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Tindle Radio
Tindle Radio is a media company which owns commercial radio stations and a DAB multiplex business in the Channel Islands and the Republic of Ireland. It has its head office in Farnham, Surrey, shared with Tindle Newspapers. HistorySir Ray Tindle acquired Island FM in Guernsey in February 1998, the first station of what was to become Tindle Radio Group. The business grew to own a dozen stations, mostly located in the South and South East of England. Between 2007 and 2010 four stations were sold, with the final five of the UK stations - The Beach, Dream 100, North Norfolk Radio, Radio Norwich 99.9 served Norwich and Town 102 - offloaded in 2013 through a management buyout, which resulted in the formation of Anglian Radio,[1] which four years later was sold to Celador Radio.[2] Tindle's last station launch in England was for Ipswich, but sold interests in new licences in Andover and Southend before they began broadcasting. After the UK stations separated, Tindle's radio division re-organised as 'Tindle CI Broadcasting', retaining its stations in the Channel Islands and Ireland. It remains part of the larger Tindle Group. The company launched its first digital station, Soleil Radio, on 1 August 2021. Channel 103 and Island FM also launched DAB+ simulcasts at the same time.[3] In 2023, the company acquired Bailiwick Broadcasting, operator of the Channel Islands' local commercial DAB multiplex. Radio stationsTindle owns and operates three radio stations in the Channel Islands, and one in the Republic of Ireland. Channel 103Channel 103 is a CHR/pop music station broadcasting to the island of Jersey on 103.7 FM and DAB+ digital radio. It broadcasts contemporary hits - mostly from the early 1990s to the present day. Local news bulletins are produced from 6am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-noon at weekends, with Sky News providing overnight and weekend afternoon bulletins. According to RAJAR it has the highest weekly reach of any radio station in the British Isles at 61%. Island FMIsland FM follows a similar CHR format to that of Channel 103. It broadcasts to the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm on 104.7 & 93.7 FM as well as on DAB+ digital radio. It broadcasts contemporary hits - mostly from the early 1990s to the present day. Local news bulletins are produced from 6am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-noon at weekends, with Sky News providing overnight and weekend afternoon bulletins. Midlands 103Midlands 103 is the Tindle Group's only investment in the Republic of Ireland. It broadcasts on a range of frequencies between 95.7 and 103.5 FM across Counties Laois, Offaly and Westmeath. It includes a varied output of mainstream music shows, topical talk and discussion and specialist programmes - including Country and Irish music, business news, and Irish language shows. The station produces its local news bulletins for the region during peak times, with evening (7pm to midnight) network bulletins produced by Bauer Media Audio Ireland. Soleil RadioSoleil Radio launched in August 2021 as an easy-listening DAB digital radio station for the Channel Islands.[4] In 2023 the format was refreshed and it now plays classic hits from the 1970s, 80s and 90s with hourly news bulletins produced from the Channel 103 or Island FM newsrooms from 7am-6pm weekdays and 8am-12pm at weekends. In August 2023, Soleil Radio gained an FM frequency for Jersey, 107.7FM. Former stationsDuring the 2010s, Tindle's former stations which broke away to form Anglian Radio were sold on again to Celador and later Bauer. They were rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio in 2020.[5]
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