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95.8 Capital FM
Image:958capitalfm.png
City of license London
Broadcast area London
Frequency 95.8 MHz
Sky Digital: 0109
freesat: 719
Tiscali TV: 610
Virgin Media: 958 (931/932 ex Telewest)
DAB Digital Radio (London)
First air date 16 October 1973
Format Contemporary Hit Radio
Audience share 5.4% (September 2008, [1])
Owner Global Radio
Website Capital FM

95.8 Capital FM is a London radio station owned by Global Radio.

History

Early years

The station, which was based on the first two floors of the Euston Tower was originally named Capital Radio, and was launched by the then-chairman Richard Attenborough at 5:00 AM on Tuesday, 16 October 1973. Capital went on air just over a week after news station LBC, making it the second legal commercial radio station in the UK. The first song to be played on Capital was Bridge Over Troubled Water, by Simon and Garfunkel.

Broadcasting on FM and medium wave, it has used 95.8 MHz since its inception, while the medium wave frequency was originally 539 metres (557kHz). This happened to be the same frequency that the Dutch pirate radio station Radio Veronica was using, and the interference between the two meant that neither station could be heard clearly in parts of southern England or Belgium.

In 1975, Capital's medium wave frequency moved to 194 metres (1548 kHz) after Veronica had been closed by the Dutch anti-pirate legislation. As the British government encouraged an end to simulcasting as part of its plan to expand choice in UK radio, a separate service - Capital Gold - was set up in 1988 to broadcast on Capital's medium wave frequency. At the same time, the FM frequency station was relaunched under the name Capital FM.

Recent times

The station's headquarters in 2005.

In 1997 station moved from its original home on the Euston Road, to a new purpose-built base at Leicester Square. In 2005, the famous "Capital Radio London" sign was removed following the inauguration of new parent company GCap Media, but was reinstalled in January 2006.

The studios of 95.8 Capital FM are today based in Leicester Square, which is also home to Capital's new parent company, Global Radio.

The station launched its website in September 1996 - high demand led to it crashing within a few hours.

Beginning in late 2005, the station went through a number of changes. In December 2005, a new policy of two advertisements in each break to win favour with listeners, though there were more frequent breaks as a result.

On 9 January 2006 the station was relaunched under its original name Capital Radio, with a modified line-up of presenters and a slightly tweaked music format. After this re-launch turned out not to have had the desired success, a new Programme Controller was appointed in September 2006. Scott Muller came from the Nova group in Australia, and the station saw another tweak in style.

The new era has seen Capital re-branded back to "London's Hit Music Station", a play on the station's earlier brand of "London's Number One Hit Music Station" with noticeable improvements - leading to a rise in audience figures at the end of 2006. The station also changed its on air name to 95.8 Capital Radio, incorporating the frequency of "95.8" back into the station since it was dropped at the January 2006 re-launch.[1]

In March 2007 the station was renamed Capital 95.8 and its slogan became "The Sound Of London". The marketing campaign combined outdoor, cinema, and print adverts. [2]

RAJAR figures for Q2 2007 showed Capital 95.8 slipping to fourth place recording the lowest-ever share of the London audience and for the first time falling behind Emap-owned station Magic and Heart, now owned by Global Radio. Capital 95.8's audience share slipped from 4.6 to 4.1 per cent over the quarter.[3]

The station returned to the 'London's Hit Music Network' tagline on 10 December 2007, with ex-Virgin Radio presenter Greg Burns replacing Lucio on drivetime, and Lucio moving to the evening show. Lucio took over from Bam Bam who left Capital in early December 2007.

On 6 June 2008 Global Radio completed its £375 million takeover of Capital's parent company GCap Media.

Current Presenters


News staff

Editor
Matthew Schofield

Broadcast Journalists
Adam Edwards
Rachel Hardiman
Charlotte Hilder
Alison McGarragh

Newsreaders
Andy Hayes
Katie Henderson
Claire Miller
Tim John


Sport Correspondents
Phil Blacker
Mark Scott

Travel Correspondents
Hugh Broom
Jay-Louise Knight

Entertainment Correspondent
Jodie Ross


Previous Presenters

Presenters from the station's first 10 years (alphabetically):

Subsequent Presenters have included:

The following also worked on Capital's sister station Capital Gold:

Capital studios hold Hit40UK

Local London presenter Lucio Buffone, presents the UK national chart, in the Capital FM studios. He's one of the team at Capital FM & presents the evening show, broadcasting throughout London. Hit40UK is networked throughout many local stations in the UK, with radio formats being Contemporary Hit Radio or Mixed Hit Music.

See also

References

  1. ^ Capital Radio gets another makeover John Plunkett, The Guardian. 25 September 2008
  2. ^ Second stage of Capital 95.8 campaign UTalkMarketing
  3. ^ Radio battle gets hot at the top (Times Online)

External links

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