Getting in the spirit
Protest held for radio station
A protest to save Chichester-based radio station Spirit FM was held at the Festival Theatre car park on Saturday. Campaigner Steve Freegard, a former presenter at the station, said: “Thank you to everybody that came out. The atmosphere was way different to what I had been expecting. Really, it was celebrating what was being done by the Spirit team. “The campaign was set up to try to prevent changes to the station including a complete name change by new owners Bauer.
A protest to save Spirit FM went ahead successfully and with a ‘terrific’ turn out, campaigners have said.
Guests at the protest on Saturday included Chichester’s mayor and town crier Richard Plowman, Bognor town mayor Phil Woodall and Bognor town crier Jane Smith.
The radio station was acquired by Bauer Media in 2019. The company announced last month 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’. The name change has been proving controversial with some locals – Spirit FM has become a much-loved brand since it was founded in 1996.
Headed by campaigners Steve Freegard, a former presenter at the station, and Kenny Smith, whose 50-day charity cycle around the UK benefited from support from
Spirit FM and raised more than £21,000 for charity, the event took place in the Chichester Festival Theatre car park.
Steve Freegard said: “Thank you to everybody that came out. The atmosphere was way different to what I had been expecting. Really,
it was celebrating what was being done by the Spirit team. We are really grateful to the two mayors and to the town crier for coming out and supporting it.”
The pair announced that the #Savespiritfm petiton would be closing on Monday (July 6) ahead of it being
delivered to Bauer on the Friday.
Jane Smith said: “It would be a real shame to lose the station. Spirit FM has been there for as long as I can remember. It has always been an amazing support to a lot of the events that go on.”
Chichester mayor Richard
Plowman described the turnout as ‘really terrific’, adding: “Spirit FM have been really great for the community. They have always been out there for us so I felt it important to support them.”
Graham Bryce, group managing director of Hits Radio Network Brand, said the company is ‘committed’ to local radio in West Sussex: “Local news, information, entertainment and remaining engaged in the community are our top priority.
“Our plans retain the local content that listeners value most whilst evolving the product to take account of changes in the market.the rebrand to Greatest Hits Radio is about ensuring local radio has a bright long-term future in West Sussex.
“Advertising revenue is clearly under pressure in the current climate, so it is also very important to local and national advertisers that they have access to the UK’S largest commercial radio network through the changes we are making.”