96.5 Radio Wave
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| City | Blackpool |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | The Fylde |
| Slogan | Today's Best Mix |
| Frequency | FM: 96.5 MHz |
| First air date | 25 May 1992 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 53°48′57″N 3°03′18″W / 53.8159°N 3.0551°WCoordinates: 53°48′57″N 3°03′18″W / 53.8159°N 3.0551°W |
| Owner | Wireless Group |
| Webcast | Live stream |
| Website | Wave965.com |
Radio Wave 96.5 is a British Independent Local Radio station that serves the Blackpool and Fylde coast areas of Lancashire, owned and operated by Wireless Group. The station broadcasts from a specially-constructed transmitter aerial atop Blackpool Tower. It was originally called Radio Wave and has also been known as The Wave 96.5.
In the late 1980s, local businessman John Barnett started lobbying the radio industry regulator for a distinct Independent Local Radio (ILR) licence for the Blackpool and Fylde area. The licence was awarded in 1992 and Radio Wave began broadcasting at 7 am on 25 May 1992 with an introduction from its founder. The first presenter on-air was Neil Sexton and the first record played was "The Best" by Tina Turner. The official launch took place on a specially erected stage in front of a live audience on the promenade by Blackpool Tower and featured Les Dawson and Derek Batey together with other local celebrities.
In its first year of broadcasting the station won a Sony Radio Academy Awards Gold Award and was commended in the Local Station of the Year category.
In August 1996, Radio Wave was confirmed by RAJAR as the most listened-to radio station in the area, ahead of fourteen other stations which were available including BBC Radio 1, which had half the amount of listeners locally. In 2000 Barnett received an MBE for services to radio broadcasting. He is now the station's chairman.
Radio Wave broadcasts from studios based on Mowbray Drive in the Layton area of Blackpool, with the signal coming from the top of the world-famous Blackpool Tower. The station can be heard from Fleetwood in the Wyre district, in the northwest corner of the Fylde, Preston to the east and Southport, 14.8 miles (23.8 km) west-southwest of Preston. Radio Wave can also be received as far north as Shap Fell in Cumbria.
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