Sadly YDRfm did not win the full time broadcasting license for Yeovil and the surrounding area. This web site has been left online so that people can see what YDRfm achieved during its five years campaigning for a local radio station and to show what YDRfm could have provided for the community.
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The history of YDR FM and the future...

The story so far
  YDR FM, which stands for Yeovil District Radio, was formed by Tony Temple in 1998 with a group of 'like minded' volunteers; Robert Denslow, Joe Lanfrancie, Paul Boyland, Richard Bessell, Sarah Long, Nick Burrett, Don Davis and John Fisher from Yeovil and the surrounding area.

Now with a strong team of over twenty-five people, we have been actively seeking a full-time commercial radio licence from the Radio Authority for over five years.

A number of avenues are available to those wishing to make it evident that a station should be established, and we have been actively exploring all of them. One of the most important factors, however, is the Restricted Service Licence regime, (widely known as RSLs). This basically means that people may apply to the Radio Authority (The Governing Body for Commercial Radio Stations in the United Kingdom) for a 'short term' licence to broadcast, over a maximum period of 28 days, on a pre-determined low power transmitter. Due to an enormous amount of local support and interest, we have successfully completed 4 of these broadcasts, a total of 112 days.

Over each of our broadcasts we have tailored ourselves to the needs of the community, balancing out the right recipe for a local station. We have improved on every broadcast with the feedback and research from our audience, fine tuning even further the choice of music, specialist shows, local news and information for the area.

While we are off the airwaves, we have constantly worked to promote the idea of full time local radio to the area. The best way to achieve this is by proving how a local station can benefit the district. From the start, we have shown how YDR FM is the right choice for a local licence, not just by talking about it, but by hard work and commitment.

Now after much work and strong lobbying, the Radio Authority has placed the licence for a full time radio station onto their working list. The application process has now been officially anounced and is currently taking place. The closing date for applications is September 17th 2002, with a decision sometime at the turn of the year. We therefore anticipate that a full time station would launch late spring 2003.

With the resources of our local investors, together with our heritage, proven track record, and with the business expertise of Chrysalis, who you are probably aware are a multi-million pound company, with commercial interests in music, media and radio. Chrysalis, like ourselves is committed to keeping our radio station locally managed, this means that YDR FM Limited will remain in our control but will have the financial and professional 'backing' of a 'blue chip' company.

YDR FM offers the best choice for a local but truly professional radio service for the area.

If awarded the full time licence YDR FM will offer the normal topics; national news, weather, travel and of course a selection of mainstream and specialist music, old and new. We at YDR FM Ltd, want to be intimate with our listener, therefore we shall specialize in giving our audience the following also:

  • A full local News and Travel service
  • A focus for the community
  • A daily 'what's on' guide
  • Local guest interviews
  • An outlet for issues that affect South Somerset and West Dorset
  • Exposure for local talent
  • The music that you want to hear
  • Dedications
  • A new professional medium for business advertisement
We have worked tirelessly for a local radio station to become a reality, now we ask for your support to help us succeed in keeping Yeovil's licence in truly independent hands, with a group with proven local commitment.
 
Community projects
  YDR FM provides community groups with a voice to help publicize their causes, events and fund raising activities.

YDR FM has a potential listening audience of over 80,000. So make sure your community organisation gets the audience it deserves, and let YDR FM help spread your message.

YDR FM is unashamedly partisan in promoting a positive image for the District when we are on the air, if you are involved with any community project in the area YDR FM wants to hear from you now!
 
Events
  If you are organising an event and you think you could benefit from Radio Advertising or the YDR FM roadshow, then we want to hear from you.

Here is a sample of just three months during 2001, where the YDR FM roadshow attended events to help raise money, or awareness for local events:

02/06/2001 10am - 4pm Bandstand Yeovil. Fund-raising day from the Yeovil Opportunities Centre at the Balidon Centre. Also being Volunteers week the team from the Millennium Volunteers group will be there
06/06/2001 Bandstand, Yeovil. Noise Action Day, with Somerset Council.
07/06/2001 Election Night at the Westlands Sports and Social complex, live as it happens.
09/06/2001 10am - 4pm Bandstand Yeovil, in aid of Yeovil Carnival Charities.
15/06/2001 6pm - late. Join the team for one of the wildest nights yet, for a top night of "Sheep racing", in aid of Sherborne Primary School.
16/06/2001 10am - 4pm Bandstand Yeovil. Fund raising for Yeovil Carnival chariots.
16/06/2001 12pm - 2pm.Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford, this is a special charity day, raising money for disability.
23/06/2001 1.30pm - 4.30pm Reckleford School Summer Fayre,Yeovil.
23/06/2001 Montecute House 300th anniversary, roadshow all weekend.
24/06/2001 The team shall be at the Teddy Bears picnic at Sydney Gardens. In aid of CLIC.
30/06/2001 Carnival Fun Day with the Yeovil Carnival, Outside the Liberal Club
01/07/2001 10am - 4pm The Roadshow will be at the Bath & West showground at this years Truckfest, with the fantastic Hendy trucks of Yeovil.
07/07/2001 Grass Royal School, Yeovil. Childrens summer entertainment disco.
24/07/2001 Grass Royal School, Yeovil. Childrens summer entertainment disco. Sixth form.
25/07/2001 £1000 Cash Prize promotion, local talent from the area at Porter Blacks Irish Bar competing in The Battle Of The Bands.
28/07/2001 Middle Street, Yeovil. Raising money for the Wizz Kids Charity day with Lunn Poly travel agents.
07/07/2001 The roadshow stage will be in Westland Road for a Street Party! In aid of The Childrens Society.
04/08/2001 Yeovil Carnival Club fun day, outside Somerfield supermarket in Yeovil town centre for Yeovil Carnival.
12/08/2001 Yeovil Festival of Transport on the Yeovil Showground, raising money for local charities, live bands all weekend.
18/08/2001 The team will be out and about in Sydney Gardens for a great Fate. The roadshow stage will be supporting the Bristol Oncology Unit.
02/09/2001 The YDR FM roadshow shall be supporting the Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance as St John's Park, Yeovil.
02/09/2001 Classic Car Show at Lufton Manor Park and starts at 10am. In aid of MENCAP.
22/09/2001 Liberal Club, Yeovil - there will be the Carnival Queen's dance and the crowning of the new Carnival Queen.

We will help free of charge in promoting your event, as long as it is a non-profit making scheme designed to help the Yeovil and surrounding communities. We always have been able to give you a voice to promote events when we have been on air.
 
Special guests
  Whenever YDR FM is on the air, we aim to bring you every weekday between 10am and 2pm, specialist guest interviews with various people and organisations in the South Somerset and West Dorset area.

In the past we have had many informative interviews, with many members of the community, live in our studio; Sir Paddy Ashdown, David Laws MP, Marco Forgione, Joe Conway, John Crudas, Damian Green MP and entertaining people such as Bruce Welsh from the Shadows, Tommy Boyd from television and radio, Craig Phillips from Big Brother to name but a few. Also countless community projects such as the RSPCA, Yeovil Carnival, MENCAP, The Children's Society, Whizz-Kidz amongst others.

If there is something you would like to hear about, or if you feel you have something of interest to talk about, let us know and we will help in every way possible.

YDR FM aims to provide its listeners with a diverse, interesting series of interviews.
 
Vital work experience for schools and colleges
  Since the start, we have opened our doors for work experience for students in the area. Being based at Yeovil College, we are proud to be a part of training for Yeovil college media students. Work experience in the radio industry is very limited. We have been only too happy to pass on our knowledge and professional experience to students, getting them started on the right track.

Steve Minshall, Head of Media at Yeovil College said: "YDR FM has played a major part with the media department here at the college. They have brought new students to the course from local schools. Students both old and new have been able to gain vital first hand experience at the station. Members of the team even take part in lectures for the students. They have an outstanding level of commitment to bring real local radio to Yeovil. I am proud to be associated with the group and wish them very success in winning the licence."
 
A new advertising medium for the area for local business
 
Radio is cost effective
  When compared to other forms of advertising, radio has the ability to reach thousands of people simultaneously, making it one of the most economical methods of advertising. YDR FM will cover the South Somerset and West Dorset area directly, which means you will not waste money advertising into other areas far outside the local market, for example Wellington and Weston-Super-Mare. Because of this you can afford to be a regular advertiser, which means you'll soon become a 'household name'.
 
Radio is accessible
  Radio is a truly portable medium - it can be heard anywhere: at home, in the car, the garden, the bathroom, and the bedroom. . . and is therefore highly intrusive!

Radio can provide a high repetition of advertising messages, giving huge exposure to your chosen target audience.
 
Repetition for emphasis
  Newspapers and magazines have to be bought and advertisements are easily avoided. Radio attracts 75% less ad-avoidance than Newspapers, and is far less susceptible to channel hopping than TV.
 
Commercial radio is free to listen to
  This makes listeners more amenable, more willing to consume and therefore more receptive to your message.
 
Radio targets your core local audience
  In-depth research and planning ensures that the right demographic group is targeted at the right time of day. Radio can talk to people about cars in their cars and about recruitment on Monday mornings, and new research shows that internet users listen to the radio whilst on-line.
 
Radio is personal
  As it is often consumed alone, radio tends to be an intimate medium, where a relationship exists between the listener and their radio. The advertiser has the ability to 'sit down next to the listener' and talk to them personally at times relevant to product consumption. And, because radio is seen as a friend, its message is more credible - it's trusted.
 
"Every time the song 'Connected' by the Stereo MCs kicks into life, a large chunk of Britain's population automatically begins to think about mobile telephones. They think in particular of the retail chain Carphone Warehouse"... Chris Ayres, The Times
 
Proven Advertising Track Record for Business and Commerce
  Over our broadcasts we have proved that a full time radio licence is sustainable, with both local and national companies receiving measured success with their commercial and sponsorship production packages. But don't just take our word for it:

"We can always count on a commercial package at a very competitive price, with a top public response every time".
Ilminster Warehouse, Ilminster.
 
"Our new Fish Restaurants trade has dramatically increased with the advertisement package with YDR FM"
Palmers Fish Restaurant, Bunford Lane, Yeovil.
 
"With your road shows and the commercials our promotion of new cars has been a great success"
Carrs of Yeovil, Houndstone Business Park.
 
"We love our commercial, the music you play and the presenters, a great station, providing us with an amazing response"
Westalk, Yeovil.
 
Your Support
  Get involved and help make YDR FM a local success story!

Let us have YOUR views of what a local radio station should be like. What do YOU think our programming should include?

"WE PROMISE TO LISTEN TO YOU, BEFORE YOU LISTEN TO US."

If you believe that YDR FM should become the area's local radio station, please write to us at the following address indicating your support for the YDR FM licence application:

YDR FM,
Media Suite,
Yeovil College,
Mudford Road,
YEOVIL,
Somerset,
BA21 4DR.
shrubby

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