of Emperor Rosko is a well known pop radio presenter.Born Michael Joseph Pasternak, he is the son of Hollywood film producer Joe Pasternak. He was influenced in his career choice by KYA Radio Los Angeles DJs Lord Tim Hudson and Wolfman Jack...
- Paul Stellings.
- Julian Watson.
- Stuart Cocker.
- Steve Jessney.
- Jools Slater.
- Dave Henderson.
External links
- Vixen101.co.uk - Vixen 101 Official site.
- vixen87.karoo.net - Vixen 87 site.
- myspace.com/thefoxsdenshow - The Fox's Den Show, Myspace page.
- vixen87communityradio.org - Licence application site.
- seasideradio.co.uk - Launch pictures and other details on Seaside FM's website.
- seasideradio.co.uk - Founder members picture on Seaside FM's website.