Absolute Radio

For other stations of the same name around the world, see Virgin Radio.

Absolute Radio

Absolute Radio logo
Broadcast area	United Kingdom: National (AM); London (FM)
Frequency	1215 kHz, AM Variants 105.8 MHz (G. London) DAB - (Digital One) - 11D (England & Wales) - 12A (Scotland) Virgin Media: 915 Freeview: 727 Tiscali TV: 620 Sky Digital: 0107 National Sky Digital: 0202 London WightCable: 851/9 Orbit Network: Channel 127: Freesat 724: Usen (Japan)CG3
Programming
Format	Pop and Rock
Ownership
Owner	TIML Golden Square Limited
History
First air date	As Virgin Radio April 30, 1993 As Absolute Radio September 28, 2008
Links
Website	www.absoluteradio.co.uk

Virgin Radio (transitioning to Absolute Radio), originally known as Virgin 1215, is one of the UK's three Independent National Radio stations. The station announced it will be changing its name on 28 September 2008, the new name being Absolute Radio.

Virgin are based in London and play popular rock music. The station currently broadcasts on mediumwave and DAB across the UK, on 105.8 FM in London, on Virgin Media (channel 915), Freeview (channel 727), Tiscali TV (channel 620) and Sky Digital (channel 0107 National/0202 London) and now on the new free to air service Freesat (channel 724). It is also available in other parts of the world via satellite, cable, and on the Internet.

Origins

Virgin Radio was originally called Virgin 1215 when 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 special version of the Steppenwolf song "Born to be Wild", recorded by Australian group INXS. Richard Branson was the first voice to-air, live from the Virgin Megastore in Manchester. The first voice in the studio was Richard Skinner.

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 apart from the London focused news, travel and weather.

Ginger Media Group, SMG & Times Group

The station was then sold to Ginger Media, 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 GBP 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.

On June 13, 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.

On June 1, Bennett, Coleman & Co. aka Times Group (an Indian media conglomerate) agreed to buy Virgin Radio (sans the Virgin brand) for $104 million with British radio consultancy firm and radio operator Absolute Radio UK as its British partner, although the financial backing for the deal comes from Bennet, Coleman & Co. The deal was expected to be formalised at a meeting of shareholders of owners STV Group plc (formerly SMG plc) in July.

Presenters

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

• Sarah Champion - Saturday 10pm-2am
• Jo Russell - Weekdays 4-6am and Weekends 10-1pm (from 28 September)
• Tim Shaw - Friday and Saturday 10pm -1am (from 19 September)
• Nick Jackson - Weekdays 4-7pm and Saturday 6-10am (moving to afternoon show after relaunch)
• Tony Hadley - Friday-Saturday 6-10pm (will be leaving after relaunch)
• Ben Jones - Sunday-Thursday 7-10pm (moving to 8pm-midnight after relaunch)
• Tim Lichfield - Monday-Thursday 1-4am and Friday 10pm-2am
• Geoff Lloyd - Monday-Thursday 10pm-1am and Sunday 5-7pm (will be taking over drivetime from 28 September)
• Christian O'Connell - Weekdays 6-10am and Saturdays 1-3pm
• Neil Francis - Weekdays 1-4pm (moving to 3 shows per week after relaunch)
• John Osborne - Friday 1-4am, Saturday 2-6am and Sunday 6-10am
• Russ Williams - Weekdays 10am-1pm
• Leona Graham - Sunday 1-5pm (Includes the Album Chart 1-3pm)
• Iain Lee - Sunday 10pm-1am
• Graeme Smith - Saturday 3-6pm, Sunday 2-6am
• JK and Joel - Weekends 10am-1pm (will be leaving after end of 2008)
• Robin Burke - Weekdays 4-6am (will be leaving after in Nov 2008)

Cover presenters

Cover presenters have included many notable people. These have included:

• Shane Richie bank holiday Monday show
• Keith Chegwin Cheggers plays rock
• Holly Samos various shows
• Jon Culshaw The Sunday night show
• Peter Jarrod (aka Peter Poulton and Bam Bam) The Sunday night show, The Geoff Show

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, Greg Burns, Martin Collins, Gary Davies, Daryl Denham, Chris Evans (who also owned the station), Mark Fox, Alan Freeman, Nicky Horne, Janey Lee Grace, Gary King, Jezza (aka Jeremy Kyle), Tim Lovejoy, Kevin Greening, Pete Mitchell, Al Murray, Lynn Parsons, Vic Reeves, Richard Skinner, Suggs, Clive Warren, Sandy Beech and many others.

The Station, its audience and playlist

Virgin Radio's former chief executive Fru Hazlitt, when interviewed for The Guardian (September 25, 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, 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.

Virgin Radio's target audience is predominantly those aged 25-44. 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 Virgin 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 its seldom rotating playlists. The criticisms focus around the playing of the same songs throughout the day, for example more than once on each radio "show".

Sale to TIML Golden Square ltd

On 12 April, 2007, it was announced that SMG plc are to sell Virgin Radio, to enable the company to focus on its television station, STV. On May 30, 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.

On 1 September, 2008 it was announced that Virgin Radio would be rebranded as Absolute Radio on 28 September, 2008. It was also announced that JK and Joel, as well as Robin Burke would be leaving the station and that Allan Lake, Jo Russell (Jo and Twiggy) and Tim Shaw would be joining the new Absolute Radio.

Frequencies

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

• 1197 kHz - Brighton and Hove, Cambridge, South Devon, Dorset, South Essex, Gloucester, Oxford, South Nottinghamshire, Medway, Merseyside
• 1233 kHz - Berkshire, North Essex, Northampton, Sheffield, Swindon, Gatwick
• 1242 kHz - Cleveland, Dundee, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire
• 1260 kHz - Guildford, East Kent

Spin-off stations

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

Virgin Radio Classic Rock [ Soon to be called Absolute Classic Rock ]

Main article: Virgin Radio Classic Rock

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

Virgin Radio Xtreme [ Soon to be called Absolute Xtreme ]

Main article: Virgin Radio Xtreme

A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky and the Internet which plays rock music, and is aimed at teenage males. Virgin Radio Xtreme was launched on September 5 2005, by Lali Parikh (Station Manager) with Steve Harris being the main on air talent

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

Ex-Virgin 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.

Virgin Radio Groove

Main article: 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.

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.

External links

• AbsoluteRadio.co.uk
• Absolute Radio Player
• Virgin Radio International
• The launch of Virgin 1215 (audio file)