KMFM Maidstone
Encyclopedia
KMFM Maidstone is an Independent Local Radio
serving the town of Maidstone
and the surrounding areas in Kent
, South East England
. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group
.
(RSL) named Maidstone Festival Radio in the early 1990s, before changing name to CTR FM (County Town Radio), and, at the request of the Radio Authority, rebranding a third time to 20/20fm (after the A20 and M20
trunk roads that run through the area), following concerns that the station would be confused with the similarly named 106CTFM which had just launched a full-time service in Canterbury
.
Six applications were filed for the Maidstone and Mid-Kent licence by January 2003, with the winning application being declared as Maidstone Radio Ltd (20/20fm) in the spring. The station launched full time on 18 October 2003, reverting back to CTR 105.6 (the Canterbury station having by then rebranded as KMFM Canterbury
), under the directorship of former TLR 107.2 programme controller Jon Maxfield and many former KM Radio employees. Mike Russell was the first voice on air in 2003; the first song to be played was "Start Me Up
" by the Rolling Stones. CTR's launch line-up featured many of the members of the original RSLs.
The station was sold to the KM Group in November 2006 and then rebranded as KMFM Maidstone on 12 September 2007.. The station moved its studios and presenters, along with those of KMFM West Kent
, to the KMFM Medway
studios in 2008, following Ofcom
approval. The sales team are still based at the KM office in Maidstone.
The licence was extended for another four years in April 2010, taking it to 17 October 2015.
Like the rest of the KMFM network, the station was relaunched in September 2010 with new jingles, schedule changes and more emphasis on music.
. All other output is networked across the KMFM network.
Until 2007 KMFM Maidstone produced its own programmes during daytimes, before it joined up with KMFM West Kent to network all programmes other than breakfast. The stations joined together with KMFM Medway
to create a West Kent network in April 2009, before all programmes apart from weekday/Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons were networked across all KMFM stations in September 2009. In July 2010, Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons became networked.
News bulletins come from the KMFM News Centre during peak times, on the hour and every half-hour between 7am - 9am and 4pm - 6pm. Traffic and travel updates are broadcast just before the hour, and every 15 minutes between 7am - 9am and 4pm - 7pm.
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
serving the town of Maidstone
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
and the surrounding areas in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group
KM Group
The KM Group, formerly known as the Kent Messenger Group until 2008, is a multimedia company based in the county of Kent in South East England...
.
History
The station began life as a Restricted Service LicenceRestricted 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...
(RSL) named Maidstone Festival Radio in the early 1990s, before changing name to CTR FM (County Town Radio), and, at the request of the Radio Authority, rebranding a third time to 20/20fm (after the A20 and M20
M20 motorway
The M20 is a motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Tunnel and the ports at Dover. It is long...
trunk roads that run through the area), following concerns that the station would be confused with the similarly named 106CTFM which had just launched a full-time service in Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
Six applications were filed for the Maidstone and Mid-Kent licence by January 2003, with the winning application being declared as Maidstone Radio Ltd (20/20fm) in the spring. The station launched full time on 18 October 2003, reverting back to CTR 105.6 (the Canterbury station having by then rebranded as KMFM Canterbury
KMFM Canterbury
KMFM Canterbury is an Independent Local Radio serving the City of Canterbury and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:...
), under the directorship of former TLR 107.2 programme controller Jon Maxfield and many former KM Radio employees. Mike Russell was the first voice on air in 2003; the first song to be played was "Start Me Up
Start Me Up
"Start Me Up" is a song by The Rolling Stones featured on the 1981 album Tattoo You. Released as the album's lead single, it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the UK Singles Chart.-Writing and recording:...
" by the Rolling Stones. CTR's launch line-up featured many of the members of the original RSLs.
The station was sold to the KM Group in November 2006 and then rebranded as KMFM Maidstone on 12 September 2007.. The station moved its studios and presenters, along with those of KMFM West Kent
KMFM West Kent
KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England...
, to the KMFM Medway
KMFM Medway
KMFM Medway is an Independent Local Radio serving the Medway Towns and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:...
studios in 2008, following 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...
approval. The sales team are still based at the KM office in Maidstone.
The licence was extended for another four years in April 2010, taking it to 17 October 2015.
Like the rest of the KMFM network, the station was relaunched in September 2010 with new jingles, schedule changes and more emphasis on music.
Programming
KMFM Maidstone no longer broadcasts any local programmes. The weekday breakfast show is shared with KMFM West KentKMFM West Kent
KMFM West Kent is an Independent Local Radio serving the towns of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England...
. All other output is networked across the KMFM network.
Until 2007 KMFM Maidstone produced its own programmes during daytimes, before it joined up with KMFM West Kent to network all programmes other than breakfast. The stations joined together with KMFM Medway
KMFM Medway
KMFM Medway is an Independent Local Radio serving the Medway Towns and the surrounding areas in Kent, South East England. It is part of the KMFM group of radio stations in the county, which are part of the KM Group.-History:...
to create a West Kent network in April 2009, before all programmes apart from weekday/Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons were networked across all KMFM stations in September 2009. In July 2010, Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons became networked.
News bulletins come from the KMFM News Centre during peak times, on the hour and every half-hour between 7am - 9am and 4pm - 6pm. Traffic and travel updates are broadcast just before the hour, and every 15 minutes between 7am - 9am and 4pm - 7pm.
Networked presenters
- Nigel Ansell
- Tony BlackburnTony BlackburnTony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
- Adam Dowling
- Neil Faraday
- Si Kennett
- Bob Mower
- Kirstyn Reed
- Mike Russell
- Myma SeldonMyma SeldonMyma Seldon is a British television and radio presenter and voiceover artist.-Background:Seldon was born 9 August 1979. She has a 2:1 English/Philosophy B.A. from Leeds University...
- Benedict SmithBenedict SmithBenedict Smith is a disc jockey who formerly presented The Big Drive Home on Hertbeat FM every weekday between 4-8pm before it became a franchise of Jack FM. He presents The Saturday Show on the KMFM network and breakfast on KMFM Maidstone...
- Andy Walker
- John "Webbo" Webster
Former presenters
- Richard Adams
- Dave "Davey B" Bethall
- John Brocks
- Russell Card
- Richard Cave
- Vanessa Elms
- Kevin Field
- Chris Finn
- Helen Fisher
- Patrick Foster
- Louis Hurst
- Brian Jones
- Johnny LewisJohnny Lewis (DJ)Johnny Lewis is a DJ who has broadcast across numerous radio stations in his career including Radio Caroline and the KMFM stations.-Early Years:...
- Toby Mackenzie
- Jon Maxfield
- Moira Mitchell
- Ant Payne
- Neil Redding
- Sarah Thompson
- Richard Walters
- Rob Wills
- Duncan Wilson
- Colin Woolven
- Jonathan "LJ" Young