After 5 years, 4 Studio's, 3 Years of Digital broadcasting, 2 FM broadcasts and 1 fantastic team, Swindon FM’s digital service will be switched off on Friday 12th May at 2pm. Station Organiser, Carl Humphreys said “It is a very sad day for all of those involved, but it became unviable to run a digital only station, in a market which is still very much in it’s infancy.”

Swindon FM was set up in 2001, with the idea of setting up a commercial radio station dedicated to Swindon. Following two FM trial broadcasts, and the launch of a DAB digital service, Ofcom, the radio regulator advertised an FM Licence for Swindon, in which Swindon FM was unsuccessful, with the bid being won by Now FM (now re-named Brunel FM).

Carl Humphreys continued “Although we are disappointed to be coming off air altogether, Swindon FM has managed to achieve so much locally, with some of our innovative ideas being used on other stations locally, and our original aim completed, with the launch of Brunel Fm in September.”

“DAB is still very new market, and although it is growing rapidly, Swindon FM found it very hard to raise advertising revenue, while the audience of DAB is still very much an unknown. It’s very much of being on the right medium, but at the wrong time!”