Editing Phoenix FM

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{for|the Australian station|Phoenix FM (Central Victoria)}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name      = Phoenix FM
| logo      = [[File:Phoenix FM logo 2007 onwards.jpg|200px|Phoenix FM logo]]
| area      = [[Brentwood, Essex|Brentwood]] and [[Billericay]]
| frequency = 98.0 [[megahertz|MHz]] and DAB
| airdate   = 29 December 1996 (restricted licence), 23 March 2007 (fully licensed)
| format    = [[Community radio]]
| owner     = Phoenix FM Limited
| webcast   = [http://hyades.shoutca.st:8555/listen.pls?sid=1 MP3 Stream]
| website   = {{URL|phoenixfm.com}}
}}

'''Phoenix FM''' is a [[Community radio in the United Kingdom|community radio]] station serving the areas of [[Brentwood, Essex|Brentwood]] and [[Billericay]], United Kingdom on 98.0FM and online, covering an area of over 140,000 people.

==History==
The station was formed in 1996 and has been broadcasting full-time on FM since 23 March 2007, having completed twelve 28-day restricted service licence broadcasts on [[frequency modulation|FM]] between 1996 and 2006.

On 16 February 2006, [[Ofcom]] announced that Phoenix FM, after ten years of campaigning, had been awarded a full-time Community Radio licence.<ref>{{cite web | title = Ofcom awards 21 community radio licences | publisher = Ofcom | date = February 16, 2006 | url = http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/02/nr20060216 | access-date = 2008-02-22 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080322033029/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/02/nr20060216 | archive-date = March 22, 2008 }}</ref>

Having previously set up studios in Ongar Road, The Hermitage and Hutton Poplars Lodge, Phoenix FM moved its base of operations to the Baytree Centre in early 2007 and started broadcasting full-time on 98.0&nbsp;FM at 7p.m. on Friday 23 March 2007.  The station moved to its current base at the Brentwood Centre in February 2012.

The station's broadcasts have provided a valuable platform for local bands looking to gain airtime. [[Inme]], who were then known under the name of Drowned, were one band whose first radio play and interviews were on the station.

The station's Creative Sessions have given studio recording time to unknown and young local bands as well as featuring established recording artists such as [[Republica]],  [[Imogen Heap]], [[Turin Brakes]], [[Salad (band)|Salad]], [[Echobelly]], [[Midway Still]], [[Chris T-T]] and [[MJ Hibbett]].

Phoenix FM was also the first community radio station in the UK to provide a [[streaming media|streaming internet]] service, in 2001.

==DAB==

Phoenix FM joined the Southend small-scale DAB multiplex on 30 April 2025, increasing its terrestrial audience by a further 800,000 listeners.

East London and Essex Digital, a consortium led by Phoenix FM and including Basildon station Gateway 97.8, won the small scale DAB multiplex licence in July 2024.  <ref>{{cite web | title = Ofcom announces all small-scale DAB winners for round 5 | publisher = Radio Today | date = July 1, 2024 | url = https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/07/ofcom-announces-all-small-scale-dab-winners-for-round-5/ | access-date = 2024-10-02 }}</ref>  Phoenix FM is likely to launch on DAB in 2025, increasing its terrestrial audience by an additional 1.3 million.<ref>{{cite web | title = Coverage | publisher = East London and Essex Digital | date = April 1, 2024 | url = https://eled.uk | access-date = 2024-10-02 }}</ref>

==Notable current and former presenters==

* [[Snooker]] player [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]], who presented the Midweek Matchzone show with Chris Hood between 2015 and 2018.
* [[Snooker]] player [[Steve Davis]], who presented the Interesting Alternative show from 1996 to 2021, (jointly with [[Kavus Torabi]] from 2011-2021)<ref>{{cite web | last = Duerden | first = Nick | title = How we met: Steve Davis & Kavus Torabi | publisher = The Independent | date = January 5, 2014 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-steve-davis--kavus-torabi-9035848.html | access-date = 2014-07-07}}</ref>
* [['Allo 'Allo!]] [[actor]] [[Vicki Michelle]]
* Former Brentwood and Ongar [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Sir Eric Pickles]]<ref>{{cite web | last = Harris | first = John| title = It's a game of two halves as the frontbenchers go for the face-off | publisher = The Guardian| date = July 9, 2007| url =  https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/jul/09/conservatives.labour | access-date = 2008-02-22}}</ref>
* Former leader of [[Brentwood, Essex|Brentwood]] [[Borough]] [[Council]] [[The Right Honourable]] [[Brandon Lewis]], now [[Secretary of State for Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland Secretary]] and [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for [[Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Great Yarmouth]].  
* Sonny Jay Muharrem from [[Loveable Rogues|The Loveable Rogues]] who presented on Phoenix FM for two years before moving to [[Capital (radio network)|Capital FM]]
* [[Carter USM]] [[guitarist]]/[[songwriter]] Les "[[Fruitbat]]" Carter
* Comedian and singer [[Jordan Gray]] 
* [[The Damned (band)|The Damned]] [[guitarist]]/[[songwriter]] Roman Jugg
* [[The Boxer Rebellion (band)|Boxer Rebellion]] drummer Piers Hewitt
* [[My Life Story]] singer Jake Shillingford
* Singer/songwriter [[Chris T-T]]
* [[Kula Shaker]] drummer Paul Winter-Hart
* [[The Others (band)|The Others]] singer Dominic Masters
* Former music and football agent [[Eric Hall]]
* Former Essex cricketer [[Ian Pont]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.phoenixfm.com/ Official site]
*[http://www.facebook.com/people/Phoenix_FM/823389967 Phoenix FM on Facebook]
*[https://twitter.com/phoenixfm Phoenix FM on Twitter]

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{{Billericay}}

[[Category:Community radio stations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Essex]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1996]]
[[Category:Billericay]]
[[Category:1996 establishments in England]]