EKR 107.2 RSL

5TH DECEMBER 1995

THE EKR 1995 RSL BROADCAST

At 6AM on 5th December 1995 EKR launched a 28 day RSL broadcast,
bringing the "local" back to local radio in East Kent.

The aims of East Kent Radio in applying for a 1 month Restricted Service Licence were many. It was felt after failing to win the ILR East Kent Radio Licence from Invicta in May 1995 that East Kent as an area had lost "local" radio to a regional Kent service, a feeling that was reinforced by encouragement from local listeners and businesses who had supported our application. To generate local support and maintain an interest for East Kent Radio Limited as a group to continue we felt we needed to create a professional profile, establish a public awareness in "East Kent" as an area suitable for local radio.

There was the Broadcasting expertise within EKR to set up a 4 week service and it was felt it would be beneficial to reinforce our position as a future potential applicant for the then proposed "Kent Coast" licences. East Kent Radio were also keen to establish Ashford and Canterbury as being worthy areas for a local radio service, the working list suggested just Thanet and or Dover/Folkestone in May 1995. Ashford had had a local "opt out" service from Invicta until it's promise of performance in its new licence scrapped this service.

The service EKR wished to pursue would be different to any other RSL heard in the area, it would include dedicated local traffic bulletins, high quality local reports, outside broadcasts and an alternative music policy to Invicta. The daytime presenters were recruited from broadcasting backgrounds and were paid fees for their services. It was decided to develop local talent in the evenings from areas such as Ashford and Folkestone Hospital radio. EKR were keen to follow up on the previous survey work to test and refine many of the programme ideas that had emerged from the extensive listener research conducted in Spring 1995, and that firmed the basis of many of EKR's proposals.

Finally and particularly important EKR wished to establish a sales and advertising interest and loyalty to commercial local radio in East Kent and make advertising more accessible to small businesses. We believe that this experience and the most encouraging support shown by listeners and advertisers underlined the need for a real local station and the ability of EKR to fulfil this demand.