Contact 94, which began transmitting exactly 30 years ago, featured 20 hours of programming in English and four in French each day and played the likes of the Beatles, David Bowie and Duran Duran.
Now, a number of original staff members, including Stephen Clipp, owner of The Inn on Queen’s Road, have got back together to restart the station – renamed Contact Classic Hits.
Asked why the station was being restarted, Mr Clipp said: ‘We started Contact 94 30 years ago and we have decided, with the technology that is now around, to relaunch it to give Islanders a bit more choice.
‘Lots of people say they miss it and quite a few asked us to bring it back. Back in the day, we had a great team spirit and all of us have stayed in contact – we all loved doing it and we have some great memories.
‘When we decided that we were going to revive it, they all said that they wanted to be involved.’
Although the station is currently being transmitted through the internet, Mr Clipp added that they would consider broadcasting on FM frequencies again if there was demand.
He said an increasing number of people were listening to radio stations through internet browsers, apps and Amazon’s Alexa device.
‘Back in the day, it was a case of getting a studio, some decks and mixing board, hooking everything up to a transmitter and you were away.
‘Nowadays, it is a lot more about getting the techie guys involved and it is a lot more complicated.’
Beginning this morning’s programming, Mr Clipp said that at 7 am, Kevin Turner would be due to play Good Day Sunshine by the Beatles and Groovy Kind of Love by Phil Collins, the first two songs ever played on Contact 94. The internet allows his DJs to transmit from around the world with one of the originals, Liam Mayclem, now a US TV host, broadcasting from San Francisco.
Anyone wishing to listen to the new station should visit contactclassichits.com.
