Takeover Radio
| Broadcast area | Leicester, Leicestershire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.2 MHz |
| First air date | 5 March 2002 |
| Format | Youth Pop |
| Owner | Takeover Radio Children's Media Trust |
| Website | www.takeoverradio.com |
| Broadcast area | Ashfield, Nottinghamshire |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 106.9 MHz |
| First air date | 16 January 2010 |
| Format | Youth Pop |
| Owner | Sutton Youth Radio Ltd |
| Website | www.takeoverradio.net |
Takeover Radio is a community radio station broadcasting on FM to Leicester, to the Ashfield district in Nottinghamshire and on the Internet, specialising in helping children gain experience and direct participative involvement in radio broadcasting.
Takeover Radio 103.2FM was the first 'Takeover' station to be set up, which broadcasts to Leicestershire on 103.2FM and Worldwide on the Web. Takeover Radio 106.9 was the second, and most recent 'Takeover' station to be set up, which broadcasts to the district of Ashfield on 106.9FM and Worldwide on the Web. Both stations have a 24/7 on-air schedule.
Created in 1996, it enjoyed several years output as a programme format on short-term temporary licence stations. Takeover Radio's first full-time broadcasting output was achieved with the award of one of the first 15 licensed UK Pilot Access Radio stations by the (then) UK Radio Authority in 2001. This was followed by the grant of a Community Radio licence by the now current UK Government regulator Ofcom in 2005.
Takeover Radio is the first station in the UK that gives children editorial control over their programmes and allows them to present the shows live. This rare gamble of giving them full control has paid off and has taken critics by surprise. Rather than hearing a mish-mash of songs and unstructured chatter, programmes worthy of any other commercial or BBC station are being formulated with behind the scenes guidance from a dedicated crew of adult radio professionals. The crew are trained to the highest ability putting together a professional radio show. Takeover Radio never has a shortage of young people wanted to get involved.
The brainchild behind Takeover Radio was Philip Solo, an entrepreneur and visionary with experience of business in the City of London. Philip's vision was to allow children to gain access to the media of radio and let them entertain their peers. Philip worked closely with business partner Graham Coley to create a station that would give a new perspective in children's radio.
The concept of Takeover Radio started in September 1996 when three children took over a Saturday night slot on a temporary radio station in Market Harborough, Leicestershire called 'Valley FM'. The station was run under the (then) Radio Authority format called Restricted Service Licence or RSL for short term broadcasts (up to 28days). For 2 hours Ellie (15) [Fenian] (14) Sam (12) and Rayne (10) Menzies took over Philip's show by bursting in, tying him up and creating a 'hostage situation' in the studio. Inspector Lawton of 'The Radio Police' had to promise pizza and chocolate before they would 'release' Mr Solo and allow him to finish the last half hour of his show.
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