EKR 107.2 RSL

5TH DECEMBER 1995

PROGRAMMING ON THE EKR RSL

HOW IT SOUNDED
(128k) (64k) (32k)

PROGRAMME POLICY

EKR 107.2's objective was to put the local back into the local radio by providing a service tailored to Ashford, Canterbury and the surrounding areas.
It was a broadly based music-led service ranging from current top 40 to golden oldies to appeal more to 20-55 year olds.
News, especially local news was an important part of the station with emphasis on quality local reporting.

TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL

The travel information was provided by Metro Networks during the weekdays, a purely local service under East Kent Radio Traffic Control. We were linked to Metro using the ISDN APTX-100 system direct to Centerpoint in London.

The arrangement was to supply 16 traffic reports per day. These were at: 07.25, 07.55, 08.25, 08.55, 09.55, 10.55, 11.55, 12.55, 13.55, 14.55, 15.55, 16.50, 17.25, 17.55, 18.25, 18.55. During peak drivetime we had access to the flying eye plane service based at Stapleford airfield.

Will Jackson, the Broadcast Manager at Metro Networks had identified that we were a strong group in East Kent particularly after seeing our application for the East Kent ILR licence last May. We both felt it important to work on a trial basis to establish a relationship that we felt could work for a possible future fulltime service.

We were delighted with the quality of the local traffic service provided by Metro especially during the days of heavy snow and we proved that we had a mutual understanding which is now part of our application for East Kent.

NATIONAL NEWS

The National News was provided by Independent Radio News on the hour every hour.

LOCAL NEWS

The local news service was a joint effort between the East Kent Radio Newsdesk and the considerable resources of the Adscene Group. It was a three minute bulletin transmitted on the half hour every hour from 06.30 to 19.30. The exception being at 13.30 and 18.30 on weekdays when it was incorporated into " East Kent Today". Any news flashes after that time were transmitted when received from Kent Police or from the wires at Adscene.

EAST KENT TODAY - LOCAL MAGAZINE PROGRAMME

East Kent Today was a five to ten minute regional feature programme that was transmitted twice a day on weekdays at 1 o'clock and 6 o'clock.
Sometimes we would have live interviews in the studio or we went on location and would package/edit the features afterwards.
The one o'clock programme would generally be a local current event type programme, and was presented by a local news journalist (Matthew Presland, then BBC Radio Kent).
The six o'clock programme was more of a colourful local interest magazine programme and was presented by a local retired BBC world service presenter (Michael Hayes).

The items covered were as follows:

(To listen to mp3 audio clips from the broadcasts click on the "LISTEN" logo. Please note that these audio files are quite large and may take some time to downoad over a dial-up internet connection.)

5th December 1995
1 o'clock: It was the day of the first annual accounts of the Channel Tunnel. A studio interview was conducted with one of the directors of the Channel Tunnel about the results of the accounts and the future and success of the Channel Tunnel.
6 o'clock This day was one of the worse winter days of 1995 and a Kent was "snowed under". We went on to our local Zoo, Howletts and Port Lympne and had an interview with the owner John Aspinall about how animals cope with heavy winters and snow.

Special: In the evening we had a special launch party in Canterbury. A live OB was set up with radio microphones and ISDN lines and live programme links were being fed from the event, including interviews with the Mayor of Canterbury and a live choir performance wishing East Kent Radio good luck with their one month broadcast.

6th December
1 o'clock The weather had gone from bad to worse and guests were unable to come to the studio. As a replacement we made a documentary about East Kent Radio. We put together a promo/introduction package on which all the presenters had a little word to say and live interviews with East Kent Radio's co-ordinator and programme manager.
6 o'clock A packaged feature about Morgan Cars, featuring the car museum at Tenterden near Ashford. A report by Howard Leader.

7th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with John Barber, Chief Executive of Shepway Chamber of Commerce and Industry about the future of tourism in East Kent. What does the future look like? Has the Channel Tunnel had any effect?

6 o'clock A feature about the local shops in small villages having to close. We went out and asked the village shop owners how they cope with big super markets opening up everywhere undercutting their prices. What does their future promise and...what does "Jo Public" in the village want?

8th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Martin Vye about the state of the Hospitals in East Kent. Do more hospitals have to close? Why and what can we do about it?
6 o'clock Once a year a big group of handicapped children go to Eurodisney in black London cabs. This is a charity event, and this year they stopped at the Channel Tunnel. East Kent Radio went to have a chat with them.

11th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Police Inspector Bob Britlett on the drink/driving campaign over Christmas.
6 o'clock Feature on the Elham Valley Railway. This used to be a popular railway going through rural Kent. The history of this rail track.

12th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Kim Wilking about the homelessness in East Kent, and what will there be for them over Christmas.
6 o'clock Elham Foxhunt. This is a yearly event which has much opposition in the area. We hear both sides of the story. Some of the material was recorded during last year's fox hunt when their was a big demonstration against the hunt. We also talked to the hunters themselves.

13th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Lucy Pearce from the Student's Union at Canterbury University talks to us about the financial problems that students come across and why.
6 o'clock East Kent is well known for it's hot air balloons. We interviewed a hot air balloon pilot and talked about many different angles of hot air ballooning such as landing, flying, views, landing permissions etc.

14th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Fai Blair from the Canterbury City Council Environment Department. What can we do to help the environment and in what state is the environment in East Kent.
6 o'clock A feature about the history of coalmines in East Kent.

15th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with a representative of the Kent Air Ambulance and interview with upcoming local band called RACE from Ashford who have a popular following in the Eastern Block and are working to become popular in the UK.
6 o'clock A feature about books for giving at Christmas. In this age of technology it is very encouraging that children are reading for fun every day. Books may be an old fashioned Christmas present but are they a good Christmas present?

18th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with the High Sheriff of Kent about the usage of drugs in East Kent. What can be done about it?
6 o'clock Feature on a local Canterbury man who changes career at middle age. He becomes an orchestra conductor. We have followed him for some months until his first big concert. We can hear the result.

19th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Paul Crampton about the future planning of Canterbury within the City walls.
6 o'clock Feature on pantomimes, firstly the Folkestone pantomime rehearsal. The Folkestone pantomime has always been of high standard, we hear their rehearsal and talk to the cast and director. Secondly a visit to the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury including interviews with Robert Powell and Kate Western, stars of their production Jack and the Beanstalk.

20th December
1 o'clock ISDN interview with Chief Superintendent Stuart Donaldson. There has been a major fire in East Kent today and we talked to the Chief who was at the scene.
6 o'clock Feature on local brewed beers.

21st December
1 o'clock Studio interview with Jerry Anderson about UFO's that have been spotted in East Kent, according to his theory.
6 o'clock Feature on grants for lighting. Apparently the National Lottery give out grants for city lighting or lighting of monuments. We interviews Ashford Borough Councillor Gordon Tower if the Ashford Borough Council had applied. They didn't know about this scheme and will now look into applying for a grant.

22nd December
1 o'clock ISDN interview with the Kent Fire Brigade from their Maidstone Studio about Safety at home. How can people prevent fires, especially over the Christmas period. He gives us some good tips.
6 o'clock Studio interview with a local priest about the true meaning of Christmas. Has Christmas changed over the years. Has it become too commercial?

25th December
1 o'clock A special documentary about the history of radio in Kent narrated by the late Peter Cushing.
Special Live OB from the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford. Live links in which we talk to the patients who are not so fortunate today. We visited the children's ward and a new Christmas baby. We also linked up with the local Hospital Radio station to give an East Kent wide request show with patients and their families at home.

27th December
1 o'clock Feature on last year's Kent Business Woman of the Year and interview with this year's business woman of the year Yolande Lindlridge.
6 o'clock Update on the Elham Fox-hunt. What happened this year at the event.

28th December
1 o'clock Interview at a press conference with a robbed man in Folkestone. This was a major robbery that had happened a few week's earlier.
6 o'clock Studio interview with Dr Mark Downs about a new high tech X-ray machine in Canterbury hospital which can prevent many diseases.

29th December
1 o'clock Studio interview with editor of a local newspaper summing up the important news that happened in Kent over 1995.
6 o'clock Feature on the mystery of a ghost in East Kent radio's local pub. Does this ghost really exist? We talk to the landlord and the customers.

1st January
6 o'clock Studio interview with Peter Leutner about East Kent Radio. It's future, what will it hold?