60°09′20″N 1°08′46″W / 60.155559°N 1.146110°W Shetland Islands Broadcasting Company (SIBC) is the only Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in the Shetland Islands. Its coverage extends across the whole of Shetland. The station, which is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Ian Anderson and Inga Walterson, is located at Market Street, Lerwick[1] and broadcasts from Bressay on 96.2 MHz FM.
 | |
| Broadcast area | Shetland Islands |
|---|---|
| Frequency | FM: 96.2 MHz (Shetland Islands) 102.2 MHz (Lerwick) |
| RDS | __SIBC__ |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Shetland Islands Broadcasting Company |
| History | |
First air date | 26 November 1987 |
| Links | |
| Website | SIBC |
History
editThe company, which was registered on 23 September 1985, began broadcasting on 26 November 1987, initially as an unlicensed pirate radio station[2][3] covering the immediate area around Lerwick, after the operator was told by regulators of the era that the population of Shetland was too small to support an independent local radio station.[4]
SIBC was later granted an official licence in 1991, extending its coverage to the whole of the Shetland Islands. It is currently on a 12-year commercial radio licence from broadcasting regulator Ofcom.
Ian Anderson, one of the station's two owners, was previously a broadcaster for the BBC and Radio Forth, as well as pirate radio stations including Radio Atlantis, Radio Northsea International, and Radio Caroline.[5]
Programming
editSIBC is on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a schedule of contemporary hit music and local news (on the hour and at 0730, 0830 and 1730), which at times includes news of Shetland fish landings.[6] The station also carries, as necessary, essential information regarding emergencies, school closures, etc. Programming is largely automated outside of the breakfast slot. Music by local Shetland artists forms a part of SIBC's playlist.[7]
The station is unusual in that it carries very few DJ-led programmes, most hours are filled with back-to-back music, and all programmes and news bulletins aired on the station are presented by either Ian Anderson or Inga Walterson.[8] Its format has remained unchanged since launch, with only the music being updated to reflect current hits.[7]
Transmission
editSIBC transmits its main signal on 96.2 MHz from a transmitter on the island of Bressay with an effective radiated power of 14kW.[9] The station has an additional transmitter facility situated at its Lerwick premises, broadcasting with 25 watts on 102.2 MHz, as an emergency back-up facility to provide coverage to Lerwick in the event of issues at Bressay.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Dirk's dragon mural adds colour to SIBC building". Shetland News. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ "Shetlands pirate plan". Broadcast. 14 August 1987. p. 10.
- ^ "Call for paid staff at rural stations". Broadcast. 15 July 1988. p. 12.
SIBC has been on the air, without a licence, since last year...
- ^ Taylor, Doreen (21 December 1987). "A station up in the air - The confused status of Shetland's commercial radio". The Guardian.
- ^ http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djs7a.htm Pirate Radio Hall of Fame
- ^ "SIBC - News Schedule". www.sibc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Happy birthday, SIBC – and co-owner Ian admits he hasn't had a full day off in 30 years". Shetland News. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Morton, Tom (30 August 1997). "Why Wadbister Voe became a cult for Shetland listeners". The Scotsman.
- ^ "Technical parameters for broadcast radio transmitters". Ofcom. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
- ^ "mb21 - The Transmission Gallery". tx.mb21.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
External links
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