Capital South Wales

Capital South Wales is a regional radio station owned by Communicorp UK and operated by Global as part of the Capital network. It broadcasts to Cardiff and Newport and the surrounding areas from studios in Cardiff Bay.[1]

For the capital city of Wales, see Cardiff

Capital South Wales
Broadcast areaSouth East Wales
Frequency
BrandingSouth Wales' No.1 Hit Music Station
Programming
FormatContemporary hit radio
NetworkCapital
Ownership
OwnerCommunicorp UK
OperatorGlobal Radio
History
First air date
11 April 1980 (1980-04-11)
Former names
  • CBC (Cardiff Broadcasting Company) (1980-1985)
  • Red Dragon Radio (1985-1990)
  • Red Dragon FM (1990-2011)
Former frequencies
96.0 MHz
104.0 MHz
1359 KHz
1305 KHz
Links
WebcastGlobal Player
Websitewww.capitalfm.com/southwales/

History
Red Dragon displayed on a RDS car radio

The station originally took to the air in Cardiff only. Known as CBC (Cardiff Broadcasting Company), the station launched on 11 April 1980 on broadcasting on 96.0 MHz FM and 1359 kHz AM. Following the closure of neighbouring Gwent Broadcasting in April 1985, CBC began relaying its service as a temporary measure to southern Gwent on 104.0 MHz FM and 1305 kHz AM. This became permanent when CBC re-launched as Red Dragon Radio on 14 October 1985. Initially, there were separate drive time shows for Glamorgan and Gwent, but these were dropped for a single service by the early 1990s.

Simulcasting on 1305 kHz and 1359 kHz AM ended in 1990, with the launch of Touch AM.

On 3 January 2011, the station was rebranded from Red Dragon FM to Capital South Wales as part of a merger of owners Global's Hit Music and Galaxy networks to form the Capital FM network. On 6 February 2014, Global Radio announced it would be selling Capital South Wales to Communicorp. Capital's network programming and brand name are retained under a franchise agreement. Global's Heart South Wales station shares facilities at the Capital studios in Cardiff Bay.[2]

On 26 February 2019, Global confirmed the station's local breakfast and weekend shows would be replaced with networked programming from April 2019. The weekday drivetime show was retained alongside news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising.[3]

Coverage area

Initially, CBC broadcast to Cardiff on 96.0 MHz and Newport on 104.0 MHz FM. These frequencies were switched to 103.2 MHz and 97.4 MHz respectively in 1987, following a national reorganisation of UK FM frequencies.

The 103.2 MHz signal, which is the stronger of the two, comes from the transmitter at Wenallt near Cardiff, with the 97.4 MHz signal being transmitted from Christchurch in Newport. The signals reach as far out as the South Wales Valleys to the north and part of Bridgend to the west.[4]

Capital South Wales also broadcasts on the NOW Digital South East Wales DAB multiplex and online.

Programming

All networked programming originates from Global's London headquarters, including Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp.[5] Local programming is produced and broadcast from Global's Cardiff Bay studios from 4-7pm,[6] presented by Josh Andrews and Kally Davies. [7] [8][9]

News

Global's Newsroom broadcasts hourly regional news updates from 5am-7pm on weekdays and 8am-12 midday at weekends with headlines on the half-hour during Capital Breakfast on weekdays.

The bulletins are produced for Communicorp by Global's Cardiff Bay newsroom, which also produces bulletins for Heart South Wales, Heart North and Mid Wales and Smooth Wales.[6]

Former presenters

References
  1. "Broadcast Radio MCA maps". Ofcom.
  2. Martin, Roy (6 February 2014). "Communicorp buys 8 Global stations". Radio Today. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  3. Martin, Roy (11 March 2019). "Roman Kemp, Vick Hope and Sonny Jay to go national on Capital". Radio Today. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  4. "Analogue Broadcast Radio Measured Coverage Area (MCA) Maps" (PDF). Ofcom. 28 September 2004.
  5. "Waking up with the new nationwide Capital Radio breakfast show | Source Magazine". 19 March 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  6. "Public Files - South Wales". Capital FM.
  7. "Capital FM". Capital.
  8. "Regan Talent Group | Josh & Kally".
  9. "New RSPCA store in Cwmbran to be officially opened by Capital FM DJs". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  10. Dave Kelly to replace Neil Fitzmaurice at Radio City Archived 2 August 2012 at archive.today at How-do.co.uk
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