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was in no way a reason for closing down Saint FM, the very fact that Mark Capes should use a
Christmas message as an advert for government financed media shows very clearly the attitude of certain key officials within government towards private sector media and the private sector in general. 'Small private sector businesses cannot compete against governments who have almost unlimited resources by comparison, Mike said. 'It is clearly evident to all, they are prepared to use large amounts of public money on unnecessary schemes in order to pander to their prejudices while vital public services become worse with each passing week'.
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Mike added that recent difficulties with Cable & Wireless, who repeatedly closed down transmission of Saint FM while working on equipment at High Knoll Fort, caused a great deal of unnecessary extra work in order to sort the problem out. He also stated that, while the governor's
Christmas message
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Saint FM was started by Johnny
Drummond, whose bequest provided the initial funding for the station. Talks about the new station began in August 2003 between Drummond and the current station manager of Saint FM, Mike Olsson. Negotiations started soon afterwards and the broadcasting licence was issued
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Weekday daytime programmes were usually presented by station staff, with evening and weekend programming done by 'voluntary presenters'. 'Local news' (which also included events on
Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands) was broadcast throughout the day. The station also did international news
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Unlike the weekly
Independent newspaper Saint FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and relies on a minimum number of paid staff and a lot of goodwill from volunteers, the public, the government and other business interests to keep going. It has become increasingly difficult to continue
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Despite Saint FM's undoubted popularity, world-wide broadcasting capability and successful involvement in community fund-raising projects the radio station's editorial policy to encourage open debate and expression of opinion has always been a point of controversy with the Island's government and
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Keeping a private sector radio station on the air has always been difficult in St Helena and over the last two years or so it has become almost impossible as a result of the St Helena
Government's attitude towards private sector media and its policy of supporting and favouring government financed
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The government's attack on private sector media has already threatened the existence of Saint FM's media partner, The St Helena
Independent. It was found possible to resurrect the Island's only private sector newspaper through further cost cutting measures. Throughout this period the government
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Mike Olsson said it is the total effect of the continual and increasing number of obstacles and awkwardness put in the path of the daily job and increasing the workload which makes you wonder if all the hours needed to keep a private sector radio station on the air can be sustained.
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Because of its remoteness, Saint FM was interested to hear from people who could receive the station at unusually long distances, for example in Africa or at sea, direct from its main 93.1 MHz FM transmitter on Saint Helena.
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poured hundreds of thousands of pounds into the government subsidised St Helena
Broadcasting Corporation making it extremely difficult for an unsubsidised private sector media business to compete.
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The High Knoll Fort transmitter was itself fed from a transmitter located at the studios in
Jamestown, which radiated on 106.7 MHz. This transmitter also provided a service in Jamestown.
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The majority of programming was music-based, with a significant number of requests being played for islanders from relatives and friends overseas and vice versa.
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Although Saint Helena is a small island, its terrain is such that island-wide coverage requires more than one transmitter.
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on the
Falkland Islands under the title 'KTV Radio Nova Saint FM', and was extended to cover residents in the vicinity of
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In June 2006 broadcasts commenced in Ascension Island on 91.4 MHz, locally re-broadcast by VT Merlin Communications.
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As a commercial station, Saint FM played adverts for local businesses. Some of these are still available online.
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After three months of test transmissions Saint FM officially opened with scheduled broadcasts on 3 January 2005.
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The decision was taken earlier today to close Saint FM permanently at 4:00pm this coming Friday, 21 December.
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broadcasting as relations and co-operation with government have worsened in recent months and weeks.
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SaintFM closed down at 4p.m. on 21 December 2012. After a brief speech from the station's owner,
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a relay at The Flag, for the Levelwood area, opened July 2007, which operated on 95.1 MHz.
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was played, but the most popular music styles from the last 50 years were also featured.
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Many of the station's requests were placed by 'Saints' contacting relatives worldwide.
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The station commenced test transmissions on the Internet on 28 September 2004, and on
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on the Falkland Islands on 95.5 MHz. The re-broadcast service was provided by
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Saint FM posted the following on Wednesday 19 December 2012 on its Facebook page:
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bulletins as well as international and local sports updates throughout the day.
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The station also broadcast via the Internet and was relayed by stations in
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The radio frequencies vacated by Saint FM have been taken over by
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area, on 91.1 MHz from the Head 'O Wain TV transmitter site.
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As befits the musical preference of many Saint Helenians, much
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The programming style could best be described as 'informal'.
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71:. Saint FM 94.7 closed down on 31 April 2018 at midnight.
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2012 disestablishments in Saint Helena and Dependencies
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2004 establishments in Saint Helena and Dependencies
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396:Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom
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209:The main island transmitter was at
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318:St. Helena Independent (Newspaper)
16:Radio station serving Saint Helena
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269:, Saint.fm, Retrieved 2010-08-02
124:Saint FM to Close Down on Friday
308:Station Website at www.saint.fm
136:other establishment interests.
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312:Saint FM Community Radio
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401:Jamestown, Saint Helena
324:World Radio TV Handbook
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55:St Helena Independent
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263:Archived
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75:History
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