Commercial Radio AM / FM split

[Square Eyes]

Does anyone here know which was the first commercial radio station to split it's AM / FM frequencies to different services ?

I know that in 1988, Viking Radio the commercial station in "Ull" split frequencies and became a separate FM and Gold service on AM, and that they'd done it previous to that to cover different rugby / football matches.

But what of the bigger stations, Capital / BRMB etc ?

[wells]

You may find this page some help http://www.arar93.dsl.pipex.com/mds975/ ... split.html

Radio Forth in Edinburgh was one of the first to experiment with separate programmes, as Mike Lloyd, who worked for Radio Forth between 1979 and 1986, explains: "Festival City Radio was the first split frequency experiment in the UK, running during the Edinburgh Festivals of – if memory serves – 1984 an 1985. The station won a Sony gold for the event of which I was one of two production co-ordinators, along with Colin Somerville. FCR was created by Forth’s imaginative and somewhat whacky programme controller, Tom Steele and all credit to him. It was sponsored by British Airways."

POST EXPERIMENT - SOLID GOLD

The success of these experimental split frequency broadcasts turned the tide as far as the Home Office was concerned. By 1988, far from being wary of stations providing differing programmes on Am and FM, the government went as far as to declare the end of simulcasting, and unless ILR stations could provide different programming on each of their wavebands they would forfiet permission to broadcast on both FM and AM. This new policy led to a new breed of ILR service - the "gold" format radio station.

In August 1988 BRMB in Birmingham trialled split frequency broadcasting with 'BRMB GOLD' presented by Robin Valk on 1152 kHz AM from 6pm to 7pm, while Newsday was on 96.4 MHz FM at 6pm for thirty minutes followed by the The John Slater Show at 6.30 pm. This trial led to the start of a permanent split of BRMB's FM and AM transmitters in April 1989 with opening of a new AM station called XTRA AM. Read more about XTRA AM HERE.

[nwtv2003]

Pratically all of the EMAP/Bauer stations on AM have all dispersed with the Gold format and replaced them all with Magic, so round where I live I get three versions of Magic, one from Manchester, one from Liverpool and one from Preston. (Key 103, Radio City and Rock FM respecitvely)

[Spencer For Hire]

Pratically all of the EMAP/Bauer stations on AM have all dispersed with the Gold format and replaced them all with Magic, so round where I live I get three versions of Magic, one from Manchester, one from Liverpool and one from Preston. (Key 103, Radio City and Rock FM respecitvely)

And you get sent a Magic fluffy bug if you can spot any difference between them.

Incidentally, a quick anorak fact whilst on the subject of AM/FM splits... The Magic name was taken from Magic 828 in Leeds which started way back in 1990 when Radio Aire split AM and FM. It wasn't until 1997 that Emap started rolling out the Magic brand across its medium wave stations.

So there.

And just for shits and giggles, here's a lovely old Magic 828 TOTH jingle for your listening pleasure.

[Nick Harvey]

I'm trying to find an accurate date, but the Wiltshire Radio and Radio West merger was in 1986 and the split between the original GWR FM and Brunel Radio (later Brunel Classic Gold, the rest is history) on medium wave came very soon after.

Also, does anyone remember the date of all the legal wrangling over the use of the word Gold, and County Sound's renaming of their station to First Gold? That would pinpoint original split dates a bit more.

[Thames]

This website might help

http://www.thisisilr.org.uk

Look on the County Sound page and it says 1988 for the dispute with ocean about who had the rights to the gold name.

Also I remember from the time reading in the local rags for Guildford that they were the first ILR to split frequences

[Nick Harvey]

Yes, I know Sean Saunders' site quite well, but am not convinced his dates are quite accurate as regards all the legal wrangling.

As for the Surrey Advertiser, I'll pass on that one, thank you. I think the Wiltshire Gazette said that GWR were the first to split, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Kent Messenger named Invicta!

I know a man who designed a lot of the equipment used for splitting; when I next run into him I'll get the definitive answer.

[Steve in Pudsey]

Incidentally, a quick anorak fact whilst on the subject of AM/FM splits... The Magic name was taken from Magic 828 in Leeds which started way back in 1990 when Radio Aire split AM and FM. It wasn't until 1997 that Emap started rolling out the Magic brand across its medium wave stations.

And the Yorkshire Radio Network were the first to use the name "Classic Gold" as far as I'm aware for the AM services of Pennine, Hallam and Viking. Previously Great Yorkshire Gold (which had a fantastic jingle package - an old Radio 1 JAM package resung) and Great Yorkshire Radio.

[Square Eyes]

Incidentally, a quick anorak fact whilst on the subject of AM/FM splits... The Magic name was taken from Magic 828 in Leeds which started way back in 1990 when Radio Aire split AM and FM. It wasn't until 1997 that Emap started rolling out the Magic brand across its medium wave stations.

And the Yorkshire Radio Network were the first to use the name "Classic Gold" as far as I'm aware for the AM services of Pennine, Hallam and Viking. Previously Great Yorkshire Gold (which had a fantastic jingle package - an old Radio 1 JAM package resung) and Great Yorkshire Radio.

There was a Viking Gold before it came under the Classic Gold banner. Was there a Pennine & Hallam Gold ?

[Nick Harvey]

Crikey, those were the days!

Do you want to buy a caravan?

[Steve in Pudsey]

There was a Viking Gold before it came under the Classic Gold banner. Was there a Pennine & Hallam Gold ?

IIRC Viking launched first, then the name was changed then the service was networked to Pennine and Hallam.