Sir Ray Tindle acquired Island FM in Guernsey in February 1998, the first station of what was to become Tindle Radio Group. The business grew to own a dozen stations, mostly located in the South and South East of England.
Tindle's last station launch in England was for Ipswich, but sold interests in new licences in Andover and Southend before they began broadcasting.
After the UK stations separated, Tindle's radio division re-organised as 'Tindle CI Broadcasting', retaining its stations in the Channel Islands and Ireland. It remains part of the larger Tindle Group.
The company launched its first digital station, Soleil Radio, on 1 August 2021. Channel 103 and Island FM also launched DAB+ simulcasts at the same time.[3]
In 2023, the company acquired Bailiwick Broadcasting, operator of the Channel Islands' local commercial DAB multiplex.
Channel 103 is a CHR/pop music station broadcasting to the island of Jersey on 103.7 FM and DAB+ digital radio. It broadcasts contemporary hits - mostly from the early 1990s to the present day.
Local news bulletins are produced from 6am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-noon at weekends, with Sky News providing overnight and weekend afternoon bulletins.
According to RAJAR it has the highest weekly reach of any radio station in the British Isles at 61%.
Island FM follows a similar CHR format to that of Channel 103. It broadcasts to the islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm on 104.7 & 93.7 FM as well as on DAB+ digital radio.
It broadcasts contemporary hits - mostly from the early 1990s to the present day. Local news bulletins are produced from 6am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-noon at weekends, with Sky News providing overnight and weekend afternoon bulletins.
Midlands 103 is the Tindle Group's only investment in the Republic of Ireland. It broadcasts on a range of frequencies between 95.7 and 103.5 FM across Counties Laois, Offaly and Westmeath.
It includes a varied output of mainstream music shows, topical talk and discussion and specialist programmes - including Country and Irish music, business news, and Irish language shows.
The station produces its local news bulletins for the region during peak times, with evening (7pm to midnight) network bulletins produced by Bauer Media Audio Ireland.
Soleil Radio launched in August 2021 as an easy-listening DAB digital radio station for the Channel Islands.[4] In 2023 the format was refreshed and it now plays classic hits from the 1970s, 80s and 90s with hourly news bulletins produced from the Channel 103 or Island FM newsrooms from 7am-6pm weekdays and 8am-12pm at weekends. In August 2023, Soleil Radio gained an FM frequency for Jersey, 107.7FM.
Former stations
During the 2010s, Tindle's former stations which broke away to form Anglian Radio were sold on again to Celador and later Bauer. They were rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio in 2020.[5]
Kick FM - local radio station for West Berkshire, broadcast from Newbury (sold to Andover Sound in 2009, now Greatest Hits Radio)
Delta Radio - local radio station for East Hampshire, South West Surrey and North West Sussex (merged with Kestrel FM in 2010, now Greatest Hits Radio)
Dream 107.2 - local radio station for Central Hampshire, broadcast from The Brooks Shopping Centre in Winchester. Previously known as 107.2 Win FM. (rebranded as The Breeze, later Hits Radio South Coast and now Easy Radio South Coast)
Kestrel FM - local radio station for North Hampshire, broadcast from studios in Festival Place Shopping Centre in Basingstoke. (rebranded as The Breeze and later Greatest Hits Radio)
