What Was European Klassik Rock?
Brief Description

EKR was an organisation based in Kent which owned and operated two radio services which launched on the 20th October 1997 as part of a project operated by DMB Ltd. These were European Klassik Rock and Night Tracks. EKR operated from the prestigious Maidstone TV Studios which is the home of Flextech, operators of a number of satellite TV stations including Discovery, Challenge TV and Bravo. The Maidstone Studios not only host the production of programming for satellite television stations, but are also regularly utilised for the production of TV programming for major TV networks in the UK.

European Klassik Rock was an AOR music service which broadcast on the audio sub carrier of Challenge TV on Channel 35 of the Astra satellite (10.994Ghz 7.38/7.56Mhz Stereo). It was THE only classic rock service broadcasting on the Astra Satellite. Proven and successful, it won awards for "the best satellite station". On-air European Klassik Rock used the positioning statement : "putting the music back into radio". This is a reference to the fact that it programmed the station from a playlist of over 4000 songs. This was far in excess of the tightly playlisted high rotation FM ILR stations operating throughout the UK. European Klassik Rock broadcast from 6am to 12 midnight, UK time, 7 days a week. Between 12 midnight and 6am its sister service "Night Tracks" was broadcast (laterly replaced by Solar FM).

In addition the service was also the first new music station to broadcast on the London DAB multiplex. European Klassik Rock was a pioneer of Digital Audio Broadcasting and was a part of the NTL test transmission exercise. European Klassik Rock not only believed in the future of DAB but also understood it ahead of many.

European Klassik Rock and Night Tracks on FM! Both services have been an integral part of a series of Restricted Service Licence (RSL) on FM (see here). Broadcasts around the UK have promoted programmes on the Astra Satellite and London's DAB multiplex. The first of these was in Kent during October 1997 followed by a second in North London in January 1998. European Klassik Rock's sister overnight service "Night Tracks" was also broadcast on numerous stations around Europe including a number of ILR stations in the UK.