New radio station in West aimed at ‘ignored’ boomer generation

A NEW radio station to initially launch in Bristol is aimed at the baby boomer generation to cater for those who feel “increasingly ignored and disenfranchised”, according to one of the station’s founders.

Boom Radio is launching on Sunday on DAB radio. It aims to attract half a million listeners in its first two to three years.

The station will cater for those in their 50s, 60s and 70s and will feature music “from across the decades, peppered with selected contemporary hits”, it said.

It will initially launch in London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and Portsmouth, with more locations to follow throughout the year.

Phil Riley, who co-founded the station, said: “We need only look at recent headlines to see that boomers, a loyal radio audience, feel increasingly ignored and disenfranchised by the current stations and programming available to them.

“This generation are the original tastemakers and influencers, and we recognised that they are calling out for something that better meets their needs, and delivers the right mix of content.

“We saw this gap getting bigger and so Boom Radio was created.

“Since then, we’ve lined up some legendary radio names, many of whom are like us wanting something to get stuck into something ‘pre-tirement’, and what better way to do that than launch a national station from home in a global pandemic? We’re proud of what we’ve achieved with presenters, partners and everyone involved in getting us up and running across the country. Testing is in the final stages before this weekend, and we can’t wait to see what boomers think.”

Former BBC Radio 1 DJs including David Hamilton and Nicky Horne are among the presenters who will appear on the station.

Co-founder David Lloyd said: “We set out to deliver something special with Boom Radio that resonates with boomers. With a presenter line-up that many boomers will recognise, alongside an eclectic mix of music, we know we’re meeting a very real need.”