UKRD will pull the plug on Stroud station Star Radio today after announcing last week they will return their broadcasting licence back to Ofcom. The station will close down at 7pm, whilst the transmitter will stay on all weekend with music and a looped message about why the station has ceased broadcasting.
The station started life as FM107 The Falcon on 29 November 1998 but has failed to make a profit ever since, in a TSA of just 91,000.
UKRD Chief Executive William Rogers told RadioToday.co.uk about the reaction they have had since announcing the closure of the station: “I have been astonished at the level of support we’ve received from a number of people involved in the industry. Out the 50 or 60 emails and phone calls we’ve received only 2 or 3 have been critical of our decision. Generally the industry recognises that this is something that needed to happen in order to encourage the broadest possible debate.”
When asked if other radio stations will could follow Star and also hand-back their licence, Rogers is undecided: “It could very well be the first of many if Ofcom fails to grasp the nettle and produce significant change, but I hope this is the only radio station which has to close.”
All staff, except for one redundancy, has been re-located within UKRD.
Check the audio downloads section to hear the closedown sequence.