Stag FM
Our Programming Plans
The following is a brief extract from our license application document...
General Approach
Stag FM will be a full service locally-oriented music, entertainment and information station for the Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City area. It will very much be the voice of the area and aims to develop a truly distinctive local radio service with widespread appeal. Our programming proposals are based on solid and detailed independent market research. On the basis of this research and our own considerable knowledge of the area over a long period of time, we believe there is a clear gap for a new station with broad appeal providing a focus on information and issues which directly concern people in Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. We are conscious that it would be easy to put forward over-ambitious local programming plans catering for every taste and specialist interest. However we have the expertise through the successful running of Hertfordshire's other commercial station, Oasis FM, to marry locally targeted programming to the sort of revenue expected from an area of this size. We believe it is vital for our plans to be tempered by realism and practicality so they can be sustained by the financial and human resources available.
Target Audience
Stag FM has decided its commercial viability is best served by targeting a core audience of people aged 25 to 54.
Music
Stag FM aims to win a substantial daytime audience by playing a broad spread of popular and accessible adult contemporary easy listening Classic Hits from the 1960s through to today. Our independent research has shown that this is by far the most popular mix favoured by 65% of our potential audience and our successful experience of attracting audiences at Oasis FM supports this. Stag FM will be positioned in the radio marketplace as "All Your Favourites in Hertford and Stevenage".
News and Sport
Our research shows that 61% of our potential audience would like to hear local news on a new station. Unsurprisingly, we have also discovered that people seeking local news in Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City do not currently find it on the radio. Radio listeners in the area currently tune into national or London stations which do not broadcast news from the area.
The vast majority of people wanting local news turn to their local newspapers. Therefore the cornerstone of Stag FM's speech output will be its local news bulletins. One of our group executives is a leading industry expert in the provision of local news for small stations. Stag FM will use his experience to set up its local news operation. Stag FM will employ its own trained radio journalists who will gather and broadcast local news mixed with world news at peak times. National and international news will be provided by Independent Radio News. Our research shows that there is a below average demand for local sports news on the radio. However Stag FM will schedule sports updates for key local teams as part of our community commitment.
Speech
Stag FM will ensure that its speech output reflects the tastes, needs and interests of people living in the Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City area. Traffic and travel news is essential to such an important commuter area. Our research shows that 58% of people questioned said they would like to hear traffic and travel news. However 44% of those questioned say that traffic and travel news is poor on their current favourite radio station. Stag FM will therefore feature comprehensive travel news from Metro Networks on major roads in the area and trains on both the West Anglian and Great Northern lines, particularly at peak times. News of leisure events in the area is particularly important to local people and Stag FM intends to become the essential source for daily local leisure listings featuring news of events and productions at, for example, the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, Castle Hall in Hertford, the Queen Mother Theatre in Hitchin and Campus West Theatre in Welwyn Garden City. Lifestyle features will also be scheduled and we have researched what people in the area want to hear. These features, which will be scheduled in our mid morning show, include motoring, keep fit, gardening, countryside walks and food and drink. There will also be reviews and listing of films showing at the UCI Cinema at The Galleria Outlet Centre in Hatfield and Cineworld in Stevenage Leisure Park. Other features will include Crimestoppers in association with Hertfordshire Police and a jobspot called Nice Work If You Can Get It. Our lunchtime show will, from time to time, also feature The Forum - debates on local topical issues and phone-ins involving the area's key decision-makers.
Community and Social Action
Stag FM will take its responsibility to the community in an active and positive way and avoid scheduling community programming and information in 'ghetto' evening slots. Our 'Communicare' project will offer community groups a free airtime advertising campaign to publicise their work which will be aired across the day like a paid-for commercial campaign. In addition, community groups with something particular to say or publicise will be invited to the studio from time to time to be interviewed on our weekday lunchtime programme. Stag FM will build its community profile off air in two specific ways. Firstly, we intend to extend the work of Essex Radio Group's successful Cash For Causes annual charity appeals to benefit local charities within Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. In Essex, these projects have raised nearly £1 million over the last 18 years. Secondly, Stag FM has also initiated detailed talks with Hertfordshire Police about bringing the award-winning '2 Smart 4 Drugs' Schools Roadshow Tour, pioneered by Essex FM, to the county in partnership with neighbouring station Oasis FM. This innovative all-singing-all-dancing roadshow, sponsored by the police, takes the anti-drugs message direct to children aged 11 to 14 in secondary schools and has been praised by teachers, parents, politicians, police officers and pupils.
Style and Attitude
Our research shows that the style and attitude of presenters are highly important factors in the choice of radio station. The profile of presenters listeners would like to hear include those who have bright personalities (66%), who are humorous (67%) and informative (66%) as well as being neighbourly (61%). Stag FM's presenters will therefore be chosen for their friendly, relatable approach and, where possible, be recruited from within the area. They will be encouraged to use their local knowledge to give Stag FM a clearly identifiable and distinctive local flavour in a crowded radio marketplace. However, we will place great emphasis on the professionalism of presenters as the high listenership to national and London stations in the area, as shown by our research, means our potential audience expects high standards. We have addressed the concerns of one of our non-executive directors, Susanne King, who is a young mother in our target audience, who wanted to ensure that our presenters would be mature and not indulge in the sort of tasteless lavatorial humour which can be heard on other stations. Overall, the tone and attitude of Stag FM will be friendly and fun in order to appeal to a broad range of people in Hertford, Hatfield, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City.
Pages prepared by Pete Sipple. ©1999