Signal 1
Signal 1 is a British Independent Local Radio station serving Staffordshire and South Cheshire. The station is owned and operated by Bauer Radio, and broadcasts from studios in the Shelton area of Stoke-on-Trent alongside its sister station Signal 2. The station will form part of the Hits Radio Network from September 2020.
 | |
| City | Stoke-on-Trent |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | North and Mid Staffordshire & South, East and Central Cheshire |
| Branding | signal1▶️ |
| Slogan | The Biggest Hits The Biggest Throwbacks |
| Frequency | FM: 96.4, 96.9 102.6 MHz DAB: 12D RDS: Signal 1 |
| First air date | 5 September 1983 |
| Format | Hot AC |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| Sister stations | Signal 2 |
| Website | Signal 1 |
History
Signal Radio began broadcasting at 6 am on Monday 5 September 1983. The first voice on air was breakfast presenter John Evington and the first song played was Beautiful Noise by Neil Diamond.[1] Originally, Signal Radio aired as a single full service station on 104.3 MHz and 1170 kHz (257 metres). The station's name was derived from Signal, the local newspaper in the Five Town novels by Staffordshire writer Arnold Bennett.
Signal began broadcasting to south Cheshire on 96.4 FM in 1989, before opening a new frequency for the Stafford area on 96.9 FM a year later. The two frequencies began carrying a new alternative AOR-led service, Echo 96, in October 1990. Echo continued for around a year in Stafford while the Cheshire frequency was merged with that of the short-lived Stockport ILR station KFM to form Signal Cheshire in 1991. By the end of the year, the Stafford service was relaunched as Signal Stafford, carrying opt-out programming from the Stoke-based service.
In Staffordshire, Signal Radio began carrying a separate Golden Breakfast Show on 1170 AM in 1992 in order to provide separate services on AM and FM and avoid relinquishing frequencies. The AM opt-out gradually expanded into a full-time separate station, Signal 2.
Signal Radio was brought in 1999 by The Wireless Group, which was subsequently acquired by UTV Media six years later for £97 million. Following the sale of its television assets, the group was latterly brought by News Corp in September 2016.
In 2000, Signal's Cheshire service was split into two - 96.4 FM was merged with the Staffordshire service while 104.9 FM was relaunched as Imagine FM, a dedicated service for south Manchester and Cheshire, which was latterly sold onto become an wholly independent station in 2009.
Signal 1 celebrated its 30th birthday on Saturday 10 August 2013 with a special concert at Betley Court Farm in Crewe.
In February 2019, Signal 1 was sold to Bauer Radio
On 27 May 2020, it was announced that Signal 1 is join the Hits Radio Network from early September 2020.
Station information
Studios
Signal 1's studios are based on Stoke Road in the Shelton area of Stoke-on-Trent in a building previously occupied as a warehouse. There are seven dedicated studios as well as a studio used for live music recordings, shared with sister station Signal 2 and networked output for the Wireless Group.
Studio 7 at Signal Radio is also used to broadcast shows for other stations across Wireless Group.
Technical
Signal 1's main transmitter is at Alsagers Bank, broadcasting on 102.6 FM. As well as covering North Staffordshire and South Cheshire, the transmitter can be received well into the North West and down into the West Midlands, due to the height of the transmitter. Signal 1 also has relay transmitters at Pye Green, covering Stafford and the surrounding area on 96.9 FM, and at Sutton Common, covering Congleton, Macclesfield and surrounding areas on 96.4 FM. All of Signal 1's transmitters carry split advertising for their specific areas, and both Sutton Common and Pye Green are BT backbone link towers.
Signal 1 also broadcasts on the local Stoke and Stafford DAB multiplex 12D.
Signal Radio Media Academy
In 2012, Signal 1 lent its name to the Signal Radio Media Academy, a course run by Stoke on Trent College as a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Radio Production. For two days a week, the course is based at the Burslem Campus of Stoke on Trent College where the students also run their own radio station, Heatwave Radio. Teaching takes places both at the college in Burslem as well at Signal's studios in Shelton, with specialist input from the station's staff.
Outside broadcasting and events
Occasional outside broadcasts are made in a specially built OB studio on a converted bus. The station's roadshow unit has a self-contained stage and PA system on board. The Signal Radio Street Team also go out and about the area representing the station. Most Street Team members are part of the Signal Radio Media Academy and many have gone on to other roles across the network including presenting, producing and sales.
Signal Radio also hosts events for local children's charities every year under the Help a Signal Child banner.
Programming
Signal 1's local programming is produced and presented from its Stoke-on-Trent studios. Networked programming originated from Hits Radio's studios in Manchester. [2]
Local programming airs from 6 am to 7 pm on weekdays, 6 am – 6 pm on Saturdays and 8 am to midday on Sundays.
From September 2020, the majority of Signal 1's programming will come from Bauer's [Hits Radio] studios in Manchester.
Monday to Thursday:
| Time | Show |
|---|---|
| 1am - 6am | Non-Stop |
| 6am - 10am | Signal 1 Breakfast: Elliot & Matilda |
| 10am - 2pm | Chris Kirk |
| 2pm - 3pm | The 2 O'Clock Takeover |
| 3pm - 7pm | Dan Kelly |
| 7pm - 10pm | Olivia Jones |
| 10pm - 1am | Signal 1 Chilled |
Friday:
| Time | Show |
|---|---|
| 1am - 6am | Non-Stop |
| 6am - 10am | Signal 1 Breakfast: Elliot & Matilda |
| 10am - 2pm | Chris Kirk |
| 2pm - 3pm | The 2 O'Clock Takeover |
| 3pm - 7pm | Dan Kelly |
| 7pm - 10pm | Olivia Jones |
| 10pm - 1am | Scott Clarke |
Saturday:
| Time | Show |
|---|---|
| 1am - 6am | Connor Moseley |
| 6am - 10am | Matt Curtis |
| 10am - 2pm | Siany |
| 2pm - 6pm | Connor Moseley |
| 6pm - 10pm | Mylo's Saturday Night House Party: Danny Mylo |
| 10pm - 1am | Scott Clarke in the Mix |
Sunday:
| Time | Show |
|---|---|
| 1am - 5am | Connor Moseley |
| 5am - 8am | Sam Harper |
| 8am - 12pm | James Summers |
| 12pm - 4pm | Alex James |
| 4pm - 7pm | The UK Chart Show with Olivia Jones |
| 7pm - 10pm | Old Skool Anthems: Baz Todd |
| 10pm - 1am | Signal 1 Chilled |
News
Signal 1 airs local news bulletins hourly between 6 am and 7 pm on weekdays and between 8 am and 1 pm at weekends, with headlines on the half hour during breakfast and drivetime on weekdays. National bulletins from Sky News Radio in London are broadcast on the hour at all other times.[4]