XFM Scotland

For radio station previously known as XFM Scotland, see XFM Scotland (2006)
XFM Scotland
Broadcast area Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Central Scotland
Slogan Music That Rocks
Frequency FM: 96.3 MHz (Paisley)
DAB: (Central Scotland, Ayrshire) Online
First air date 1 Sept 1992 (Q96),
8 Jan 2007 (Rock Radio),
Late Oct 2011 (Real XS),
7 April 2014 (XFM)
Last air date September 2015
Format Alternative music
Audience share 2% (September 2013, RAJAR)
Owner Global Radio
Website www.xfm.co.uk/scotland/

XFM Scotland (formerly 96.3 Rock Radio Real XS Q96 and 96.3QFM) was a Scottish independent local radio station owned by Global Radio. It was based at Baillieston to the east of Glasgow and broadcast to Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, West Central Scotland and Central Scotland.

The majority of programming was networked from London, with separate local weekday breakfast, drivetime and weekend breakfast shows produced specifically for Scotland.

The station ceased transmission on 96.3 FM at around 6:20PM on Sunday 13 September 2015, when owners Global Radio decided to hand the licence back to Ofcom.

History

The station launched as Rock Radio Scotland's first classic rock station by GMG Radio when they bought the licence previous owned by UTV Radio and branded as Q96, playing pop music of all types. The station shares news and sport coverage with associated stations Real Radio and Smooth Radio but carries emphasis on Renfrewshire issues to fulfill its licensing requirement, such as lead sport stories from St Mirren.

On 28 July 2011 it was announced that GMG Radio would be rebranding sister station 106.1 Rock Radio as Real Radio XS for its Manchester audience. Around the same time, the managing director announced his departure from the station and entered talks with GMG Radio on buying out the station along with a group of private investors.[1] Two months later, GMG announced the station would not be sold off and would be rebranded as '96.3 Real Radio XS' at the end of October 2011.[2]

Following the sale of GMG Radio to Global Radio, and the resulting sale of several stations to Communicorp to operate mostly under brand licences from Global, more detail about how this would affect Real XS was confirmed. Whilst Capital Scotland would be among the stations taken over by Communicorp, Real XS in Paisley would be retained by Global, alongside 105.2 Smooth Radio and Real Radio Scotland, with Real relaunched as Heart (with all Real stations) and Real XS taking the Xfm affiliation. This would result in XS retaining local programming at key times, but during networked hours taking these shows from Xfm London, as Xfm Manchester already does, rather than taking programmes from Real XS in Manchester, which is to be sold to Communicorp and carry on as a standalone classic rock station.

It was confirmed in March that the relaunch would take place on 7 April 2014. At other times the station simulcasts Xfm London content.[3]

Notable presenters

Local

Network

References

  1. ↑ "GMG swap Rock Radio brand for Real XS"
  2. ↑ "Rock Radio Glasgow to rebrand as Real XS", Radio Today, 27 September 2011
  3. ↑ "Date set for the return of Xfm Scotland", RadioToday 24 March 2014

Coordinates: 55°49′48″N 4°32′34″W / 55.8299°N 4.5428°W / 55.8299; -4.5428

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