96.9 Viking FM

Viking FM
City of license	Hull
Broadcast area	East Riding of Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire
Frequency	96.9 MHz (RDS Name VIKING)
First air date	17 April 1984
Format	Contemporary
Audience share	12.4% (September 2009, [1])
Owner	Bauer Radio
Website	Viking FM

Viking FM is an English Independent Local Radio station which has broadcast music and local information to the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire since 1984.^{[citation needed]} It is based in Kingston upon Hull.

Ownership

In 1990, The Yorkshire Radio Network, who owned Viking as well as Radio Hallam, Pennine Radio and Classic Gold), were bought by Metro Radio group, who were ultimately bought by media empire EMAP in 1996 and is part of their Big City Network of stations. As a result of their 2008 takeover of the group, Viking is now owned by H. Bauer Publishing as part of their radio arm.

Technical

It is transmitted from the High Hunsley transmitter on the Yorkshire Wolds, near North Cave, sharing the 200 ft tower with Galaxy Yorkshire and BBC Radio Humberside, as well as on the Bauer Humberside DAB multiplex from three transmitters, located at High Hunsley, Buckton Barn near Bridlington and Grimsby town centre.

It is also streamed over the Internet via Viking FM's website (listed in the external links), making it accessible to listeners from all across the UK. Worldwide webcasting has recently been suspended for licensing reasons.

History

The Past

It began as Viking Radio on 102.7FM and 1161MW. During the application process for the licence the station's working title was Humber Bridge Radio. In spring 1986, the radio station had to move to 96.9FM, the then residence of arch-competitor Radio Humberside, which moved to 95.9FM. In summer 1986, the station hit the showbiz big time by signing up the pop music connoisseur Paul Gambaccini. Viking was the first commercial radio station in the UK to introduce split programming so that it could broadcast rugby league commentary on Sunday afternoons on its AM frequency leaving FM clear to take the Network Chart Show. In 1988, Viking Radio split frequencies on a permanent basis and was transformed into Viking FM on 96.9 FM and Viking Gold on 1161 (said "Double-One Six-One") medium wave. The AM station later became Classic Gold, Classic Gold Radio, Great Yorkshire Gold and Great Yorkshire Radio. It is now known as Magic 1161 (said "Eleven-Sixty-One").

Current Management

Achievement

In 2005 the station won its first Gold Award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards for "Happy Hour"; a news investigation into binge drinking in the region. The won a Bronze award in 2006 for their series of programmes on subjects like ASBO's and street crime.

In 2005, Viking FM's Creative Team (who write and make the adverts) won a Vox Award for a Road Safety ad, in 2006 they won no less than 4 Vox Awards (Best Campaign, Best Use of Music, Best Media Production and Other) and the London International Awards for Sound Design. In 2007 they achieved a finalist place at the New York Awards and won a United Nations Award for Peace and Human Rights, one of only 4 given out worldwide.

Branding

Logos

The original logo depicted the station mascot "Eric the Viking", this was phased out in the late 80s when the logo style was shared with its sister stations. Currently the station's logo contains the "Bauer Radio splash", this is used to brand all of the groups Big City Network.

Jingles

Viking original package was produced by CBC Creative, further idents were made by Jam Creative Productions, Alfasound and Reelworld. Viking went through a stage starting in the late 90s of only using voice over sweeper production produced in-house, however, in 2006 a new sung package was commissioned. These new idents are from Jones TM in Dallas, U.S.A.

Presenters

Local presenters

Networked presenters

The majority of programming is presented and produced locally from Viking FM's Hull studios although In:Demand and AfterHours are produced from Key 103 in Manchester while JK and Joel's Saturday Night Thing is produced from Radio Aire in Leeds and Late 'n' Live is produced from the studios of Magic 105.4 in London. The Big Top 40 Show is produced by Global Radio in London for broadcast on over 130 commercial radio stations across the UK.

External links

• Viking FM
• History of local radio in Yorkshire. (Archived 2009-10-19)
• David's Transmitter World
• High Hunsley transmitter.