Fun Kids#Other stations

Fun Kids (formerly Fun Radio) was created by the now-defunct GCap Media, Hit Entertainment and the children's radio campaigner Susan Stranks.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jun/08/commercialradio.radio|title=New station bids for a chance to switch children on to radio|first=Meg|last=Carter|date=8 June 2005|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London}}

It went on-air in May 2005 and then was acquired in September 2008 by Folder Media.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/sep/23/gcapmedia.commercialradio|title=Folder Media buys GCap's Fun Radio|first=John|last=Plunkett|date=23 September 2008|newspaper=The Guardian|location=London}}

Fun Radio was initially launched on DAB digital radio in London and some areas of the South East alongside being broadcast on digital television. In January 2008, the line ups of a number of local digital multiplexes changed, with Fun Radio being removed as a service from those outside London.

In the summer of 2009, Fun Kids launched temporarily on the national Digital One multiplex from 27 June until 3 October.{{cite web|url=http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4846|title=Fun Kids goes nationwide on DAB|date=2009-06-15|access-date=2009-06-15|publisher=Radio Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617080635/http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4846|archive-date=17 June 2009|url-status=dead}} Fun Kids was removed from Virgin Media channel 926 on 1 December 2009 and also from Sky channel 0171 on 16 December 2009.

In February 2016 it was announced that the station would start broadcasting nationwide by joining Sound Digital's national DAB digital radio multiplex.{{cite web|url=http://radiotoday.co.uk/2016/02/fun-kids-to-go-national-as-dab-radio-service/|title=Fun Kids to go national as DAB+ radio service – RadioToday}} It launched, alongside the multiplex's other radio stations on 29 February.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/fun-kids-national-radio-station-for-children-to-launch-with-djs-from-the-beano-a6851466.html|title=A national radio station for children is launching – with DJs from The Beano|website=Independent.co.uk |date=3 February 2016}} On 1 September 2023, the Radio Today website reported that Fun Kids would be leaving the national Sound Digital multiplex after seven years, and instead join a series of local multiplexes.{{cite web|last=Martin |first=Roy |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/09/fun-kids-leaves-sound-digital-national-dab-digital-radio-multiplex/ |title=Fun Kids leaves Sound Digital national DAB digital radio multiplex |publisher=Radio Today |date=1 September 2023 |accessdate=1 September 2023}}

Fun Kids has been a training ground for many young radio presenters including James Barr, Tim Dixon, James Beckingham, Frankie Vu, Matt Kot, Luke Franks, Anna Louise Claydon and Sean Thorne.

Its current{{Cite web|title=Schedule|url=https://www.funkidslive.com/radio/schedule/|access-date=2021-01-10|website=Fun Kids – the UK's children's radio station|language=en-GB}} presenter line-up includes: George Butler, Dan Simpson, Bex Lindsay, Conor Knight, Emma-Louise Amanshia and Georgia Kain.

On 22 July 2019, Fun Kids launched Fun Kids Junior, its sister radio station for preschool children and parents.{{Cite web |last=Martin |first=Roy |date=2019-07-22 |title=Fun Kids Junior spin-off radio station launches on DAB+ |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/07/22/fun-kids-junior-spin-off-radio-station-launches-on-dab/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=RadioToday |language=en-GB}} The station plays songs for preschool children to sing and dance to during the day and bedtime stories and lullabies during the evening and overnight.{{Cite web |last=Forster |first=Lucy |date=2019-07-22 |title=Fun Kids Junior launches on digital radio – Digital Radio UK |url=https://getdigitalradio.com/fun-kids-junior-launches-on-digital-radio/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |language=en-GB}}

Fun Kids Junior is currently available on DAB+ Digital Radio in London, South East, Liverpool and Cheshire. It also broadcasts on the Fun Kids website, on the Fun Kids app and on smart speakers, for example, saying "Alexa, play Fun Kids Junior!" turns on the station.{{Cite web |title=Introducing Fun Kids Junior: What is it and how do I listen to Fun Kids Junior? |url=https://www.funkidslive.com/news/whats-fun-kids-junior-and-how-do-i-listen/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=Fun Kids – the UK's children's radio station |language=en-GB}}

In January 2021, Fun Kids launched eight new stations{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Fun Kids launches eight new radio stations|work=Radio Today|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/01/fun-kids-launches-eight-new-radio-stations/|access-date=}} – Fun Kids Animals, Fun Kids Classics, Fun Kids Classical, Fun Kids Party, Fun Kids Pop Hits, Fun Kids Naps, Fun Kids Silly and Fun Kids Soundtracks. Its classical music station, Fun Kids Classical, has concert pianist Lang Lang as its ambassador.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=|title=Fun Kids Classical radio station to get young into Mozart|work=The Times|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/fun-kids-classical-radio-station-to-get-young-into-mozart-q0c597z57|access-date=}}

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• {{Official website}}

{{Children's channels in UK & Ireland}}

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Category:Radio stations in London

Category:Digital-only radio stations

Category:Children's radio stations in the United Kingdom

Category:Children's websites

Category:Radio stations established in 2005

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