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   station directory latest radio news air today feedback features  |  Tuesday, 31st December 2002 Cities rise to new Vibe The cities of Bristol and Cardiff are set to rise to a new station from 1st Janaury 2003. The loss-making regional radio station serving South Wales and The West of England, Galaxy 101, was sold by Chrysalis Radio to new owners Vibe Radio Services Limited in September 2002 and will re-launch as Vibe 101 in the New Year. Vibe Radio Services Limited, a collaboration between local radio operators GWR Group plc and Scottish Radio Holdings, will bring their dance music station formula from East of England-based Vibe FM 105-108 to a new area. |
 Out There - but not for much longer: Galaxy 101 has been sold off  | GWR Group plc already operate Bristol's GWR FM and a succession of local radio stations stretching from the North Midlands and North Wales down to the South-West, whilst Scottish Radio Holdings control many of the local radio stations north of the border, such as Edinburgh's Forth 1 and Forth 2. GWR Group also own and operate national Classic FM. Galaxy 101's local-radio ancestor, FTP (For The People) Radio 97.2 launched in 1990, broadcasting solely to Bristol. After one year on-air, it was bought up by the Chiltern Radio Group (CRG) who relaunched it as Galaxy Radio 97.2. Later, CRG won the regional franchise for South Wales and The West and relaunched the station as Galaxy 101 in 1994. For several years, the station was owned and operated by Chrysalis Radio, following a short period of ownership by GWR Group plc while a new owner was found for the station (at the time, no radio group was permitted to own more than one FM station in an overlapping area, and GWR Group had just bought out Chiltern Radio Group, so was obliged to sell Galaxy as it already had Bristol's GWR FM in its portfolio). The 97.2FM transmitter will be kept, offering better reception in the city than 101FM. The Galaxy brand can still be heard across many regions of England. Vibe 101 will be heard on the Chrysalis-backed MXR regional DAB digital radio multiplex serving South Wales and The West of England, following a carriage agreement between the station's new owners and MXR. Related links: audio memories from Galaxy 101, on this website. guide to DAB digital radio, on this website. |
