 | |
| Broadcast area | WestKent |
|---|---|
| Frequency | FM: 96.2 MHz (Royal Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge) 101.6 MHz (Sevenoaks and Southend) |
| RDS | KMFM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Network | KMFM |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | KM Group |
| History | |
First air date | 8 July 1995 |
Former names | KFM (1995–2000) Mercury FM (2000–2002) |
| Links | |
| Website | www.kmfm.co.uk |
KMFM West Kent is anIndependent Local Radio serving the towns ofSevenoaks,Southend,Tonbridge andRoyal Tunbridge Wells plus the surrounding areas of theSouth East of England. It is the West Kent region of theKMFM radio network (owned by theKM Group), containing local advertisements and sponsorships for the area amongst a countywide schedule of programming.
KMFM West Kent launched on 8 July 1995 asKFM, broadcasting on 96.2 and 101.6 FM and owned by Kent and Sussex Radio. As well as West Kent, the station also included parts of East Sussex, such asCrowborough, in its broadcast area. The station was later purchased byDMG Radio[1] and subsequently re-branded toMercury FM in December 1999. A year later DMG sold their radio assets toGWR who, in 2002, sold the station to the KM Group following a readvertising of the licence.[2] The station was re-branded to KMFM West Kent in September that year.[3]
The station moved its studios and presenters, along with those ofKMFM Maidstone, to theKMFM Medway studios in 2008, followingOfcom approval.[4] The sales team are still based at the KM office in Tonbridge.
The KM Group were awarded a four-year extension of the licence, to 7 July 2015, in March 2010.[5]
Like the rest of the KMFM network. the station was relaunched in September 2010 with new jingles, schedule changes and more emphasis on music.
The KMFM network switched to acontemporary hit radio format in 2012 following the merging of KMFM Extra with KMFM. The music now focuses mainly on Top 40 hits, and contains a lot more dance and R&B than before.[citation needed]
All programming across the KMFM network is now shared across all seven stations following OFCOM approval in February 2012.[6] The local breakfast show, by then the only local show on the station, was replaced by a county-wide show on 12 March 2012.
Until 2007, KMFM West Kent produced its own programmes during daytimes, before it joined up with KMFM Maidstone to network all programmes other than breakfast. The stations joined withKMFM Medway to create a West Kent network in April 2009,[7] before all programmes apart from weekday/Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons were networked across all KMFM stations in September 2009.[8] In July 2010, Saturday breakfast and Sunday afternoons became networked.
The breakfast show for Maidstone was merged with that of West Kent in January 2011.[9]
News bulletins come from the KMFM News Centre in the Medway studios. National news bulletins come fromSky News Radio at times. Traffic and travel updates are broadcast.
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |