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Vibe 1, formerly known as Stafford FM, is a local community radio station serving Mid Stafford, Staffordshire, England, operated by Stafford Radio Broadcasting Limited under licence from Ofcom. It broadcasts on 107.3 FM to a 5mile radius of Stafford, encompassing Stone, Eccleshall, Penkridge and online. The station was one of two to apply in 2014 for an FM community radio licence to cover Stafford, and on the 3 October 2014 they were awarded the licence to broadcast from 24 April 2015.

History

Vibe 1 was first born out of an idea by former Signal Radio presenter, Ray Crowther, to apply for an FM licence to broadcast to Stafford.

1990s

There have been a number of volunteer-run radio broadcasting projects in the area at intervals over nearly 20 years, and many of the volunteers have taken part in several of them. An experimental project called the Stafford Broadcasting Society carried out a restricted service licence (RSL) broadcast in the mid-1990s, using a transmitter near Hopton.

2001-2003

Stafford FM was first set up in 2001 and 28-day RSL FM trials followed on 103.6FM, serving Stafford and the surrounding area from studios in Gaol Mews and a transmitter near Hopton. It aimed to gain a permanent small-scale commercial radio licence from the then regulator, the Radio Authority. A total of four RSLs at six-month intervals were carried out between 2001 and 2003. By then the Radio Authority had been replaced by Ofcom, which announced that no more small-scale commercial radio licences were going to be handed out, so the project was put on ice indefinitely.

Between 2003 and 2012, Super Radio was in operation. Broadcasting by streaming on the internet, the station kept local radio in Stafford going.

2011-2012

Stafford FM re-emerged as a community station in 2011, launching online, the station was based in studios on Marston Road, Stafford. While at the Marston Road studios, the station held three RSL licences, using a transmitter at the same Hopton site as the earlier project. This was in an attempt to gain a community radio licence for the town.

XL FM

As a result of having to leave the studio building in December 2012, Stafford FM went off air for a time, until, on Sunday 3 February 2013, the station re-launched as XL FM. This was branded under a re-structuring, and the station promised a variety of shows and a wide range of music. However, it was announced on 19 August 2013 that the station would revert to its original name.<ref>http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk/XL-FM-reverts-original-Stafford-FM/story-20158361-detail/story.html

Stafford FM

On 25 April 2015, Stafford FM launched on 107.3FM with Ray Crowther, Stu Haycock, Ian Keeley and Maxine Mallen on the main daytime schedule.

Vibe 1 - Radio for Mid Staffordshire

On 22 April 2024, the station rebranded to Vibe 1 to embrace the wider Mid Staffordshire areas of Stone, Eccleshall, Gnosall and Penkridge, and the growing digital market. Stafford FM no longer reflected the changing radio landscape, nor the area it was covering through its online offering. The station's key commitments and its values have remained unchanged and it continues to work with local advertisers, community groups, charities and civic organisations to make radio accessible to the people of Mid Staffordshire.

References

1. http://radiotoday.co.uk/2013/01/stafford-station-re-structures-for-2013/ Radio Today | Stafford station re-structures for 2013

External links

• www.vibe1.uk

• 2011 establishments in England
• Community radio stations in the United Kingdom
• Radio stations established in 2011
• Radio stations in Staffordshire
• Stafford