XFM Scotland to Return
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http://www.clashmusic.com/news/xfm-scotland-returns-to-the-airwaves
XFM originally came to Scotland back in 2006, part of a re-branding exercise to replace the much-missed Beat 106.
Boasting a wide-ranging roster of DJs, XFM Scotland enjoyed a short but memorable run before encountering difficulties during the summer of 2008.
Another re-branding exercise took the franchise off the air, with a number of original presenters deciding to depart from the station.
Now the XFM Scotland name is to return. Launching on April 7th, the line up includes Fraser Thomson, Jim Gellatly, Tom Russell and more.
XFM managing editor, Chris Baughen, said: "Coming back to Scotland after nearly six years away is huge for us. We’re really excited to be returning to our loyal listeners across the country. We’ll continue to support emerging Scottish bands, as well as XFM favourites from across indie, alternative and rock music."
XFM Scotland’s new Drivetime presenter Jim Gellatly added: "Some of the best moments of my career were on XFM Scotland so I’m over the moon to be joining the station again nearly six years on. When I got the call from Chris [Baughen], I didn't have to think twice. It feels like coming home for me."
XFM Scotland launches on April 7th.
XFM originally came to Scotland back in 2006, part of a re-branding exercise to replace the much-missed Beat 106.
Boasting a wide-ranging roster of DJs, XFM Scotland enjoyed a short but memorable run before encountering difficulties during the summer of 2008.
Another re-branding exercise took the franchise off the air, with a number of original presenters deciding to depart from the station.
Now the XFM Scotland name is to return. Launching on April 7th, the line up includes Fraser Thomson, Jim Gellatly, Tom Russell and more.
XFM managing editor, Chris Baughen, said: "Coming back to Scotland after nearly six years away is huge for us. We’re really excited to be returning to our loyal listeners across the country. We’ll continue to support emerging Scottish bands, as well as XFM favourites from across indie, alternative and rock music."
XFM Scotland’s new Drivetime presenter Jim Gellatly added: "Some of the best moments of my career were on XFM Scotland so I’m over the moon to be joining the station again nearly six years on. When I got the call from Chris [Baughen], I didn't have to think twice. It feels like coming home for me."
XFM Scotland launches on April 7th.
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Comments
Presume it'll be on DAB across central Scotland? Be very odd having it back, and especially on 96.3, but I think it's great news for new music in Scotland.
Yes, Fraser is on Your.
Pleased for them both.
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2014/03/date-set-for-the-return-of-xfm-scotland/
They won't need any other local hours as that meets the minimum quota for local programming within Scotland. It is however officially the local radio station for Paisley and Renfrewshire, rather than Glasgow, so Global will have to be careful to pay lip-service to the local area through news, sport, travel or gig news to keep themselves safe.
I suspect there will be a bit of an outcry once the classic rock fans realise what's happening to their station - Rock Radio and Real Radio XS attracted a small but hugely loyal and vocal audience. But beyond that I imagine the people listening to 96.3 will remain the same all the way from the Q96 era - people who just wanted an alternative to Clyde. It'll probably make a loss but makes sense for Global to hold onto it in case someone else comes in and makes a success of the frequency, and also to bolster XFM's national coverage.
Personally speaking Clyde and Real/Heart hold no great appeal for me, as much as they're good to dip into here and there and that they have to be that way to get an audience. But it'll be nice to hear something local and a bit more challenging as a compliment to my BBC network-dominated listening.
I agree that Rock Radio has an audience that'll certainly miss it. Communicorp might be smart to put 'XS' (or whatever they end up calling it in Manchester) on DAB up here.
On the other hand, I'm not sure that 96.3 listeners are just after an alternative to Clyde - why pick Rock Radio over Smooth/Real/BBC/Capital etc? No shortage of radio stations (analogue and digital) in Renfrewshire.
Wonder if Fraser and Jim make an appearance on Tom's breakfast show next week. (obvious/easy way of promoting XFM without having to interfere with the XS network).
Yup Fraser and Jim just as I predicted:) Happy days.
It's a great gig for both as they both love the music and it's also a safe as houses gig that isn't at risk from network creep or cutbacks.
Ratings won't be an issue either as I imagine there is no expectation. It will enjoy a small and very loyal audience and allow the network to boast London, Manchester and Glasgow....3 key cities for music.
(if not, Are global planning to move Capital in with Real & Smooth Scotland?)
Edit: XS have broke the news to their fans via facebook.
And just like when XFM took over from Beat 106, it's been taken very well.
At least this time round Global have had the maturity to tell their listeners in advance what's going on. In the case of Beat 106 listeners were only told hours before the station's demise that it was a goner.
Some Classic rock listeners may go to Planetrock, Teamrock or even Eklipse if it gets on air, but maybe not many? Hopefully Global won't make the same mistakes GCAP did in 2008 where the station lost listeners rapidly?
Global are now into digital radio and hopefully will promote XFM across all central Scotland?
There are other issues to be resolved. Obviously Tom Russell is going to XFM weekend breakfast, which strikes me as a completely sensible solution (keeps a broadcasting legend on the air, who will urge his listeners to stick with the frequency, but wouldn't fit the general daytime sound of the new station). Does David Grant's show come from Glasgow, and if so what happens there? Obviously Russell's rock show is a goner, which seems a shame, but I suppose Real XS Manchester is now part of a different company.
The switch has been handled in a mature way, with Tom basically telling people the station had been bought, it was changing format, there would be new presenters and they'd be playing some of the songs from Real XS but assuring the listeners there would be "nae pop". Which strikes me as exactly what you need to say to encourage that audience to give it a chance, as difficult as the transition will be. I've dipped into the station in the last week and actually found it a refreshing listen, as much as classic rock isn't my normal sound - less gimmicks and no enforced cheeriness unlike most breakfast shows, and some decent songs I otherwise wouldn't have come across. He's into the last 10 minutes of the final breakfast show before the switch now.
Well apparently today IS the last day of XS... Are they planning to re-air the X-List?
Was there a pre-launch XFM trailer after Tom's final show went to air? I assume that the music gives the tech team time to switch satellite signals and software over the weekend?
Listening in, it sounds like the music is played out manually with overnight folk in the studio (notice the few fade jolts when a new track starts and levels).
http://media-ice.musicradio.com/XFMScotland.m3u 48kbps AAC
or http://media-ice.musicradio.com/XFMScotlandMP3.m3u 128kbps MP3
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2014/04/this-is-the-last-link-on-real-xs-glasgow/
As a matter of interest, was Tom Russell's rock show networked to Manchester?
Looking forward to the new XFM and hoping that it can reinvigorate my interest in indie and alternative music after quite a few years when nothing has really caught my attention. I do hope, however, that it doesn't fall into the trap of the previous XFM towards the end which started going down a "my music is better than your music" route which just alienates casual listeners (which they really need). It's why I struggle to leave Radio 1, which plays a ton of new music but accepts that good pop music also exists. XFM obviously can't play pop but daily barbs at stuff in the chart will just send me back to Radio 1. Not everything that is indie is perfect and not everything that is pop is terrible.
XFM has quite a few problems at the moment. 6 Music has swept in and stolen its act, and indeed many of its presenters, from when it was an excellent listen. Also, as you say, defining alternative music is a difficult thing. In the 90s there was an accepted commercial idea of what constituted indie whereas nowadays it's a bit trickier to pin it down. Also, guitar music in general is in decline commercially, and XFM relies on the genre at least having some sort of mainstream presence to bring in casual listeners (you start listening to Oasis, you try out the Manics, you then find a lot of more exciting alternative stuff out there - that was my previous route in)
Personally I'll be giving XFM Scotland (well, Paisley and most of Glasgow) a chance because I like the presenters and I like the idea that in local commercial radio I'll have something that challenges me a little. I know why Clyde and Heart have to play it safe but I feel completely out of the loop musically if I listen to them, whereas Radio 1 will always introduce me to something, or challenge me a little, without alienating me completely.