Mercury 96.6
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| Broadcast area |
St Albans, Watford and Hemel Hempstead |
|---|---|
| Branding | This is Heart |
| Slogan | Turn up the Feel Good! |
| Frequency | 96.6 MHz RDS: Heart___ |
| First air date | 22 October 1994 |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Audience share | 9.5% (December 2012, [1]) |
| Owner | Adventure Radio |
| Website | Heart Watford & Hemel |
Heart Hertfordshire (previously known as Hertfordshire's Mercury 96.6) is a local radio station owned by Adventure Radio and operated by Global Radio as part of the Heart network. It broadcasts to southern Hertfordshire.
In 2005, it was sold by GCap Media to the Adventure Radio Company although it still carries programming from GCap's successors Global Radio as well as having its website maintained by Global. The station was rebranded on Monday 26 July 2010, but as it is not owned outright by Global Radio, it operates as a franchise.
The Radio Authority in 1993 advertised thirteen new local radio licences across the UK, one being awarded to the St Albans and Watford Broadcasting Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the former Chiltern Radio Network. Based in Hatfield Road, St Albans and promising "classic and contemporary hits, sport, local and national news", Oasis Radio went on-air on 22 October 1994 as a complementary sister station to Chiltern Radio (Herts, Beds and Bucks)- both stations being receivable in its target area. Oasis played softer adult contemporary music than "The Hot FM" format from Chiltern.
In 1996, the GWR Group acquired the Chiltern Radio Network along with Oasis Radio, which was relaunched as The New 96.6FM - "Classic Hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s". The station took on the same sound as the rest of its 'Mix Network' group of stations, albeit with more 1970s tracks.
In 1997, the station was sold to Essex Radio plc and relaunched as 96.6 Oasis FM. Advertisements were taken out in local newspapers such as the Watford Chronicle and on the backs of buses in the area to inform listeners that they were "back after the break" - a cheeky comment on the previous management's incarnation, which did not have a proper name (The New 96.6FM) and which never really captured the listener's imagination. Capital Radio started selling advertising space on behalf of the newly relaunched station which moved to the Christopher Place Shopping Centre in St Albans.
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