Juice Radio
{{Redirect-distinguish|Beat 103|Beat 102 103}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = Juice Radio
| city = Preston, Lancashire
| above =
| callsign =
| logo = Logo_of_Juice_Radio.jpg
| logo_size =
| logo_alt =
| logo_caption = Logo used since January 2024
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| area = Preston
| frequency = FM: 103.2 MHz
DAB: NE Wales & West Cheshire (10D)
SSDAB: Blackpool (8B), Manchester (7D), Preston (9A)
| rds =
| branding = Juice Radio
| languages = English
| format = Community radio
Pop music
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| founded =
| airdate = {{Start date|2008|10|06}}
| last_airdate =
| former_callsigns =
| former_names = Preston FM
City Beat
Beat Radio
Beat 103
| former_frequencies =
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| power =
| erp = 25 watts
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| website = {{URL|https://www.juiceradio.co.uk/}}
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}}
Juice Radio is a community radio station based in Preston, Lancashire, which broadcasts pop and dance music. It was initially established in 2008 as Preston FM before relaunching in 2015 as City Beat, subsequently known as Beat 103. On the 8th of January 2024 the station merged into the digital radio station Juice Radio, which took over the 103.2 MHz frequency used by Beat.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-05 |title=Beat Radio in Preston to rebrand as Juice Radio |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/01/beat-radio-in-preston-to-rebrand-as-juice-radio/ |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=RadioToday |language=en-GB}}
History
= Preston FM =
Preston FM was initially operated by Prescap (Preston Community Arts Project), a local arts charity.{{Cite web|title=Memorandum by Preston Community Arts Project (Prescap Ltd)|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200910/ldselect/ldcomuni/100/100we08.htm|access-date=2021-08-29|website=House of Lords - Communications Committee - Written Evidence}} It originally broadcast six Restricted Service Licence trials over three years from October 2005 to June 2008 and subsequently received a full-time community radio licence from Ofcom.{{cite web|title=Ofcom licence award announcement|url=http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/awards/jan08/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405154159/http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/tlproc/awards/jan08/|archive-date=2008-04-05|access-date=5 April 2008}} The station was partly backed by EU funding. It broadcast a wide range of music and speech programming by local presenters and arts practitioners. Speech programming included the serialisation of a novel by a local writer.{{Cite web|title=Lancashire woman's book serialised for radio|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4329105.lancashire-womans-book-serialised-radio/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Lancashire Telegraph|date=29 April 2009 |language=en}}
In April 2012, the Prescap charity closed due to the loss of its Arts Council England funding.{{Cite web|title=Local arts charity Prescap closes after 27 years|url=https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2012/03/local-arts-charity-prescap-closes-after-27-years/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Blog Preston|language=en|quote=Prescap, the community arts charity based in the city centre, has closed its doors after 27 years of delivering its mission of ...}} Preston FM was spun out into its own independent company to allow it to continue broadcasting, and moved out of Prescap's building into its own studios on Cannon Street.{{Cite web|date=23 March 2012|title=National media briefing: Sport Relief, charities in Guernsey, Prescap and Michael Bloomberg's charitable foundation|url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/national-media-briefing-sport-relief-charities-guernsey-prescap-michael-bloombergs-charitable-foundation/communications/article/1123752|access-date=2021-08-29|website=ThirdSector|quote=Community arts charity Prescap is to close down after 27 years, making 10 workers redundant, after losing its Arts Council grant and other ...}}
In early January 2015, the station unexpectedly went off the air.{{Cite web|title=Community radio station Preston FM future hangs in the balance|url=https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2015/01/community-radio-station-preston-fm-future-hangs-in-the-balance/|date=11 January 2015 | first1= Ed |last1=Walker |access-date=2021-08-29|website=Blog Preston|language=en }} It resumed broadcasting a few days later, but was unable to sustain itself long-term and Preston FM ceased broadcasting in 2015.{{Cite web|title=Preston FM back on the airwaves but concerns about financial future remain|date= 19 January 2015 | first1= Ed |last1=Walker |url=https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2015/01/preston-fm-back-on-the-airwaves-but-concerns-about-financial-future-remain/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Blog Preston|language=en }}
= City Beat =
Following the closure of Preston FM, the station relaunched with a more mainstream commercial music format under the name City Beat 103.2, with new premises at Preston Guild Hall.{{Cite web|title=Preston FM to re-launch as City Beat|date=11 April 2015 |first1=Anastasia |last1=Bates |url=https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2015/04/preston-fm-to-re-launch-as-city-beat/|access-date=2021-08-29|website=Blog Preston|language=en}} In June 2017, the station was found in breach of its Ofcom licence after transphobic comments were made by the presenter of the Bigger Drive Home programme.{{Cite web|date=2017-08-30|title=CityBeat in breach for transgender comment|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/08/citybeat-in-breach-for-transgender-comment/|access-date=2021-09-05|website=RadioToday|language=en-GB}}
= Beat 103 =
In 2018, the station relaunched once again as Beat Radio and subsequently Beat 103, reflecting its FM frequency. In late 2019, the station once more fell off air following a number of problems, including the deletion of music and audio from the station's computers.{{Cite web|date=2019-09-24|title=Beat Radio goes off-air after all station audio deleted|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/09/beat-radio-goes-off-air-after-all-station-audio-deleted/|access-date=2021-09-05|website=RadioToday|language=en-GB}}
In May 2020, Beat 103 was again found in breach of its Ofcom licence. The regulator's investigation found that the station had not adhered to its Key Commitments on a number of levels, including the absence of any news, sport or speech programming, and a lack of older music tracks.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-12|title=Beat Radio on notice following Ofcom format breach|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/05/beat-radio-on-notice-following-format-breach/|access-date=2021-09-05|website=RadioToday|language=en-GB}}
= Juice Radio =
In January 2024, the station again rebranded as Juice Radio, merging its operations with a commercial DAB digital radio station already on the air in North West England.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-05 |title=Beat Radio in Preston to rebrand as Juice Radio |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/01/beat-radio-in-preston-to-rebrand-as-juice-radio/ |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=RadioToday |language=en-GB}}
Transmission
Beat 103 transmits on 103.2 MHz with an ERP of 25 watts from Guild Tower in Preston city centre.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-05|title=Technical parameters for broadcast radio transmitters|url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/information/radio-tech-parameters|access-date=2021-09-05|website=Ofcom|language=en}}