Absolute Radio

Absolute Radio
Broadcast area	United Kingdom: National (AM); London (FM)
Branding	Absolute.
Slogan	"Discover real music" "The home of the no-repeat guarantee"
Frequency	1215 kHz, AM Variants 105.8 MHz (G. London) DAB - (Digital One) - 11D (England & Wales) - 12A (Scotland) Sky Digital: 0107 Virgin Media: 915 Freeview: 727 Freesat: 724 Tiscali TV: 620 WightCable: 851/9 Orbit Network: 127 Usen (Japan): CG3
First air date	As Virgin Radio 30 April 1993 As Absolute Radio 29 September 2008
Format	Modern AC
Audience share	0.6% (National) 2.1 (London) (September 2009, [1])
Owner	TIML Radio Limited
Sister stations	Absolute Classic Rock Absolute 80s dabbl
Website	www.absoluteradio.co.uk

Absolute Radio (formerly Virgin Radio) is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station rebranded to its current name at 7.45am on 29 September 2008.^[1][2]

The station is based in London and plays popular rock music. It currently broadcasts on mediumwave and DAB across the UK, on 105.8 FM in London, Sky Digital (channel 0107), Virgin Media (channel 915), Freeview (channel 727), Freesat (channel 724) and Tiscali TV (channel 620). It is also available in other parts of the world via satellite, cable, and on the Internet. Absolute Radio is a patron of The Radio Academy ^[3].

On the 27th November 2009 Absolute Radio launched the iTunes tagging service available on the iPod nano on 105.8FM in London.

History

Originally called Virgin 1215, it was launched nationally on 1215 kHz (although some regional transmitters used other frequencies) at 12.15pm on 30 April 1993.

The first song was a cover version of the Steppenwolf song "Born to be Wild", recorded by Australian group INXS. Richard Branson and Russ Williams were the first voices to be heard, live from the Virgin Megastore in Manchester, with Richard Skinner the first voice back in the London studios.

Some months later after the station launched, it also began broadcasting in stereo on satellite via Sky Television. This has continued with the switchover to digital broadcasting. Virgin Radio later acquired a local FM franchise for London, allowing it to broadcast on 105.8 FM in that area. This service launched on 10 April 1995 and initially carried regional programming for the London area, although this has now ceased.

Ginger Media Group and SMG

The station was then sold to Ginger Media for around £85 million, owned by Chris Evans, who was a mainstay on the station, presenting a breakfast show from 1997 until 2001. Evans sold Ginger Media to SMG plc (now STV Group plc) for £225 million in March 2000 and was subsequently fired by his new employer in 2001 for failing to report into work for 5 consecutive days while reportedly partying with his then wife Billie Piper.^[4][5]

On 13 June, 2006, SMG plc signed a deal with YooMedia to make Virgin Radio available on Freeview. It has always placed a great emphasis on other methods of transmission than medium wave, as the 1215 kHz frequency suffers from considerable interference, particularly after dark – BBC Radio 1, which used 1215 kHz for its first eleven years on air, moved to higher-quality medium wave frequencies (now used by talkSport) in 1978 mainly for this reason.

Sale to TIML Golden Square ltd

No 1 Golden Square with Absolute Radio branding.

On 12 April 2007, it was announced that SMG plc were to sell Virgin Radio, to enable the company to focus on its television station, STV.^[6] On 30 May 2008 SMG sold Virgin Radio to TIML Golden Square Limited, a subsidiary of the Times of India Group for £53.2 million with £15 million set aside for rebranding. TIML were given 90 days grace in which to rebrand the station.^[7][8]

On 1 September 2008 it was announced that Virgin Radio would be rebranded as Absolute Radio at the end of the month (28 September).^[2] At the same time some changes to the line-up were made known with JK and Joel, Robin Burke, Tony Hadley and John Osborne leaving the station and Allan Lake, Joanna Russell (of Trent FM's Jo & Twiggy) and Tim Shaw joining^[9], though Osbourne would return shortly after. However, listening figures revealed for the final quarter of 2008 have revealed that almost 1/5th of former Virgin Radio listeners have been lost since the rebranding to Absolute Radio. [2]

Presenters

No 1 Golden Square with "Virgin Radio" branding, 1993 - 2008.

• Christian O'Connell - Weekdays 6-10am and Sundays 5-8pm
• Russ Williams - Weekdays 10am-1pm and Saturdays 2pm-6pm
• Nick Jackson - Weekdays 1pm-5pm
• Geoff Lloyd - Geoff Lloyd's Hometime Show - Mondays-Thursdays 5pm-8pm, Fridays 5pm-7pm
• Ben Jones - Mondays-Thursdays 8pm-11pm, Friday 7pm-10pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm
• Iain Lee - Iain Lee's 2 Hour Long Late Night Radio Show Mondays-Thursdays 11pm-1am, Sundays 12am-1am
• Mark Crossley - Mondays-Thursdays 1am-6am, Fridays-Saturdays 10pm-1am
• Polly James - Saturdays-Sundays 1am-6am
• Neil Francis - Saturdays 6am-8am
• Frank Skinner - Saturdays 8am-10am, Sundays 10pm-11pm
• Leona Graham - Saturdays 6pm-10pm and Sundays 12pm-5pm
• Sarah Champion - Sundays 6am-10am
• Dave Gorman - Sundays 10am-12pm & 11pm-12am
• Lucio Buffone - cover DJ
• Graeme Smith - cover DJ

News staff

Former presenters

Virgin Radio's original line-up included Russ Williams, Richard Skinner, Mitch Johnson, Tommy Vance, Jonathan Coleman, Nick Abbot and Wendy Lloyd. Other past presenters on the network include Danny Baker, Robin Banks, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Greg Burns, Robin Burke, Martin Collins, Gary Davies, Daryl Denham, Chris Evans (who also owned the station), Mark Fox, Alan Freeman, Tony Hadley, Nicky Horne, Janey Lee Grace, Kevin Greening, Gary King, Phil Kennedy, JK and Joel, Jezza (aka Jeremy Kyle), Allan Lake, Tim Lichfield, Tim Lovejoy, Pete Mitchell, Al Murray, James Merritt, John Osborne, Lynn Parsons, Steve Penk, Vic Reeves, Jo Russell, Holly Samos, Harriet Scott, Tim Shaw, Richard Skinner, Suggs, David Tennant, Clive Warren, Sandy Beech and many others.

The station, its audience and playlist

Original Virgin Radio logo, used prior to October 2008.

Before the relaunch, Virgin Radio's former chief executive Fru Hazlitt, when interviewed for The Guardian (25 September 2006), described what type of music the station champions. When told of comparisons between Virgin and other MOR, or "Middle-of-the-road" music radio stations, such as BBC Radio 2, she remarked that "that was [during] the Chris Evans era. Now, it's pretty much mainstream rock festival type music. Razorlight, Keane. These bands are becoming some of the biggest in the world."

The station's output does mainly consist of contemporary British-based guitar "MOR" rock-pop bands, such as the aforementioned Keane and Razorlight but also artists like Coldplay, Snow Patrol and The Feeling. It also plays various other "Adult album alternative" artists from Britain, Ireland and America, like Oasis, U2, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rolling Stones, R.E.M. and The Killers, as well as "Golden Oldies" such as The Beatles, Queen, The Clash and The Who to name a few.

As a policy the station prides itself to true its rock roots – and it’s original frequency – by playing the very best music from the last 40 years which means they don’t do manufactured pop or R&B.

Absolute Radio's target audience is predominantly those aged 25–44.^[10] Its "spin-off" digital radio stations (see below) exploit the 'niche' musical tastes of this target audience, and leans on a particular rock sub-genre that is played on Absolute Radio, or to cater for an audience that is within its target demographic but are not served properly by the flagship station.

However, despite its popularity, the station has received criticisms for the infrequent rotation of its playlists. The criticisms focus around the playing of the same songs throughout the day, for example more than once on each radio "show".^[11][12][13] Since becoming Absolute, they have introduced the 'No Repeat Guarantee' to avoid repeating songs 'through the workday' between 10am and 5pm during weekdays.

There is an advertising campaign currently running on national television, which features Christian O'Connell and Hollywood actor Jordan Prentice as a music-mad security guard named Doug.

Frequencies

In a number of areas, particularly in areas where the signal from the main 1215 transmitters overlap with each other, Absolute Radio operates a number of filler transmitters on different frequencies :-

• 1197 kHz - Brighton and Hove, Cambridge, South Devon, Dorset, South Essex, Gloucester, Oxford, Nottingham & Derby, Medway, Merseyside
• 1233 kHz - Berkshire, North Essex, Northampton, Sheffield, Swindon, Gatwick
• 1242 kHz - Teesside, Dundee, Peterborough & Lincoln and around the Wash (Boston transmitter), North Staffordshire & South Cheshire (Stoke)
• 1260 kHz - Guildford, East Kent

The 1215 kHz frequency (247 metres) was used, in selected areas only, by the BBC Light Programme until 1967. It was then used nationally as the original home of BBC Radio 1 and from 1978 by BBC Radio 3.

Sister stations

During SMG plc's running of the station, the company launched a number of sister stations within its then called Virgin Radio Network. These are:

Absolute Classic Rock

A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky Digital, Freesat and the Internet playing classic rock from the sixties to the nineties. Absolute Classic Rock launched as Virgin Radio Classic Rock, with live presenters (Richard Skinner, Gordon Loncaster and Alice Cooper) by Lali Parikh.

Absolute 80s

A radio station on DAB, Freesat, Sky , Virgin Media and the Internet which plays classic hits, and is aimed at "reluctant adults" who want to reconnect with the tunes of their youth. Absolute 80s was launched on 4 December 2009.

dabbl

dabbl is a New user-controlled radio station broadcast on the Internet and on DAB in London from 7pm to 6am daily. Its content is chosen by members of Absolute's VIP Service, who select songs which are then voted for. Songs with the most votes are then broadcast.

All 'Absolute' branded channels broadcast on DAB in London, the Internet, Virgin Media cable television and Freesat and Sky Digital satellite television.

Ex-Virgin Radio/Absolute Radio spin-off stations

During the last year of Virgin Radio being owned by SMG plc's they removed some of Virgin Radio Network by closing them down. These were:

Virgin Radio Viva

Virgin Radio Viva, which was due to launch on the new Channel 4 platform in 2009, aimed at 15- to 29-year-old women, will now not go ahead.^[14]

Virgin Radio Groove

A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky and the Internet which played motown, soul and disco music. Virgin Radio Groove closed at the end of 2007.^[14]

Virgin Radio Party Classics

Launched on Thursday 15 June 2006, Virgin Radio Party Classics played party pop music. The radio station was based on Suggs' Virgin Party Classics show broadcast on Virgin Radio. The station closed down on Friday 13 October 2006.

All 'Virgin' branded channels broadcast was on DAB in London, the Internet, Virgin Media cable television and Sky Digital.

Absolute Xtreme

A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky and the Internet, playing new music. Absolute Xtreme was launched as Virgin Radio Xtreme on September 5, 2005, by Lali Parikh (Station Manager) with Steve Harris being the main on air talent.
On 4 December 2009, Absolute Xtreme by the 80s station, Absolute 80s.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Absolute Radio

• AbsoluteRadio.co.uk
• Absolute Radio YouTube channel
• Absolute Radio Last.fm page, showing a complete listing of most tracks played.
• Absolute Radio Player
• Virgin Radio International
• The launch of Virgin 1215 (audio file)
• The Radio Academy

v • d • e Absolute Radio Absolute Radio DJs Sarah Champion • Christian O'Connell • Mark Crossley • Neil Francis • Dave Gorman • Leona Graham • Nick Jackson • Polly James • Ben Jones • Iain Lee • Geoff Lloyd • Annabel Port • Frank Skinner • Graeme Smith • Russ Williams Former DJs Nick Abbot • Danny Baker • Robin Banks • Vicki Butler-Henderson • Robin Burke • Jonathan Coleman • Martin Collins • Gary Davies • Daryl Denham • Chris Evans • Alan Freeman • Janey Lee Grace • Kevin Greening • Tony Hadley • Nicky Horne • JK and Joel • Gary King • Jeremy Kyle • Allan Lake • Tim Lichfield • Tim Lovejoy • Pete Mitchell • Al Murray • Lynn Parsons • Steve Penk • Vic Reeves • Joanna Russell • Holly Samos • Harriet Scott • Tim Shaw • Suggs • David Tennant • Tommy Vance • Clive Warren Shows Sunday Night Show (former) • Iain Lee's 2 Hour Long Late Night Radio Show • The Geoff Show (former) • Geoff Lloyd's Hometime Show • Pete And Geoff (former) Related/other Absolute 80s • Absolute Classic Rock • dabbl • Absolute Xtreme • Virgin Radio Groove • TIML Radio Limited • STV Group plc • Golden Square