107.5 Sovereign Radio
Encyclopedia
Sovereign FM is a United Kingdom radio station, based in Hailsham, East Sussex, and operated by Media Sound Holdings Ltd. The station plays a selection of hit songs from the last forty years, and offers regular updates on local news, sport, travel and events. The station also works with a number of local charities and organisations, and can regularly be seen broadcasting from events in their transmission area. The station serves the towns of Eastbourne, Hailsham and Polegate - plus the many surrounding villages.
called the Earl of Zetland which was temporarily moored in Sovereign Harbour. Some of the original presenters included Gavin Lawrence, Paul Martin, Terry James and Zora Suleman
.
The radio trials were part of a campaign to demonstrate viability to the Radio Authority (a legacy regulator now part of Ofcom
) to advertise a full licence. The full licence was eventually awarded in 1994 to a group which included many of the original team. It was later acquired by The Local Radio Company
in 2000 and was, for 12 months, once again managed by co-founder Mark Briggs, who also managed neighbouring sister stations Arrow FM in Hastings and Neptune Radio in Dover / Folkestone.
Media Sound Holdings acquired the station from The Local Radio Company
in June 2009 along with Arrow FM, which serves Hastings
; both stations were operating at a loss. This adds to the two stations, Splash FM
and Bright FM which Media Sound Holdings acquired in April 2008.
In October 2009, the station relaunched as Sovereign FM. The station is now branded as a "feel good" station, like the other three stations owned by Media Sound Holdings.
In November 2010, Ofcom
approved Media Sound Holdings
's application to share all programmes across their four stations Arrow FM, Bright FM, Sovereign FM and Splash FM
, given that the stations "already share all programming outside of breakfast, so these changes will not substantially alter the character of the service."
Chris (also known as Coppo) had been on the airwaves across Sussex for over 25 years. He was a former presenter for the breakfast show on Southern Sound,which later became Southern FM.
In 2009, shortly after the Heart brand took over Southern FM, Chris moved to Media Sound Holdings to present the mid-morning show and revive his 'Retro Show' on Sunday afternoons. He moved to do the breakfast show shortly after that. As well as Sovereign FM, Chris could also be heard on the other three stations owned by Media Sound Holdings.
Chris leaves behind his wife Yvonne and two children.
History
The station began its life as "Sovereign Radio"; founded by Sussex radio entrepreneurs Mark Briggs and Matthew Wheeler, who established trial broadcasts in December 1992 and the summer of 1993. They located the second broadcast on board an old ferry from the Shetland IslandsShetland Islands
Shetland is a subarctic archipelago of Scotland that lies north and east of mainland Great Britain. The islands lie some to the northeast of Orkney and southeast of the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total...
called the Earl of Zetland which was temporarily moored in Sovereign Harbour. Some of the original presenters included Gavin Lawrence, Paul Martin, Terry James and Zora Suleman
Zora Suleman
Zora Suleman is a British television and radio news presenter, best known for her work as news presenter on the Channel 4 breakfast show RI:SE in 2003. Suleman became a minor Internet celebrity during her tenure at RI:SE due to her curvaceous figure...
.
The radio trials were part of a campaign to demonstrate viability to the Radio Authority (a legacy regulator now part of 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...
) to advertise a full licence. The full licence was eventually awarded in 1994 to a group which included many of the original team. It was later acquired by The Local Radio Company
The Local Radio Company
The Local Radio Company is a British media company, originally based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, that owns ten independent local radio stations in the UK...
in 2000 and was, for 12 months, once again managed by co-founder Mark Briggs, who also managed neighbouring sister stations Arrow FM in Hastings and Neptune Radio in Dover / Folkestone.
Media Sound Holdings acquired the station from The Local Radio Company
The Local Radio Company
The Local Radio Company is a British media company, originally based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, that owns ten independent local radio stations in the UK...
in June 2009 along with Arrow FM, which serves Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
; both stations were operating at a loss. This adds to the two stations, Splash FM
Splash FM
Splash FM is a United Kingdom radio station, based in Worthing, West Sussex, and operated by Media Sound Holdings Ltd. The station plays a selection of hit songs from the last forty years, and offers regular updates on local news, sport, travel and events...
and Bright FM which Media Sound Holdings acquired in April 2008.
In October 2009, the station relaunched as Sovereign FM. The station is now branded as a "feel good" station, like the other three stations owned by Media Sound Holdings.
In November 2010, 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...
approved Media Sound Holdings
Media Sound Holdings
Media Sound Holdings is a company which was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Uckfield, East Sussex in the United Kingdom. As of 2010 it operates four radio stations in the South of England....
's application to share all programmes across their four stations Arrow FM, Bright FM, Sovereign FM and Splash FM
Splash FM
Splash FM is a United Kingdom radio station, based in Worthing, West Sussex, and operated by Media Sound Holdings Ltd. The station plays a selection of hit songs from the last forty years, and offers regular updates on local news, sport, travel and events...
, given that the stations "already share all programming outside of breakfast, so these changes will not substantially alter the character of the service."
Chris Copsey's death
On 11 January 2011, breakfast show host Chris Copsey died suddenly. It is believed he collapsed in a Sainsbury's store, just hours after presenting his breakfast show.Chris (also known as Coppo) had been on the airwaves across Sussex for over 25 years. He was a former presenter for the breakfast show on Southern Sound,which later became Southern FM.
In 2009, shortly after the Heart brand took over Southern FM, Chris moved to Media Sound Holdings to present the mid-morning show and revive his 'Retro Show' on Sunday afternoons. He moved to do the breakfast show shortly after that. As well as Sovereign FM, Chris could also be heard on the other three stations owned by Media Sound Holdings.
Chris leaves behind his wife Yvonne and two children.
Presenters
- Richard Reynolds (Weekday breakfast, Sunday afternoon)
- Simon Osborne (Weekday morning/lunchtime)
- Rik Scott (Weekday drivetime/Saturday evening "Rik Scott's School Reunion")
- Chris Bailey (Weekday evenings, Saturday morning/lunchtime)
- Paul Williams (Saturday breakfast)
- Pete McIntosh (Saturday afternoon, Sunday evening "The Late Lounge")
- Anna Bingham (Sunday breakfast)
- Nick Osborne (Sunday morning/lunchtime)