LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System
{{Short description|Radio station in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan}}
LuckyFM Ibaraki Broadcasting System (LuckyFM茨城放送), formerly simply known as Ibaraki Broadcasting System (茨城放送), is a Japanese commercial radio station covering Ibaraki Prefecture. Following the installation of FM relay stations, it adopted the LuckyFM nickname and changed to its current name. The station uses the JOYF calls for the Mito station, while the AM relay station in Tsuchiura uses the JOYL calls.
History
IBS was founded in September 1962 and started broadcasting on April 1, 1963, when JOYF (1200kc, 1kW) started (its power was increased to 5kW in 1977).{{Cite book |title=広報いしげ 1963年6月 第40号 |url=https://joso.ibaraki-ebooks.jp/actibook_data/acv-joso_196306_i040/HTML5/pc.html#/page/2}} JOYL started broadcasting on January 20, 1965 (1560kc, 100W output, moved to 1460kHz in December 1972 and increased its output to 1kW). On November 23, 1978, in accordance with the Geneva Frequency Plan, JOYF moved to 1197kHz and JOYL to 1458kHz.
Initially independent, it joined the National Radio Network in 2001. Its corporate structure changed on July 20, 2011, moving to a new subsidiary company, IBS Co, Ltd.茨城放送、ハードとソフトに事業分離 総務省認可 - 茨城新聞 2011年7月20日[https://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/01ryutsu09_01000028.html 株式会社茨城放送所属中波放送局の株式会社IBSへの免許承継及び株式会社茨城放送の地上基幹放送の業務の承継] - 総務省・報道資料 2011年7月20日
On July 21, 2015, IBS applied for complementary FM licenses in Mito, as part of a move initiated by AM radio stations.[https://www.soumu.go.jp/soutsu/kanto/press/27/0717ho.html 株式会社IBS（茨城県域AM放送局）のFM補完中継局に予備免許] - 総務省関東総合通信局・報道資料 2015年7月17日[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%e2%97%8e%e3%81%8a%e7%9f%a5%e3%82%89%e3%81%9b%ef%bd%9e%e3%80%8e%e9%9b%a3%e8%81%b4%e3%83%bb%e7%81%bd%e5%ae%b3%e5%af%be%e7%ad%96%e3%80%8f%e3%81%a7fm%e8%a3%9c%e5%ae%8c%e4%b8%ad%e7%b6%99%e5%b1%80%ef%bc%88 お知らせ〜『難聴・災害対策』でFM補完中継局（ワイドFM局）の予備免許が交付されました] The Mito FM station received its full license on August 13,[https://www.soumu.go.jp/soutsu/kanto/press/27/0813ho.html 株式会社IBS（茨城県域AM放送局）のFM補完中継局に免許] - 総務省関東総合通信局・報道資料 2015年8月13日 then on August 17, FM broadcasts started. In conjunction, the station started using i-FM as its commercial name rather than IBS.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150819235008/http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%80%80%EF%BD%89-%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%EF%BC%88%E3%81%82%E3%81%84%E3%81%88%E3%81%B5%E3%81%88%E3%82%80%EF%BC%89%E9%96%8B%E5%B1%80 FM補完中継局 i-fm（あいえふえむ）開局!（2015年8月19日現在のアーカイブ）]（[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%80%80%EF%BD%89-%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%EF%BC%88%E3%81%82%E3%81%84%E3%81%88%E3%81%B5%E3%81%88%E3%82%80%EF%BC%89%E9%96%8B%E5%B1%80 オリジナルURL]） A license for a transmitter in Hitachi (Takasuzuyama) was received on September 3,[https://www.soumu.go.jp/soutsu/kanto/press/27/0903ho.html 株式会社IBS（茨城県域AM放送局）のFM補完中継局に予備免許] - 総務省関東総合通信局・報道資料 2015年9月3日[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%E3%81%8A%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%89%E3%81%9B%EF%BD%9E%E9%AB%98%E9%88%B4%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%81%AE%E4%BA%88%E5%82%99%E5%85%8D%E8%A8%B1%E3%81%8C%E4%BA%A4 お知らせ〜高鈴FM補完中継局の予備免許が交付されました] receiving a full license on December 3[https://web.archive.org/web/20151203072904/http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%80%80%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E6%97%A5%E7%AB%8B%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz FM補完中継局i-fm FM日立局88.1MHz いよいよ開局!（IBS茨城放送）]2015年12月3日のアーカイブ（[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%80%80%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E6%97%A5%E7%AB%8B%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz オリジナルURL] and starting on December 7.[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E8%A3%9C%E5%AE%8C%E4%B8%AD%E7%B6%99%E5%B1%80%E3%80%80%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E6%97%A5%E7%AB%8B%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz-2 FM補完中継局i-fm FM日立局88.1MHz開局（IBS茨城放送）] A preliminary license for a further relay station, in Moriya, was obtained on March 30, 2017,[http://ibarakinews.jp/news/newsdetail.php?f_jun=14908799244333 守谷FM中継局、4月に放送開始 茨城放送に予備免許（2017年3月31日茨城新聞クロスアイ 2017年4月7日閲覧）] then receiving its full license on April 6{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406063808/http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E5%AE%88%E8%B0%B7%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz%E3%80%80%E6%98%8E%E6%97%A5%E3%81%84%E3%82%88%E3%81%84%E3%82%88%E9%96%8B|date=2017年4月6日|title= i-fm FM守谷局88.1MHz 明日いよいよ開局!（IBS茨城放送2017年4月6日）}}[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E5%AE%88%E8%B0%B7%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz%E3%80%80%E6%98%8E%E6%97%A5%E3%81%84%E3%82%88%E3%81%84%E3%82%88%E9%96%8B オリジナルURL]） and started on April 7.[http://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%E2%97%8E%EF%BD%89%E2%80%90%EF%BD%86%EF%BD%8D%E3%80%80fm%E5%AE%88%E8%B0%B7%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%98%EF%BC%8E%EF%BC%91mhz%E3%80%80%E6%9C%AC%E6%97%A5%E9%96%8B%E5%B1%80%EF%BC%81 i-fm FM守谷局88.1MHz 本日開局!（IBS茨城放送2017年4月7日）]
On March 19, 2020, Mito Ibaraki Initiative increased its shares in IBS to 45,83%.{{Cite web|title=茨城放送 筆頭・第2位株主の過半数株式取得のお知らせ|url=https://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/ibsstock/|website=i-fm IBS 茨城放送|accessdate=2020-07-12|publisher=}} A disaster cooperation agreement with Radio Fukushima and Tochigi Broadcasting was signed on September 1.{{Cite web|url=https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000006.000055554.html/|title=茨城放送・栃木放送・ラジオ福島の隣接ラジオ3社が災害時と平常時の連携協定を締結|publisher=PR TIMES|accessdate=2020-12-27}}
On April 1, 2021, the station's commercial name became LuckyFM and changed its website.{{Cite web|url=https://ibarakinews.jp/news/newsdetail.php?f_jun=16155572612068|title=茨城放送、4月から愛称「LuckyFM」 ロゴも刷新|accessdate=2021-03-13|date=2021-03-13|website=茨城新聞}}{{Cite web|title=茨城放送は2021年4月1日に愛称を変更!|url=https://www.ibs-radio.com/post_info/%e8%8c%a8%e5%9f%8e%e6%94%be%e9%80%81%e3%81%af2021%e5%b9%b4%ef%bc%94%e6%9c%88%ef%bc%91%e6%97%a5%e3%81%ab%e6%84%9b%e7%a7%b0%e3%82%92%e5%a4%89%e6%9b%b4%ef%bc%81/|work=茨城放送|date=2021-03-12|accessdate=2021-03-14}} LuckyFM was added to IBS's corporate name on February 1, 2024.
Expansion plan for television broadcasting
Ibaraki as of 2025 has no commercial terrestrial television station broadcasting from within the prefecture. In 2004, the NHK Mito Broadcasting Station started television broadcasts exclusively over digital, giving the prefecture its first television station.[https://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/235321/www.soumu.go.jp/s-news/2004/040609_8.html 放送普及基本計画及び放送用周波数使用計画等の一部変更（地上デジタルテレビジョン放送の開始に向けた環境整備）2004年6月9日総務省報道資料 2004年12月13日現在のアーカイブ]（[http://www.soumu.go.jp/s-news/2004/040609_1.html オリジナルURL]） On May 21, 2020, IBS became a strategic partner in Ibakira TV, a prefecture-owned web outlet.[https://www.screens-lab.jp/article/25569 Screens 2020年5月21日]
On April 10, 2024, it was revealed that, in the results of a research about usage of frequencies, that the digital tererstrial frequency formerly used by the Open University of Japan (channel 28, LCN 12, vacated 2018) should be used by IBS for television transmission.[https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000941935.pdf デジタル時代における放送制度の在り方に関する検討会（第25回）配付資料25-4] Obstacles for installing such a TV station are high, but there is a possibility to launch an IBS television station, under the grounds that as of 2024, most viewers in the prefecture tuned their antennas towards Tokyo, where the signals of the Kanto stations are more visible.[https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240510/ddl/k08/020/053000c 業界外からテレビ進出 学長が茨城放送オーナーに 放大電波で地上波提案] - 毎日新聞2024年5月10日配信
If approved and if it broadcasts from the Tokyo Tower, the main transmitter will be located outside of the intended prefecture, which will cause in a significant amount of signal overspill to the eastern end of Tokyo Prefecture, parts of Saitama Prefecture and the Tokatsu region in Chiba Prefecture. A report will be necessary in case the station opens for reports from northern Ibaraki Prefecture where the hypothetical signal of IBS TV cannot be received.{{Cite web |url=https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000948221.pdf |title=デジタル時代における放送制度の在り方に関する検討会（第25回）議事要旨 |access-date=2024-08-11 |date=2024-04-10 |website=総務省 |pages=5-8}}