Orchard FM
Encyclopedia
Heart Somerset was an Independent Local Radio
station serving Somerset
, England. Originally owned by (and officially remains licenced to) Orchard Media Ltd, the company was purchased by GWR Group in 1999, and who subsequently became GCap Media
in 2005. The station broadcast from studios at Haygrove House, Shoreditch near Taunton
, adjacent to the M5
.
2008 saw the takeover of GCap Media by Global Radio. On 20 January 2009, it was announced that Orchard FM, along with 11 other stations in Southern England, would be rebranded as Heart on 23 March 2009.
Presenters on the station included Bob McCreadie (who was Programme Director before joining Pirate FM in 2001) Steve Bulley (now with Wessex FM), Jennie Gow
(now covering MotoGP for the BBC), Steve Carpenter (now with Midwest Radio) Jon White, Mike Harwood, Dan Jennings, Tim Ley, Dave Gould, Robert D'Ovidio, Jeremy Kyle, Ian Burrage, Laura James and Ben Clark.
, begin broadcasting from Bristol on the same date.
. This is at 4 kW, mixed polarisation. The signal is highly directional, with the maximum ERP only being radiated to the south and into Somerset in order to prevent a coverage and thus programming overlap with Heart from Bristol.
Other frequencies are 97.1 MHz FM from Chedington
(near Crewkerne
), which is at 400 watts, but again directional in order to prevent interference with nearby Wessex FM from the Dorchester area, which broadcasts on 97.2 MHz FM. This transmitter exists to reinforce coverage in the Yeovil, North Dorset and South Somerset areas.
96.5 MHz FM radiates from a 60 watt transmitter located in the gardens of the converted house at Shoreditch in Taunton
, from which Heart Somerset was based. This transmitter reinforces signal in the Taunton area.
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:...
station serving Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England. Originally owned by (and officially remains licenced to) Orchard Media Ltd, the company was purchased by GWR Group in 1999, and who subsequently became GCap Media
GCap Media
GCap Media was a British commercial radio company formed from the merger of the Capital Radio Group and GWR Group. The merger was completed in May 2005. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. On 31 March 2008 the company agreed a takeover by...
in 2005. The station broadcast from studios at Haygrove House, Shoreditch near Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, adjacent to the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
.
History
In November 2005 it was announced that GCap's local radio stations in the South West, including Orchard FM, were to be sold. This is due to the fact that they were outside of the company's primary target area. This sale was called off in Spring 2006 because the bids received were much lower than hoped.2008 saw the takeover of GCap Media by Global Radio. On 20 January 2009, it was announced that Orchard FM, along with 11 other stations in Southern England, would be rebranded as Heart on 23 March 2009.
Presenters on the station included Bob McCreadie (who was Programme Director before joining Pirate FM in 2001) Steve Bulley (now with Wessex FM), Jennie Gow
Jennie Gow
Jennie Gow , is an English radio and television presenter, she was the presenter on BBC Sport's coverage of MotoGP motorcycle racing for 2010.-Biography:...
(now covering MotoGP for the BBC), Steve Carpenter (now with Midwest Radio) Jon White, Mike Harwood, Dan Jennings, Tim Ley, Dave Gould, Robert D'Ovidio, Jeremy Kyle, Ian Burrage, Laura James and Ben Clark.
Network restructuring
On 21 June 2010, Global Radio announced plans to close Heart Somerset and merge the station with Heart Bristol and Heart Bath as part of plans to reduce the Heart network of stations from 33 to 16. The final local programme was broadcast on Friday 16 July 2010 by long-standing breakfast presenters Ian Burrage and Laura James. The new station, Heart West CountryHeart West Country
Heart West Country is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Bristol and Somerset. The station began broadcasting on 16 July 2010 as a result of a merger between Heart Bristol , Heart Bath and Heart Somerset .-History:The regional station originally broadcast as three separate stations...
, begin broadcasting from Bristol on the same date.
Transmitters
The main frequency is on 102.6 MHz FM from the Mendip TV MastMendip TV Mast
The Mendip transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Hills range in Somerset, England, at above sea level. The station is located in St Cuthbert Out civil parish in Mendip district...
. This is at 4 kW, mixed polarisation. The signal is highly directional, with the maximum ERP only being radiated to the south and into Somerset in order to prevent a coverage and thus programming overlap with Heart from Bristol.
Other frequencies are 97.1 MHz FM from Chedington
Chedington
Chedington is a hamlet in west Dorset, England, situated on the A356 road four miles south east of Crewkerne. The village has a population of 82 and is administered as part of Parrett and Axe Parish Council....
(near Crewkerne
Crewkerne
Crewkerne is a town in Somerset, England, situated south west of Yeovil and east of Chard in the South Somerset district close to the border with Dorset. The civil parish of West Crewkerne includes the hamlets of Woolminstone and Henley...
), which is at 400 watts, but again directional in order to prevent interference with nearby Wessex FM from the Dorchester area, which broadcasts on 97.2 MHz FM. This transmitter exists to reinforce coverage in the Yeovil, North Dorset and South Somerset areas.
96.5 MHz FM radiates from a 60 watt transmitter located in the gardens of the converted house at Shoreditch in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, from which Heart Somerset was based. This transmitter reinforces signal in the Taunton area.