Editing Minster FM

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo         =
| logo_size    = 
| name         = Minster FM
| airdate      = 4 July 1992
| last_airdate = 31 August 2020
| frequency    = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]: 104.7, 102.3, 103.5&nbsp;MHz<br>[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 10C
| coordinates  = {{coord|54.047|-0.787|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| area         = [[York]] and parts of [[North Yorkshire]]
| format       = [[Adult Contemporary]]
| network      = 
| owner        = [[Bauer Radio|Bauer]]
| website      =  
}}

'''Minster FM''' was an [[Independent Local Radio]] station serving [[York]] and the surrounding areas such as [[Selby]], [[Tadcaster]], [[Thirsk]], [[Northallerton]] and [[Goole]]. The station closed on 31 August 2020 and its frequency is now a relay of [[Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire]].  It broadcast on 104.7&nbsp;FM from the Acklam Wold transmitter, near Leavening, on the [[Yorkshire Wolds]].

==History==
[[image:Minster FM Logo 2017.jpg|thumb|Former logo used until Rebranding in 2020]]
Minster FM, named after [[York Minster]], launched at 6{{nbsp}}am on Saturday 4 July 1992. This was nine years to the day after [[BBC Radio York]] had started to broadcast. The first presenter to air was Daragh Corcoran and the first song played was 'Saturday in the Park' by [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]]. Minster FM launched with a live locally presented schedule 24 hours a day. This continued until the launch of [[Yorkshire Coast Radio]] in November 1993 when programmes between 10{{nbsp}}pm and 6{{nbsp}}am were broadcast (or networked) on both stations.

In 1996 the station added a transmitter to cover the [[Thirsk]] and [[Northallerton]] area using a signal on 102.3&nbsp;FM from Calvert's Carpets in [[Thirsk]].
 
In 2005, station owners [[The Local Radio Company]] (TLRC) secured a specific licence for the area and launched [[Minster Northallerton]] on that frequency.

TLRC was later taken over by UKRD, and in 2009, the new owners merged this station with its stations based in [[Darlington]] and [[Durham, England|Durham]] to form [[Star Radio North East|Star Radio]].

On 17 December 2014, Minster FM started broadcasting on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] digital radio, under the name '''More Minster'''. It is broadcast on the North Yorkshire DAB multiplex from various locations within Yorkshire, including [[Bilsdale transmitting station|Bilsdale]], Acklam Wold, Hildebrand Barracks and [[Oliver's Mount]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.a516digital.com/2014/12/local-dab-launches-in-north-yorkshire.html|title=Local DAB launches in North Yorkshire|work=a516digital|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218013828/http://www.a516digital.com/2014/12/local-dab-launches-in-north-yorkshire.html|archivedate=18 December 2014|url-status=unfit}}</ref>

More Minster carried Minster FM programmes in the morning and through the day. During the evening, the DAB schedule differed from the FM version, broadcasting its own dedicated programming.

In 2017, UKRD announced that it would give back Star Radio licences to the regulator [[Ofcom]] in return for the transfer of the Northallerton licence to Minster FM. This was confirmed on 4 April 2017. 102.3&nbsp;FM once again began broadcasting Minster FM along with a transmitter covering the Northallerton area on 103.5&nbsp;FM.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/03/star-radio-north-east-to-cease-transmission/ | title = Star Radio North East Closure | accessdate = 2017-03-31 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/04/ofcom-approves-star-radio-licence-separation/ | title = Ofcom approves Star Radio licence separation |publisher=Radio Today| accessdate = 17 August 2018}}</ref>

UKRD local radio stations were bought by Bauer Radio in 2019,<ref>[https://www.bauermedia.co.uk/newsroom/press-releases/bauer-media-uk-to-acquire-ukrd-group Bauer Media UK to acquire UKRD Group]</ref> along with many other local radio stations in England. On 1 September 2020 it became a part of Bauer Radio's Greatest Hits radio network with music from the 70s, 80s & 90s – this type of music having been phased in since its takeover.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/most-of-acquired-bauer-stations-to-become-greatest-hits-radio/ Most of acquired Bauer stations to become Greatest Hits Radio] Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 27 May 2020</ref>

In January 2021, a number of former presenters and staff from Minster FM launched a new digital radio station for the region, [[YorkMix Radio]].<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/01/yorkmix-radio-launches-with-former-minster-presenters/ Radio Today: YorkMix Radio launches with former Minster presenters]</ref>

==Awards==
In 2009, Minster FM was one of three stations to be nominated<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radioworks.co.uk/news/newsStory.php?story=223 |title=Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards nominations 2009 |accessdate=2011-02-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320164139/http://www.radioworks.co.uk/news/newsStory.php?story=223 |archivedate=20 March 2012}}</ref> for The [[Arqiva]] Station of the Year (under 300,000 listeners in TSA), but lost out to [[Lincs FM|Lincs FM 102.2]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jun/08/arqiva-radio-award-winners|title=Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards: Full list of winners|work=The Guardian|date=8 June 2009 }}</ref>

In 2017, drivetime presenter Harry Whittaker received a nomination for 'Best New Show' at the UK ARIAS and 'Best Entertainment Programming' at the 2018 O2 media Awards

In 2019, Minster FM won the 'Charitable Business Award' at the Yorkshire Choice Awards 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkshirechoiceawards.co.uk/2019winners|title=2019 Winners|website=The Yorkshire Choice Awards|language=en|access-date=2019-05-01}}</ref>

== Programming before rebrand==
The majority of Minster FM's programmings were produced and broadcast from its York studios. Live presenter-led programming aired from 4&nbsp;am to 10&nbsp;pm on weekdays, 6&nbsp;am to 8&nbsp;pm on Saturdays and 6&nbsp;am to 7&nbsp;pm on Sundays, with automated non-stop music broadcast overnight. The sole syndicated programme on the station, produced by Salford-based [[Chris Country|Chris Country Radio]], aired on Sunday evenings.<ref name="PFile820">{{cite web |title=Minster FM Public File |url=http://www.minsterfm.com/publicfile.php |website=Minster FM |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801033523/http://www.minsterfm.com/publicfile.php |archivedate=1 August 2020}}</ref>

=== News ===
Minster FM broadcast hourly local news bulletins from 6&nbsp;am to 6&nbsp;pm on weekdays and from 8&nbsp;am to 1&nbsp;pm at weekends. On weekdays, headlines and sports bulletins were broadcast on the half-hour during breakfast and drivetime shows.<ref name="PFile820" /> At all other times, syndicated national bulletins from [[Sky News Radio]] were broadcast on the hour.

Originally, Minster FM's local news provision had been contracted out to [[ITV Yorkshire|Yorkshire Television]]'s regional news service ''[[Calendar (UK TV programme)|Calendar]]''. However, it was later brought in-house.

==Notable former presenters==
*[[Stephanie Hirst]]
*[[Roxanne Pallett]]
*[[Ryan Swain (presenter)|Ryan Swain]]

==See also==
* [[Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire]], which replaced Minster FM in September 2020

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.minsterfm.com/index.php}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040529183843/http://www.thelocalradiocompany.com/ The Local Radio Company]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003933/http://www.jinglemad.com/audio/minster.mp3 Jingles]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091022155814/http://geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKYorks.htm History of local radio in Yorkshire]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050409225958/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/acklam-wold.asp Acklam Wold transmitter]
* [http://www.minsterfm.com/publicfile.php Minster FM Public File]

{{Bauer Media Group}}

[[Category:Bauer Radio]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Mass media in York]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1992]]
[[Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:Greatest Hits Radio]]
[[Category:Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom]]