Laser Broadcasting was a
commercial radio
Commercial broadcasting (also called private broadcasting) is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship. It was the United States′ first model of radio (a ...
operator based in
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town.
In the 19th century, Darlington under ...
in
County Durham, England, which was active between 2002 and 2008.
History
The group was founded in 2002 by Nigel Reeve—one of the launch directors of
Classic FM and one-time chief executive of London News Radio, owners of
LBC
LBC (originally the London Broadcasting Company) is a British phone-in and talk radio station owned and operated by Global and based in its headquarters in London. It was the UK's first licensed commercial radio station, and began to broadcast ...
—and Nick Jordan, a media sales executive who previously worked at
Invicta Radio,
KMFM and the
Daily Express. Jordan left the company in August 2004.
Laser Broadcasting, via subsidiaries, held the licences for nine commercial local radio stations in the UK:
*
Bath FM
Bath FM was a local independent radio station based at the former Weston railway station in Bath, England. The station was launched in November 1999 and closed on 24 March 2010.
The station broadcast to an area with a population of 104,000. I ...
, in
Bath
Bath may refer to:
* Bathing, immersion in a fluid
** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body
** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe
* Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities
Plac ...
, Somerset
*
Brunel FM
Sam FM Swindon was a commercial radio station based in Swindon, England, broadcasting on the 107.7 FM frequency.
The station was formed by The Local Radio Company, who wanted to create a local radio rival to GWR FM (now Heart). It started ...
, in
Swindon, Wiltshire
*
Sunshine 855
Sunshine Radio is a local radio station, based in Ludlow, Shropshire. The station currently serves south Shropshire, north Herefordshire and north Worcestershire.
History
Sunshine Radio in Ludlow dates back to the late-1970s. In the summer of ...
, in
Ludlow
Ludlow () is a market town in Shropshire, England. The town is significant in the history of the Welsh Marches and in relation to Wales. It is located south of Shrewsbury and north of Hereford, on the A49 road (Great Britain), A49 road which ...
, Shropshire
*
Sunshine 1530, in
Worcester
Worcester may refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England
** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament
* Worcester Park, London, Englan ...
*
Sunshine 106.2, in
Hereford
Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a populatio ...
*
Quay West 107.4
The Breeze (Bridgwater & West Somerset) formerly Quay West and Total Star Somerset was a local radio station serving the Sedgemoor District, Bridgwater and West Somerset.
The station was folded into Greatest Hits Radio South West, as part o ...
, in
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a large historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. Its population currently stands at around 41,276 as of 2022. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies alon ...
, Somerset
*
Quay West 102.4/100.8 in
Watchet
Watchet is a harbour town, civil parish and electoral ward in the county of Somerset, England, with a population in 2011 of 3,785. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The town lies at the mouth ...
, Somerset
*
3TR FM
3TR FM (Three Towns Radio) was a radio station based in the ancient market town of Warminster, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. It broadcast on 107.5 FM to the West Wiltshire, East Somerset and surrounding area, and online via Internet streaming. It ...
, in
Warminster
Warminster () is an ancient market town with a nearby garrison, and civil parish in south west Wiltshire, England, on the western edge of Salisbury Plain. The parish had a population of about 17,000 in 2011. The 11th-century Minster Church of S ...
, Wiltshire
*
Fresh Radio
Fresh Radio was a local radio station broadcasting to the Yorkshire Dales in northern England on two medium wave (AM) frequencies and three FM frequencies. It was also heard online via the Fresh Radio website.
Transmission
Two of the three A ...
, in
Skipton
Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the East Division of Staincliffe Wapentake in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is on the River A ...
, North Yorkshire
After administration,
Begbies Traynor
Begbies Traynor () (until 1997 known as Traynor & Partners) is a firm specialising in corporate restructuring. They were formed in 1989, expanded through mergers and organic growth and were floated in 2004. The company employs over 700 people and ...
sold five of Laser's stations to farmer and property developer John Roberts, who was also the owner of Exeter-based
South West Radio Ltd
SouthWest Radio Ltd (or SWR) owned and operated radio stations in Wiltshire and Somerset in the South West of England. The company was founded in 2008 and was based in Exeter, Devon in the United Kingdom.
Stations owned
* Bath FM which serv ...
. He bought Bath FM, Brunel FM, 3TR, and the two QuayWest stations.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Bath FM.net All fact, no fiction: A potted history of Bath FMQuay West Radio set to foldWiltshire radio station's owner goes into administration
Radio broadcasting companies of the United Kingdom
Companies based in County Durham
Mass media companies established in 2002
Mass media companies disestablished in 2009
2002 establishments in England