Radio Wester Ross is the community broadcaster for the Gairloch, Loch Ewe and Lochbroom areas of Wester Ross. It broadcasts a music-led service to the communities in Wester Ross, in the Highlands of Scotland and it is the only commercial FM radio station in its area.
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Wester Ross |
| Frequency | 106.0 MHz, 106.6 MHz, 96.8 MHz & 102.2 MHz |
| Branding | The Music Of Your Life |
| Programming | |
| Format | Local news, information, music & programmes that reflet our communities |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Community owned through Wester Ross Radio Ltd |
| History | |
First air date | 22 November 2003 |
| Technical information | |
| ERP | 0.6 kW & 2 kW (0.7 kW & 0.5 kW in the Lochbroom area) |
| Links | |
| Website | radiowesterross |
The station broadcasts in stereo on 106.0, 106.6 FM in the Gairloch area and on 96.8 and 102.2 FM in the Ullapool and Coigach areas.
The station is staffed by volunteers from across the area, from Gairloch to Ullapool and beyond, as well as from other areas of the Highlands and Islands, broadcasting locally-originated and syndicated shows from its own presenters and partner stations throughout the week. It offers a mix of local news and information as well as music varying widely from the 60s onwards.
The station is owned by the community and is a registered charity operating on a not-for-profit basis.
History
editThe station began as Two Lochs Radio which was at one time Britain's smallest commercial radio station.[1]
In April 2008, Two Lochs Radio launched an online "Listen live" streaming service, accessible from a button on its homepage, and also in the Reciva database for Internet radios. In January 2012, Two Lochs Radio joined the large number of UK commercial and BBC stations also available via Radioplayer. It is also available via TuneIn.
In 2012, Ullapool community station Lochbroom FM started to use Two Lochs Radio as its sustaining service.[2] In 2020, broadcasting regulator Ofcom formally transferred the Lochbroom FM licence to Wester Ross Radio Ltd, the company that also holds the Two Lochs Radio licence.
In April 2024, a rebranding took place with RWR - Radio Wester Ross (or RWR) being used instead of the Two Lochs Radio & Lochbroom FM names.
Programming
editRadio Wester Ross's programme schedule[3] includes daily breakfast and afternoon shows, plus a range of individual music and local interest programmes, including Gaelic broadcasts and recordings from local events, and shows from several other independent radio presenters. Following its rebranding, the station no longer broadcasts Gaelic programmes produced by CKJM-FM[4] in Cape Breton. The station produces its own local news bulletins, and broadcasts UK national news provided by Radio News Hub.
Awards
editTwo Lochs Radio was given the "Calor Scottish Business in the Community Business" award in 2004[5] and is a three-times winner of the Wallace Sword award[6] for the best Gaelic magazine programme produced by a Highland community radio station. It was also nominated for the Scottish Countryside Alliance rural enterprise award in 2009.[7]
References
edit- ^ Russell, Greg (13 December 2020). "Queue forms to become boss of United Kingdom's smallest radio station". The National. Scotland. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Radio hook-up takes to the Wester Ross airwaves". Ross-shire Journal. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Programme schedule". Two Lochs Radio. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ "Aiseirigh Nan Gaidheal". Coopérative Radio Chéticamp. Archived from the original on 15 November 2008.
- ^ "Two Lochs Radio receives Scottish Business in the Community Award at Calor Scottish Community of the Year Awards". Calor. Archived from the original on 26 July 2007.
- ^ "Gaelic Community Radio Award". Highland Council. 16 January 2006. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008.
- ^ http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2513 [dead link]
