''Radio Ceredigion'' () was an

Independent Local Radio Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. As a result of the buyouts and mergers permitted by the Broadcasting Act 1990, and deregulation resulting from the Communications Act 2 ...

station that was broadcast to

Ceredigion Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...

. It was broadcast across the county on 96.6, 97.4 and 103.3 FM. On 31 May 2019 the station became a relay of Nation Radio Wales.

History

From its launch on Monday 14 December 1992, the station broadcast a bilingual schedule with roughly half English and half Welsh output, much of it community-orientated, from studios and offices at the Old Welsh School in Alexandra Road, Aberystwyth. On 9 March 2010, Radio Ceredigion's owners Tindle Newspaper Group announced that the station would be sold off to the Welsh radio group Town and Country Broadcasting. At 9am on 19 April 2010, broadcasting ceased from its Aberystwyth studios and switched to Town and Country's West Wales studios in Narberth, Pembrokeshire (also the base for Radio Pembrokeshire and Radio Carmarthenshire). After a short transition period, a daytime programming service was launched. A proposal to reduce Welsh language programming on the station from 50% to 10% was rejected by the broadcasting regulator

OFCOM The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, internet, telecommunications and mail, postal industries of the United Kingdom. Ofcom has wide-rang ...

in 2011 but subsequently permitted following further requests. As of March 2016, Radio Ceredigion aired a one-hour Welsh language music show on Sunday nights. In September 2016, Nation Broadcasting announced plans to relocate Radio Ceredigion and its two sister services from the Narberth studios to the group's headquarters near the St Hilary transmitter on the outskirts of

Cowbridge Cowbridge () is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, approximately west of the centre of Cardiff. The Cowbridge with Llanblethian community and civil parish elect a town council. A Cowbridge electoral ward exists for elections to ...

. The station switched broadcasting to the St Hilary studios at 10am on Tuesday 22 November 2016, although the Narberth site was retained as a regional sales and production office. In December 2018, OFCOM announced it had granted Nation's request to close Radio Ceredigion and replace it with a straight relay of its regional service, Nation Radio. Five months later, it was reported Nation had decided to retain the local service and would request to reverse its decision on the station's format. But in May 2019, Nation Broadcasting withdrew its format change request and preceded with its original plan to relay Nation Radio.Radio Ceredigion withdraws format change request, Radio Today, 31 May 2019
/ref> Radio Ceredigion ceased broadcasting on 31 May 2019.

Coverage

Radio Ceredigion had a total service area population of 74,000 people, and the station could be heard from Bangor through to Cross Hands, including parts of

Powys Powys ( , ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham to the north; the English Ceremonial counties of England, ceremo ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...

and

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

. The main transmitter was located at

Blaenplwyf transmitting station The Blaenplwyf transmitting station (sometimes written "Blaen Plwyf" or "Blaen-Plwyf") is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility located near the village of Blaenplwyf about to the south west of the town of Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, ...

near

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

and broadcast on 103.3 FM, with relay stations at Mynydd Pencarreg transmitting station near

Lampeter Lampeter (; (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigion, after Aberystwyth and C ...

on 96.6FM and Penwaun near Cardigan on 97.4 FM.

References

General References

An application for the Ceredigion FM licence from Radio Ceredigion LtdReference Offer for the provision of Transmission Services in respect of Re-advertisement of FM local commercial radio licence for Ceredigion

External links

* {{coord missing, Ceredigion Radio stations in Wales Welsh-language mass media Ceredigion Radio stations established in 1992 1992 establishments in Wales Radio stations disestablished in 2019 2019 disestablishments in Wales Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom

History

Coverage

See also

References

General References

External links