Peak FM

Peak FM is a small commercial radio station in north Derbyshire, playing music from the last three decades, as well as local news and sport.

Coverage Area

Towns

Based in Sheepbridge, Chesterfield, Peak FM's coverage area includes the towns of Alfreton, Bakewell, Bolsover, Clay Cross, Dronfield, Matlock, and Ripley. Southern districts of the City of Sheffield are also included, though the topography of the area makes reception unreliable.

Villages

The coverage area also includes many isolated areas in north-eastern Derbyshire, and the White Peak of the Peak District National Park.

Frequencies

• 107.4 FM covers Chesterfield, south Sheffield and north-eastern Derbyshire
• 102.0 FM covers Matlock and Bakewell

Peak FM is not currently available as an audio stream on the internet, or on DAB Digital Radio.

History

Though served by Hallam FM in Sheffield, Chesterfield missed out on having a commercial radio station of its own for two decades.

Peak FM began broadcasting to Chesterfield as 'Peak 107 FM' on Wednesday October 7, 1998. The Radio Authority had awarded Grand Central Broadcasting the license earlier in the spring.

At the same time, the authority also awarded licenses for two other small stations, in nearby Bassetlaw and Mansfield.

'Forever' Broadcasting?

In 2001, Forever Broadcasting bought out Grand Central Broadcasting, and Peak 107 was rebranded as 'The 50/50 Music Mix of Yesterday And Today', with an accompanying change in music policy.

Forever sold three of its stations in 2003, with three remaining- Peak, Tower FM in Bolton and Wolverhampton's 107.7 The Wolf.

In early 2004, Forever Broadcasting was itself bought by The Wireless Group, run by former newspaper editor Kelvin MacKenzie.

Wireless Group

Under the new regime, the station changed its name to the shorter 'Peak FM' in summer 2004.

Station output has not changed dramatically since the takeover, but presenters are occasionally required to promote programming on The Wireless Group's national station, talkSPORT, and advertisements for the national station are frequently played.

Figures from radio audience monitors suggest the number of listeners to the station is increasing.

Peak FM's website [1] was relaunched in Autumn 2004.

Presenters

• Sean Goldsmith and Bakewell's Becky Measures co-present the weekday breakfast show
• Craig Pattison presents around lunchtime on weekdays
• David Ross presents at drivetime on weekdays
• Richard Spinks presents on weekday evenings

News

• Naz Premji on weekday mornings
• Simon Towers on weekday afternoons
• Holly Holland on Sunday mornings

Sport

Each Saturday in the football/soccer season, the station features commentary of local team Chesterfield F.C.