Xfm London

Xfm is a commercial radio station in the United Kingdom. The station broadcasts on 104.9 FM in London, on 18 digital radio multiplexes across the country, Sky Digital channel 864, NTL digital cable channel 891, and Telewest digital cable 965.

Related Topics:
Radio station - United Kingdom - FM - London - Digital radio

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Xfm describes itself as a radio station for "alternative" music, playing not only the indie and rock music that it originally built its reputation on, but also the more alternative forms of dance music and hip-hop. The station's roots go back to 1989 and a pirate-turned-Restricted Service Licence London station called 'Q102', which was famed for launching the career of Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq.

Related Topics:
Indie - Rock - Dance music - Hip-hop - Restricted Service Licence - Q102 - Steve Lamacq

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Following further Restricted Service Licences under the Xfm moniker, the station became full time on 1 September 1997, under the management/marketing directorship of Chris Parry and programming director/founder Sammy Jacob.

Related Topics:
Restricted Service Licence - 1 September - 1997 - Sammy Jacob

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During the following year the station played a diverse range of alternative music from its studios in Charlotte Street, but mass appeal was thwarted by the lack of awareness due to a poor marketing campaign which was compounded by the death of Princess Diana the day after its launch.

Related Topics:
Alternative - Charlotte Street

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It was taken over by the then Capital Radio group in 1998, and on 23 August of that year was abruptly closed down for four days (during which a test tape featuring mainstream soft-rock acts was looped).

Related Topics:
Capital Radio - 1998 - 23 August

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The station subsequently relaunched with a vastly more mainstream format, and a new advert featuring a friendly cartoon radio saying "Don't be afraid!" (A hark back to the inaccessible former format).

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Since that takeover Xfm has gone through a number of phases, including a period as a predominantly male-orientated station with sports output and puerile, "laddish" output which came to an abrupt end when the Radio Authority fined Xfm £50,000 when then breakfast presenter Tom Binns joked about bestiality on air.

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Capital Radio set about increasing Xfm's listening figures with famous DJs such as Zoe Ball, Dermot O'Leary and even comedy actor (and head of talk during the pre-takeover period) Ricky Gervais presenting variously during different periods for the station, but alienating some of its original listener base in the process. However, a variety of specialist shows, particularly in the evenings, maintain the original cutting-edge theme of the station.

Related Topics:
Zoe Ball - Dermot O'Leary - Ricky Gervais

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In recent years, Xfm has held 28-day Restricted Service Licence broadcasts in a number of British cities, including Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. On June 9 2005, the group was awarded a permanent FM broadcasting licence to serve the city of Manchester as Xfm Manchester. This service is expected to commence in early 2006.

Related Topics:
Manchester - Birmingham - Cardiff - Glasgow - June 9 - 2005 - Xfm Manchester

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