Sam FM (Swindon)
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| City | Swindon |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Swindon and surrounding areas |
| Slogan | We're in Charge |
| Frequency | FM: 107.7 MHz |
| First air date | 2 September 2006 (as Brunel FM) |
| Format | Adult Contemporary |
| Audience share | 3% (March 2016, RAJAR) |
| Owner | Celador |
| Sister stations |
Sam FM Bristol Sam FM South Coast |
| Website | Sam FM |
Sam FM Swindon is a local radio station broadcasting on 107.7 FM in Swindon and surrounding areas. The station launched in 2006 as "Brunel FM" and is owned and operated by Celador..
Its Lime Kiln studios at Royal Wootton Bassett, near Swindon, were used by ILR station Wiltshire Radio (later GWR and then Heart Wiltshire) from its launch in 1982.
In 2005, after radio group Swindon FM lobbied for a second FM licence for the area, Ofcom invited applications for a 12-year broadcasting licence. The Local Radio Company applied, proposing a station called Now FM. After being awarded the licence, it was renamed as Brunel FM after Isambard Kingdom Brunel, chief engineer of the railway which had converted Swindon from a small village to a large town. Brunel was also the previous name for AM station Classic Gold Radio (now DAB station Gold) when Wiltshire Radio / GWR-FM (now Heart Wiltshire) launched on FM. However, Brunel FM and Brunel Radio / Brunel Classic Gold did not have any connection other than their name and studio location.
Brunel FM launched at 10am on 2 September 2006, and remained under control of The Local Radio Company until its sale to Laser Broadcasting in June 2008, along with sister stations Bath FM and 3TR FM. Following the buyout a number of the station's staff resigned, allegedly due to lack of payment.
In October 2008, Brunel FM was sold again to South West Radio Ltd, following the collapse of Laser Broadcasting which went into administration.
In August 2009, South West Radio itself collapsed and was also placed into administration. Brunel FM was then acquired by YMC Ltd, along with Bath FM, 3TR FM, Quay West 107.4 and Quay West 102.4/100.8. YMC Ltd then ran the five licensed stations as a group, with local programming throughout the day and some networked output over the weekend. On 24 March 2010, the YMC Ltd stations were closed by administrators after multiple refusals on the part of regulator Ofcom to transfer the licences, amid a number of financial issues at the stations following TLRC's sale.
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