LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System

LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System (LuckyFM茨城放送), formerly simply known as Ibaraki Broadcasting System (茨城放送), is a Japanese commercial radio station covering Ibaraki Prefecture. Following the installation of FM relay stations, it adopted the LuckyFM nickname and changed to its current name. The station uses the JOYF calls for the Mito station, while the AM relay station in Tsuchiura uses the JOYL calls.

History

IBS was founded in September 1962 and started broadcasting on April 1, 1963, when JOYF (1200kc, 1kW) started (its power was increased to 5kW in 1977). JOYL started broadcasting on January 20, 1965 (1560kc, 100W output, moved to 1460kHz in December 1972 and increased its output to 1kW). On November 23, 1978, in accordance with the Geneva Frequency Plan, JOYF moved to 1197kHz and JOYL to 1458kHz.

Initially independent, it joined the National Radio Network in 2001. Its corporate structure changed on July 20, 2011, moving to a new subsidiary company, IBS Co, Ltd.

On July 21, 2015, IBS applied for complementary FM licenses in Mito, as part of a move initiated by AM radio stations. The Mito FM station received its full license on August 13, then on August 17, FM broadcasts started. In conjunction, the station started using i-FM as its commercial name rather than IBS. A license for a transmitter in Hitachi (Takasuzuyama) was received on September 3, receiving a full license on December 3FM補完中継局i-fm FM日立局88.1MHz いよいよ開局!（IBS茨城放送）
015年12月3日のアーカイブ�
オリジナルURL
/ref> and starting on December 7. A preliminary license for a further relay station, in Moriya, was obtained on March 30, 2017,守谷FM中継局、4月に放送開始 茨城放送に予備免許（2017年3月31日茨城新聞クロスアイ 2017年4月7日閲覧）
/ref> then receiving its full license on April 6オリジナルURL
�� and started on April 7. i-fm FM守谷局88.1MHz 本日開局!（IBS茨城放送2017年4月7日）
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On March 19, 2020, Mito Ibaraki Initiative increased its shares in IBS to 45,83%. A disaster cooperation agreement with Radio Fukushima and Tochigi Broadcasting was signed on September 1.

On April 1, 2021, the station's commercial name became LuckyFM and changed its website. LuckyFM was added to IBS's corporate name on February 1, 2024.

Expansion plan for television broadcasting

Ibaraki as of 2025 has no commercial terrestrial television station broadcasting from within the prefecture. In 2004, the NHK Mito Broadcasting Station started television broadcasts exclusively over digital, giving the prefecture its first television station.放送普及基本計画及び放送用周波数使用計画等の一部変更（地上デジタルテレビジョン放送の開始に向けた環境整備）2004年6月9日総務省報道資料 2004年12月13日現在のアーカイブ


�� On May 21, 2020, IBS became a strategic partner in Ibakira TV, a prefecture-owned web outlet.

On April 10, 2024, it was revealed that, in the results of a research about usage of frequencies, that the digital tererstrial frequency formerly used by the Open University of Japan (channel 28, LCN 12, vacated 2018) should be used by IBS for television transmission. Obstacles for installing such a TV station are high, but there is a possibility to launch an IBS television station, under the grounds that as of 2024, most viewers in the prefecture tuned their antennas towards Tokyo, where the signals of the Kanto stations are more visible.業界外からテレビ進出　学長が茨城放送オーナーに　放大電波で地上波提案
- 毎日新聞2024年5月10日配信

If approved and if it broadcasts from the Tokyo Tower, the main transmitter will be located outside of the intended prefecture, which will cause in a significant amount of signal overspill to the eastern end of Tokyo Prefecture, parts of Saitama Prefecture and the Tokatsu region in Chiba Prefecture. A report will be necessary in case the station opens for reports from northern Ibaraki Prefecture where the hypothetical signal of IBS TV cannot be received.

References

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Radio stations in Japan
Radio stations established in 1963
1962 establishments in Japan
Mito, Ibaraki
Ibaraki Prefecture