Pirate FM
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| Pirate FM | |
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| Broadcast area | Cornwall |
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| Branding | Cornwall's Pirate FM |
| Frequency | 102.2 MHz, 102.8 MHz |
| First air date | April 3, 1992 |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Audience share | 14.70% (December 2007, [1]) |
| Owner | UKRD Group |
Pirate FM is one of the Independent Local Radio stations for Cornwall. It plays a range of music styles from 60's to present day.
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[edit] Background
The station was launched in 1992 under the name of Pirate FM102 with the voice of breakfast presenter Roger Day (a well-known ex-pirate DJ from Radio Caroline and Radio Northsea International). The station's launch Chief Executive was Mike Powell who specified digital technology so advanced at the time that it was featured on the BBC science programme, Tomorrow's World.
The station's initial sales director, Joseph Swain, would go on to become Managing Director when Mike Powell moved on to build up the UKRD Group of radio stations - Pirate being the group's first licence win.
Many awards have been picked up by presenters, directors, and news. A notable one is The Sony Radio Academy Awards (nicknamed the Radio Oscars) where it picked up the gold award for station of the year (300,000- 1,000,000 TSA) in the year 2003 and again in 2006. Also the much talked about Hairy Fairy scooped Silver at the Sonys in the Competition category in 2007.
In July 2006, Pirate FM saw its monopoly of Cornwall diminish as Atlantic FM launched, covering exactly the same area and seeking to appeal to Pirate's target audience.
In September 2005 the stations branding changed fromThe Southwest's Pirate FM to Cornwall's Pirate FM. Listeners appear to have increased in Cornwall following the move, however, it took a chunk out of their loyal fan base in West Devon and Plymouth where before the rebrand Pirate had a separate office/ studios located.
The Pirate Trust is the charitable arm of Pirate FM that raises thousands of pounds yearly that stays in Cornwall with their 'Cornwall in Need Appeal' Yearly fundraisers include the Garden Party' and the all day on air auction known as 'Radiothon'.
[edit] Presenters & Programming
Current presenters include Bob McCreadie, Allen Fleckney (known as Fleckers), Neil Caddy, James Dundon (known as Dunders), Katherine Le Jeune (known as KLJ), James Martin, Dave Gould, Kirsten Maun, Jim Colvin, Andy Maple & Tony Townsend. The station manager is Beverley Warne.
All programming is locally produced, with the exception of Sundays, where networked programmes "Hit 40 UK" and "Totally 80s" are broadcast between 4pm and 9pm.
[edit] Shows
Monday-Friday
00:00-06:00 Through the Night
06:00-10:00 Bob McCreadie for Breakfast with Tristan Hunkin. Produced by James Martin. Travel with Dave Gould.
10:00-14:00 Getting Through Your Workday With Fleckers
14:00-18:00 Neil Caddy's Drivetime including Travel with Dave Gould
18:00-23:00 James Dundon in the Evening
23:00-00:00 Love at Eleven With KLJ
Saturdays
00:00-06:00 Through the Night
06:00-10:00 Fleckers with Saturday's Big Weekend Breakfast
10:00-14:00 Dave Gould on Saturday
14:00-18:00 Saturday Afternoons with James Dundon
18:00-00:00 Saturday Night Cornwall with KLJ
Sundays
00:00-06:00 Through the Night
06:00-10:00 Tony Townsend with Sunday's Big Weekend Breakfast
10:00-13:00 Sunday Brunch with James Martin
13:00-16:00 Sunday Afternoons with Jim Colvin
16:00-19:00 Hit40UK with Lucio
19:00-21:00 Totally 80's with Gary King
21:00-00:00 Sunday Evenings with Kirsten Maun
[edit] News
Pirate FM has its own news centre which produces local and national bulletins between 06:00 and 18:00,Monday-Friday and 07:00-14:00 on weekends and certain bank holidays.
The news bulletins are broadcast every hour on the hour with additional bulletins at 06:30,07:30,08:30 and 17:30.
The current journalists are:
Tristan Hunkin (News Editor)-Bulletins: 06:00-10:00 (Monday-Friday)
Matthew Clarke (Deputy News Editor)
Emma Carton (Senior Journalist)
Natalie Stanton (Journalist)
Natalie Oram (Journalist)
Rachel Yates (Journalist) -Bulletins: All Day Saturday
One journalist presents the 11:00-14:00 news bulletins and another 15:00-18:00. These could be any from Matthew Clarke, Emma Carton, Natalie Stanton, Natalie Oram and Rachel Yates. Emma Carton presents the 06:00-10:00 bulletins when Tristan Hunkin is absent. Sunday bulletins can be presented by any journalist.
[edit] Transmission Details
Pirate FM's two transmitters broadcast different advertising output. The Redruth transmitter on 102.8FM includes advertisements for the mid and west of the county of Cornwall, and the Caradon Hill transmitter (on 102.2FM) covers advertising for the East and North of the county. Previously, Caradon Hill carried advertisements for Plymouth and West Devon as well. However, all other output, including news, talk and music is identical on both transmitters.
see also: Cornish media
[edit] Branding
Pirate FM's original jingles were sung by JAM productions, Dallas in 1992, which included the famous "Tamar bridges" Cornwall Theme Tune, which used to be played after Midnight and before 6am every day!
A new jingle package was first aired in December 2005, made by jingleproduction company IQ Beats. It was a re-sing of a previous package made for Heart 106.2 in London.
Its strapline is Real Music Variety which it has had for 5 or 6 years now. Previously Better Variety, More Music, The World's greatest Music and Greatest Memories, Latest Hits have been some of the straplines. Another strapline being used more recently is Love Cornwall, Love Pirate FM At launch, one line used on air tended to be The Latest Technology, and the best records too
