The Beach (radio station)

The Beach is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting to the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft areas. It broadcasts from studios in Norwich and Ipswich. It formerly broadcast from studios at the junction of Hollingsworth Road and Oulton Road, in Lowestoft, Suffolk until 8 January 2017 when it was transferred to central hubs in Norwich and Ipswich along with sister stations.

The Beach
CityGreat Yarmouth, Norfolk, Lowestoft, Suffolk
Broadcast areaEast Norfolk and North East Suffolk
SloganThis is The Beach
FrequencyDAB 103.4 MHz & 97.4 MHz FM
First air dateSunday 29 September 1996
FormatContemporary
OwnerBauer Radio
WebsiteThe Beach

History

In 1993 and 1994, three restricted service licences in Lowestoft were operated and run by local radio volunteers, including some freelance radio professionals, with proceeds being donated to local charities. The station was called "Lowestoft Town Radio" (LTR-fm). LTR presenters included Martyn Lee and Steve Smart. Following 30-day trial broadcasts, along with similar efforts in Great Yarmouth, The Radio Authority (now Ofcom) created a new licence for the area. They granted the licence to the group behind the LTR, re-branded as "The Beach".

The Beach started broadcasting on Sunday 29 September 1996.[1] It has been voted The Eastern Region Radio Academy Station Of The Year three times.[2]

On 31 January 2017, it was confirmed that Celador had completed the purchase of Anglian Radio group.

On 5 February 2019, it was announced that Bauer Radio had acquired Celador’s radio division.

On 27 May 2020, Bauer Media announced that 103.4 The Beach, along with its sister stations 99.9 Radio Norwich, Town 102, Dream 100 and North Norfolk Radio will re-brand as Greatest Hits Radio in September 2020. It will have a weekday drive time show networked across the East Anglian Radio stations, with the remaining shows networked from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. No news on who this drive time presenter will be has been released.

Transmission

Transmitters are located at Mobbs Way, Oulton Broad on 103.4 FM and on 97.4FM from a transmitter located at a water tower in Blythburgh, Suffolk. A transmitter is also located at Havenbridge House office block in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk which also broadcasts on 97.4 FM.

The Beach is also available on DAB through the Norfolk multiplex.[3]

Programming

From 9 January 2017, all 103.4 The Beach's programming was shared with North Norfolk Radio, Town 102, Dream 100 and Radio Norwich 99.9, although the five stations now keep separate branding (particularly for local Travel, Events, News, Adverts and Commercials) with programmes broadcast from the studios in Ipswich and Norwich.

References
  1. Air Check UK: Suffolk (archived), 2 November 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  2. Radio Academy Archived 21 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Awards 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  3. The Beach, Media UK. Retrieved April 2011.


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