Passion 107.9
Encyclopedia
Glide FM 107.9 is an Independent Local Radio
station broadcasting in Oxfordshire
, United Kingdom
on FM
, and online. It is aimed at "under 30 professionals" with a "female skew", and is a music-heavy station with only limited speech and seven hours per week of specialist music (fulfilled by a nightly "chillout" show) as required by Ofcom
. Glide FM competes with Heart Thames Valley
, BBC Oxford
and sister station Jack FM Oxfordshire
in Oxfordshire.
Previously known under a variety of names (see history), most recently Oxford's FM 107.9, the station launched in its current incarnation on 18 August 2010 following a publicity stunt playing only songs from the TV series Glee
.
The origins of the station lie in a student radio station, Oxygen 107.9 which was acquired in late 2000 by Fusion Radio Holdings, which rebranded the station as Fusion 107.9. Fusion merged with the Milestone Group
in 2003 and the station was relaunched as Passion 107.9 (and is still legally known as Passion Radio), but was sold to Absolute Radio International in 2006. The station is based at 270 Woodstock Road in north Oxford
, formerly the site of Six TV
- The Oxford Channel and shared with Jack FM Oxfordshire
.
contestant Eugene Sully (who also worked for the Sussex
-based station Passion Radio
) 'took over' the airwaves and played The Muppets
' 'Mahna Mahna' non-stop for six hours until Passion FM managers came round to his way of thinking that better music was played on the station, and to be hired as a chief engineer there. This was supposedly a stunt to highlight the relaunch of the station.
On 16 August 2010 the station became Glee FM, playing only music from the US TV series, Glee
. The stunt attracted media attention from across the country and even in America, with stories appearing on Digital Spy
, Sky News
, The New York Post and even "celebrity blogger" Perez Hilton
noting the station's launch. For "legal reasons" the station ceased broadcasting at 5pm on 18 August, relaunching as Glide FM shortly afterwards.
to change the station's format to one for over 45-year-olds. The station argued the "transient" nature of students makes it commercially difficult to market a radio station to an audience that leaves the city each year. Several fans of late night "specialist" shows responded to Ofcom's public consultation as well as local business owners. Ofcom considered this, but the Radio Licensing Committee has rejected this proposal. The station responded by saying that changes it had made meant the format change had become less necessary.
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 broadcasting in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 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"...
, and online. It is aimed at "under 30 professionals" with a "female skew", and is a music-heavy station with only limited speech and seven hours per week of specialist music (fulfilled by a nightly "chillout" show) as required by 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...
. Glide FM competes with Heart Thames Valley
Heart Thames Valley
Heart Thames Valley is an Independent Local Radio Station serving Berkshire, Oxfordshire, north Hampshire and parts of west Buckinghamshire from studios in Reading, southern England...
, BBC Oxford
BBC Oxford
BBC Oxford is the name given to the sub-opt out region serving Oxford and the surrounding areas. Its services include:*BBC Oxford News, the local news service called BBC Oxford on screen...
and sister station Jack FM Oxfordshire
106 Jack FM (Oxfordshire)
106 Jack FM is an English language adult hits format radio station that broadcasts on 106.8 MHz FM in Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. The station is branded as Jack FM...
in Oxfordshire.
Previously known under a variety of names (see history), most recently Oxford's FM 107.9, the station launched in its current incarnation on 18 August 2010 following a publicity stunt playing only songs from the TV series Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
.
History
Milestone Group
The Milestone Group is a British Technology company. Originally a cross media proprietor who had holdings in radio, publishing and television, it now focuses on digital solutions and creates websites and mobile applications...
in 2003 and the station was relaunched as Passion 107.9 (and is still legally known as Passion Radio), but was sold to Absolute Radio International in 2006. The station is based at 270 Woodstock Road in north Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, formerly the site of Six TV
Six TV
Six TV was the sixth free to air terrestrial television channel in the UK, broadcast in Oxford, Southampton, Reading and Portsmouth. It operated under a set of Restricted Service Licences and broadcast on UHF channel 47 in Oxford and UHF channel 29 in Southampton...
- The Oxford Channel and shared with Jack FM Oxfordshire
106 Jack FM (Oxfordshire)
106 Jack FM is an English language adult hits format radio station that broadcasts on 106.8 MHz FM in Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. The station is branded as Jack FM...
.
Publicity Stunts
In September 2006, former Big BrotherBig Brother (UK series 6)
Big Brother 2005 was the sixth series of Big Brother in the UK, a reality television show on Channel 4, in which a number of contestants live an isolated existence in a purpose-built house who try to avoid being evicted by public vote, with the aim of winning a large cash prize at the end of the run...
contestant Eugene Sully (who also worked for the Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
-based station Passion Radio
Passion Radio
Passion Radio is an Independent Local Radio station that broadcasts from studios in Worthing across Sussex on DAB Digital Radio and around the world on the internet....
) 'took over' the airwaves and played The Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
' 'Mahna Mahna' non-stop for six hours until Passion FM managers came round to his way of thinking that better music was played on the station, and to be hired as a chief engineer there. This was supposedly a stunt to highlight the relaunch of the station.
On 16 August 2010 the station became Glee FM, playing only music from the US TV series, Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. The stunt attracted media attention from across the country and even in America, with stories appearing on Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
, Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
, The New York Post and even "celebrity blogger" Perez Hilton
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. , better known as Perez Hilton , is an American blogger and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com , is known for posts covering gossip items about celebrities...
noting the station's launch. For "legal reasons" the station ceased broadcasting at 5pm on 18 August, relaunching as Glide FM shortly afterwards.
Proposed rebrand
In February 2010, the station's owners lodged a request with OfcomOfcom
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 change the station's format to one for over 45-year-olds. The station argued the "transient" nature of students makes it commercially difficult to market a radio station to an audience that leaves the city each year. Several fans of late night "specialist" shows responded to Ofcom's public consultation as well as local business owners. Ofcom considered this, but the Radio Licensing Committee has rejected this proposal. The station responded by saying that changes it had made meant the format change had become less necessary.
Awards
Won while under the branding of FM107.9.- Finalist: Rising Star Award - 2009 Sony Awards
- Finalist: Best Newcomer - 2009 Arqiva Awards
- Finalist: Best Speech Programme - Girls Talk 2008 Sony Awards
Present DJs
- Sophie Law (Glide's Morning Glory Breakfast Show)
- Joe O'Neill (voicetracked Drive timeDrive timeDrive time is the daypart analog to prime time for radio broadcasting. It consists of the morning hours when listeners wake up, get ready, and/or head to work or school, and the afternoon hours when they are heading home and before their evening meal. These are the periods where the number of...
The Glide Home show and "Chillout" Glide Chilled show) - Rosie Tratt (freelance presenter and news)
Past DJs
- Ali MarchantAli MarchantAli Marchant, born Alastair James Marchant, is a UK radio DJ on Oxford's FM 107.9, having won the station's 'Radiostar 2008' competition on 21 July 2008, and also DJs at clubs including Risa/Jongleurs in Birmingham.-Biography:...
(left March 2010) - Sarah Clarke (Weekend presenter)
- Mark Devlin (specialist show presenter)
- Kid Fury (specialist show presenter)
- James Ussher (specialist show presenter)
- Thom Weller (specialist show presenter)
- Spex (specialist show presenter)
- Keith T (Keith Thomson) (specialist show presenter)
External links
- Glide FM 107.9
- Media UK article
- Entry in MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- OfCom coverage map