About The Voice

Following the announcement of and the subsequent closure of the broadcast studios in North Devon, the area was left without a truly local station for North Devon.

Global Radio, the company which owns Heart, now broadcast a regional service for the whole of Devon, with local adverts on the North Devon transmitter. Therefore following a public outcry from the public, business and local government we are now working on gaining the licence to broadcast to North Devon.

The Voice (North Devon) Limited, was set up by Ian Starling (North Devon Radio Presenter and Sales Executive for 14 years at Lantern FM) ; Paul Crockett and Pete Fieldsend, both North Devon Business Owners.

The first short term licences broadcast during November and December 2010, with further broadcasts on more short term licences in the first half of 2011. These were operated by volunteers and new services are planned by the team later in 2011.

The goal was to win the licence to broadcast across the whole of North Devon on 96.2 from October 2012. However legislation meant Heart we able to win a 12 year extension of their licence without a need for a advertisement of the licence

Now the Voice plan to do another short term licence before they are hopefully awared a community licence to broadcast from mid to late 2012 on a full time basis

February 7th 2012

The Local DAB multiplex comes online on February 13th,2012. Tests are underway now. The DAB extension is only a box ticking exercise by Global, owners of Heart, to keep the commercial licence to broadcast into North Devon from their countywide base in Exeter. This saved them going head to head with the Voice for the rights to broadcast commercially in North Devon.

What does it actually mean for the consumer, the listener? More choice – yes. Now we have about a dozen new radio stations via digital radio. Whilst that is good for consumer choice and competition – is it any real benefit to North Devon and the economies of North Devon?

On FM when a radio station broadcasts it is on a frequency. A digital radio station broadcasts on a multiplex. This new multiplex is called a “Local” multiplex. Look at the line up of stations : 2 stations belong to Absolute Radio – these are national ; Kiss and XFM are national ; Capital – the shows that we receive are broadcast from Southampton or London ; Gold Devon – is nothing more than another national service broadcast from London which may have advertisers from Devon on it ; Heart Devon (which at the time of writing only broadcasts the advertisers from Exeter on the DAB multiplex – so will we hear North Devon advertisers on this service) and BBC Radio Devon.

As for the Voice – yes we are looking at the practicalities to broadcast digitally – but as yet – similar to the request for a community licence – neither OFCOM nor its engineering partners have supplied with the necessary documentation and information for us to make any final decision

The Voice - Press Timeline

July 8th 2010 - Within days Ian had managed to get an Internet Radio Station started to begin the process to get info to North Devon. Once again the North Devon Journal were at the forefront of the story.
August 12th - A step forward. Ian was granted permission to site a transmitter on his home, which proved not to be required in the event.
August 12th - Local MP Nick Harvey shows support for Local Radio in North Devon.
August 18th - Now the North Devon Gazette are covering our campaign as well.
August 26th - Some success at last. OFCOM will grant a licence - but only 28 days.
September 8th - We have a face to face meeting with OFCOM. The Gazette printed our news story.
September 9th - Our campaign certainly caught the public needs for local radio. North Devon District Council and the local Police Force are among the many letters received.
September 9th - Letters were written to the North Devon Journal about what has happened.
September 22nd - By the end of September we had our first RSL licence through. We were going to start in the Autumn. Once again both local newspapers covered the story, this one is from the Gazette.
September 23rd - Launch date for new local radio station This is the North Devon Gazette report.
October 25th - The first picture and announcement of the studio base we are to use. On the Square Barnstaple. Here is the North Devon Gazette story.
October 28th - Launch day looms. In the printed version of the North Devon Journal we have a full page with pictures of the presenters. Here is the internet version (without pictures).
November 9th - ITV 1 WestCountry Tonight : Seth Conway reports ...thanks to ITV 1 ...see the report on You Tube.
November 10th - The North Devon Gazette reports station goes live.
November 11th - The North Devon Journal after The Voice 106 - Barnstaple Town Centre Management took up the mantle of Local Radio and broadcast Festive FM.
December 2nd - The Journal cover the story.
December 7th - Now the Gazette print a brief story. Both 28 day stations prove a success in Barnstaple and Braunton. However other listeners from Bideford and South Molton; Torrington and Ilfracombe are calling for The Voice to be heard there...
December 15th - The Gazette announce that Bideford will get their version.

January 4th 2011 - We announce the launch date for Bideford FM.
January 12th - The North Devon Gazette print our Press Release.

June 16th - Response from Sara Bond (Managing Director, Heart Devon)
June 16th - NDJ - Radio Station 'Dedicated to North Devon'