Rallying cry to save Spirit FM

Furious local radio listeners in Chichester and Bognor Regis are demanding that the name of Spirit FM is retained – after new owners announced a major rebrand.

The station has been loved since its launch in 1996 and its local team, led by MD Sally Austin, are highly regarded across the community.

Listeners and radio insiders are worried that the changes could herald the death of the existing format they know and love and have taken to social media to insist that Bauer Media take heed of their concerns.

One supporter said last week: “By gathering support from the people of West Sussex we are hoping that we may be able to save the station and therefore the jobs of the presenters and sales team and keep Spirit FM as a LOCAL radio station for LOCAL people and so it can continue to highlight and support LOCAL causes.

“A 30 day consultation period started yesterday and we need as many people to make their voices heard during this time by signing the petition, contacting their local MP and generally showing their love and need for Spirit FM to continue.”

Readers of the Observer shared their concerns on social media with many upset at the possibility of the station becoming ‘less local’.

Some drew comparisons to the changing of Mercury FM to Heart in 2010.

Paul Porter said: “Don’t mess with a winning formula or you will lose all the local support, look at what happened on Heart.”

The Chichester-based radio station was acquired by Bauer Media in 2019.

The company has now announced Spirit FM, which broadcasts across West Sussex, will join Bauer’s ‘Hits Radio Brand Network’. The integration will mean that Spirit FM will rebrand as ‘Greatest Hits Radio’.

Dee Ford CBE, group managing director radio, Bauer Radio said: “Audiences love and trust radio. Expanding the Hits Radio Brand Network will ensure listeners to these acquired stations benefit from multiplatform digital distribution meaning they can continue to broadcast in an increasingly competitive, digital and voice-activated world.

“This ensures the provision of local news and information, traffic and travel as well as access for advertisers to highly valued audiences.”

The Observer, which is owned by Jpimedia, has no connection with Spirit FM.