Independent radio station announces expansion news
When we set up V2 Radio just over three years ago, our goal was to fill the void left by the closure of Spirit FM. So V2 = Version 2.
However,ofcomdoesnot allow new FM licences as it’s trying to phase out analogue radio. This is why Spirit FM was purchased first; the buyer wanted the FM licence to create a national station using local radio licences enabled by government deregulation.
When V2 launched, our only option was to broadcast on DAB via the Sussex Digital
Multiplex, which covers the whole of Sussex, much larger than Spirit FM’S original broadcast area.
Chichester is on the border with Hampshire, where our studios are based. Many people commute from West Sussex to Hampshire and further afield to the West, but the Sussex DAB wouldn’t cover this.
The recent conversion of Wave 105 into the same station that took over Spirit FM created availability on the South Hampshire DAB multiplex that we decided to take up. This means that Chichester will have significantly better coverage on DAB and that V2 can be heard as far as the New Forest for those commuting into Hampshire, live from Saturday, April 6, but it also brings us new listeners who want proper local radio.
To that end, we’ve decided to change our “core” target area for Local News, Travel, Weather, Advertising, and Vouchers to a 25-mile radius from Portsmouth to the West, Brighton to the East, and Gatwick Airport to the North. However, we will be inclusive of anyone listening further afield and online, as we always have been.
MD Justin Cottrell said: “We are now the only proper local radio station covering Sussex and Hampshire. We have extended our reach so that we can continue to offer the appeal across our region, with a specific focus on a 25-mile radius of Chichester.”
These changes will necessitate dropping “Sussex” from our name to be inclusive of those listening in Hampshire and reflect the changes to our target area. Aside from the expansion to parts of Hampshire, nothing will change on air. We are truly committed to being local to our area. We feel this small change reflects our new listenership, makes the most sense for us commercially, and provides opportunities for expansion in the future. We’re an independent local business, and we greatly appreciate your support.