Essex FM is a British radio station. It was originally launched as Essex Radio on September 12, 1981, broadcasting from Southend-on-Sea and since 2004 from Chelmsford, both in Essex. It is known throughout the area for its informative and up-to-date content of music and chat. The Essex Radio Group owned and launched several nearby stations, including Ten-17 FM in Harlow in 1993, oldies station Breeze (now Classic Gold Essex) in July 1989, and dance station Vibe FM (now renamed Kiss 105-108) in 1997. Essex FM became part of the GWR Group (now GCap Media) in October 2000 from the Daily Mail and General Trust (who bought the Essex Radio Group in 1998). Essex Radio was relaunched as Essex FM in January 1994. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Frequency (disambiguation). ... This article is about the SI unit of frequency. ... This article is about the SI unit of frequency. ... This article is about the SI unit of frequency. ... A radio format or programming format describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. ... GCap Media plc is a British commercial radio company formed from the merger of the Capital Radio Group and GWR Group. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos and other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... A radio station is an audio (sound) broadcasting service, traditionally broadcast through the air as radio waves (a form of electromagnetic radiation) from a transmitter to an antenna and a thus to a receiving device. ... is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Chelmsford (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of Essex, see Essex (disambiguation). ... Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with KISS 105-108. ... GWR Group was a British radio company, until its merger with Capital Radio Group in May 2005 to form the new company GCap Media. ... GCap Media plc is a British commercial radio company formed from the merger of the Capital Radio Group and GWR Group. ... For other uses, see October (disambiguation). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

Famous presenters on Essex Radio in the 1980s and 1990s included Graham Bannerman, Jon Scragg, Tim Lloyd (Timbo), Keith Rogers, Dave Gregory, John Leech, Peter Holmes, Dave Gilbee, Terry Davis, Caesar the Boogeyman and many others. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ...

On October 27, 2004, the station moved from Southend-on-Sea to Chelmsford. The 102.6FM signal comes from Baker's Wood to the west of Chelmsford, 96.3FM comes from Benfleet, and 97.5FM comes from Maitland House in central Southend-on-Sea. is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Statistics Population: Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TQ782860 Administration District: Castle Point Shire county: Essex Region: East of England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Essex Historic county: Essex Services Police force: Essex Police Ambulance service: East of England Post office and telephone Post town: BENFLEET...

Martin Day is the station's most well-known and longest-serving presenter (since 1995), who since July 1996 has presented the station's 5am to 10am breakfast show with Su Harrison (his sidekick since the GWR takeover of 2000). He can also be heard on Sunday's Best 80s Show In The World Ever! between 8am and 10am. Martin began his broadcasting career on LWR thanks to his friend Simon Lee. Since then he has been arrested as a pirate DJ on Radio Jackie and had stints at Chiltern Radio and on KIMN in Greely, Northern Colorado. Martin was regularly the subject of national attention in 1998 after a BBC1 weekly series called Lakesiders (looking at life in and around the shopping centre), partially focussed on life for Martin at Essex FM and away from the "mike".

As well as Martin Day, the station's presenters include Su Harrison (breakfast sidekick), Chris Skinner (weekday mornings and also Saturday hitlist from 11am), Angela Johnson (weekday afternoons), Paul Gillies (Drivetime), Mike Porter (long serving presenter who recently returned to do Saturday breakfast) Dominic Atkins (weekday travel man and Saturday breakfast co-host), Alex Williamson (Morning Crew apprentice), Wyatt Wendels (Late Night Essex presenter), Jay-Louise Knight (Saturday overnights and Martin's co-host on the Sunday am 80s show), Pete Chapman (Friday overnights), and Tim Murphy (weekend presenter and weekday cover).

Saturday nights on Essex FM are home to Club Essex, with DJs Mark Elliott, Paul "Kitch" Kitchener and Dan Mills. The show has featured on the station since March 1997, making it one of the longest continuously running dance music shows on UK radio. The roots of the show can even be traced back to 1990 when it was featured in a spot on John Leech's prominent evening show on Essex Radio.

In a somewhat unexpected move, the station announced, in late May 2006, that it will discontinue to play hit singles by James Blunt, although Blunt is found regularly in the radio airplay chartlist. This was thought to be a PR stunt, to help promote the station more, due to the lack of high audience share. James Blunt has since been heard on Essex FM which suggests this was a PR job. James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, February 22, 1974) is an English singer-songwriter whose debut album, Back to Bedlam, and single releases — especially the number one hit Youre Beautiful — brought him to fame in 2005. ... // Public relations (PR) Public Relations- a promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or institutions image. ...

Towards the end of 2006, Essex FM started broadcasting newly-sung radio jingles. These were made my Reelworld Productions in New York, and are very similar to those of Hallam FM. In August 2007, Essex FM took the One Network group's jingle package, but retained some of the Reelworld jingles, and craftily mixing some cuts of them with the new set. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the state. ... Hallam FM, formerly known as Radio Hallam, is a Sheffield-based Independent Local Radio station. ...

In March 2007, drivetime presenter James Bassam left Essex FM after 12 years to join Capital Radio in London to do the Early Breakfast. His farewell show was broadcast live from Chicago Rock Cafe in Chelmsford with the entire on-air team joining him to send him off. James was best known for getting a public on-air ticking off from Victoria Beckham in 1999 for insulting her husband David's new haircut and its implications for his business deal with Brylcreem. Victoria happened to be listening that Sunday morning and called James to vent her fury at the presenter. Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... Drivetime Automotive Group, Inc. ...

External links

• Essex FM
• Essex Radio Remembered
• History of local radio in Essex
• Bakers Wood transmitter
• Benfleet transmitter
• Maitland House transmitter
• Radio stations in Essex