Media UK

Radio Broadland

Radio Broadland broadcasts to Norfolk and North Suffolk on 102.4FM, online and on DAB digital radio. It is part of The One Network, owned by GCap Media.

Radio Broadland began broadcasting on 1st October 1984 and was created by The Broadland Group who already had experience in media, though little experience in the radio industry. To help ensure the station was a success, a number of people with radio experience from across the country came together to create the station. Russ Stuart came from Gwent Broadcasting as managing director, Mike Stewart came over from Radio West as programme controller and Robb Young moved from Radio Orwell in Ipswich as sales manager.

The first presenting team was comprised of Nick Risby, who joined Radio Broadland from Red Rose, Tony Gillham came from Chiltern and BBC Bedfordshire, Dave Brown from Radio Tees, Rob Chandler from Radio Orwell and Adrian Finighan from Radio Gwent.

For the first two years of broadcasting, Radio Broadland went off air every night at 10pm and then continued broadcasting the next morning. The station simulcast on 97.6FM and 1152AM for its first three years but in 1987 the station moved to 102.4FM.

In 1990 The Broadland Group took over Radio Orwell and Saxon. The stations were renamed SGR and to reflect the addition of these new stations to the group, The Broadland Group became East Anglian Radio.

Initially, Radio Broadland played both classic music and current chart hits, but in 1995 the decision was made by the East Anglian Radio Group to make better use of the AM slot. Amber Radio was created and played 60's and 70's music, leaving Radio Broadland to focus more on current and recent chart hits.

In 1996, GWR Group, who had been acquiring large numbers of radio stations and groups for around seven years, decided to make a bid for the entire East Anglian Radio Group which now consisted of Radio Broadland, SGR, and Amber Radio. After the GWR takeover in 1997, some major changes were made to the station including the addition of networked programming to the station and a new strapline 'Today's Better Music Mix'. The GWR takeover also resulted in network rebranding, as well as a name change to Broadland 102.

On 2nd May 2005, following rebranding of other One Network radio stations to fit with the era of DAB Digital Radio, Broadland 102 returned to its original name of Radio Broadland.

On 9th May 2005, following the merger of GWR Group and Captial Radio Group, Radio Broadland's parent company became GCap Media.

This information is based on the work from a now defunct fansite, created by Matthew Nuttall.