In December 1988, the Independent Broadcasting Authority announced it had chosen the Stirling area as one of twenty areas of the UK where new incremental radio licences were to be awarded. A month later, the regulator advertised the Stirling licence, permitting any station format. Centresound, a community-based licence founded by Colin Lamont, began broadcasting on Monday 4 June 1990 from studios at the John Player Building in the Stirling Business Park but within two months, fell into financial difficulties due to problems in attracting enough investment to maintain an independent operation. The board of directors resigned when the long-established Radio Forth went into partnership with Centresound after investing in the station. An overhaul saw the station relaunch as Central FM, sharing programming, news content and administration with Forth under an agreement. The moved was criticised as being in commercial interests, rather than for the community's benefit, but station manager Brian Hawkins argued the station was broadcasting more local output than before and no complaints had been received. The Radio Authority went on to award a new ten-year licence to Central FM in December 1993. The station continued to record a loss, and in 1996, Radio Investments Ltd gained control after increasing its stake to 60%, ending the partnership with Radio Forth and leading to the station relocating to studios in Falkirk. Later, the controlling share passed onto The Local Radio Company, with 20% held by EMAP and the rest by independent investors. TLRC chairman John Quinn took control of Central FM in 2008. In October 2012, the station returned to Stirling with the opening of new studios at the Springkerse Industrial Estate. In August 2013, Central FM began broadcasting on DAB across Central Scotland. On 1 December 2016 three online-only stations were launched under the Central FM brand; Central FM Chart, Central FM Country and Central FM Gold. All are accessible from the station website and downloadable app.
Awards
Central FM won the Scotland category in the Radio Academy Nations and Regions Awards twice in 2008 and 2011. It also won the Sony Gold Award for best UK station in 2012 and placed in the top three of stations at the 2013 Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards and won the Silver Award for Station of The Year at The Arqiva Radio Awards 2015.
Programming
The majority of Central FM's programming is produced and broadcast from its Stirling studios. Presenter-led programming airs from 6 am to 10 pm from Monday - Friday and 6 am to 10 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The station's presenters include Programme Controller Liam McCann, Sharon Oakley, Tony McQue, Brian Woolfson, Dionne Hickey, Stuart Smith, Paula Cameron, Daimen Richards and John Mulgrew.
News
Local news bulletins air hourly from 6 am – 11 pm on weekdays, 7 am – 6 pm on Saturdays and 7 am – 1 pm on Sundays with headlines on the half-hour during breakfast and drivetime shows and an extended bulletin at 5:00 pm on weeknights. National bulletins from Sky News Radio in London air during all other hours.
