Everything about Virgin Radio totally explained
Virgin Radio, originally known as
Virgin 1215, is one of the UK's three
Independent National Radio stations.
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). 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.
Ginger Media Group and SMG
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 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. Interference is thought to come from around Europe, particularly Russia, which has a station on this frequency.
Presenters
Current Presenters include:
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 Beach 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's played on Virgin Radio, or to cater for an audience that's 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". The over-playing of tracks a practice which loses favour with some listeners. Tracks repetitively played by the station include "
Mr. Blue Sky" by
ELO "
Iris" by the
Goo-Goo Dolls, and "
How to Save a Life" by
The Fray.
On
12 April,
2007, it was announced that SMG are to sell Virgin Radio, to enable the company to focus on its television station,
STV.
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
1242 kHz - Cleveland, Dundee, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire
1260 kHz - Guildford, East Kent
SMG plc has launched a number of spin-off stations within its Virgin Radio Network. These are:
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 Groove
A radio station on DAB, Virgin Media, Sky and the Internet which plays motown, soul and disco music. Virgin Radio Groove closesd at the end of 2007. This comes after it was revealed that Virgin Radio Viva, which was due to launch on the new Channel 4 platform next year, aimed at 15- to 29-year-old women, will now not go ahead.
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
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 on DAB in London, the Internet, Virgin Media cable television and Sky Digital.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Virgin Radio'.
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