A RADIO station has abruptly been taken off air after 21 years as a presenter said “we didn’t even get to say goodbye.”
Time 107.5FM stopped broadcasting earlier this month and has since had a rebrand after being taken over by Nation Broadcasting.
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The station began operating in 2004 and broadcast to the east London and west Essex area.
It is now called Nation Radio London and the new station is set to appeal to a wider audience across London.
Time 107.5FM had a focus on the Havering area where Time was based, and the news of its axe came as a shock to the show’s listener s and presenters.
The Sun has contacted Nation Broadcasting, who had no further comment, and Lyca Media II Ltd.
Presenter Neil Andrews discussed the abrupt nature of the station shutting down, saying: “Nobody had any idea it was happening.”
It occurred just hours after he’d finished his show, meaning he hadn’t got a chance to say a final farewell to listeners.
Neil continued: “’I finished my breakfast show at 10am on August 1, came off air and was told that was it – it’s over and the programmes were coming to an end at 2pm that afternoon. It was as abrupt as that.
“What hurt me more than anything else was that I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. I’ve worked in radio for almost 30 years and I know everything comes to an end.
“But it would have been nice to have said goodbye to the loyal listeners who rung us up on a daily basis.”
Neil also discussed the way the company had been run, calling it “shocking” before the takeover by Nation Broadcasting.
Romford-based MP Andrew Rosindell has even written to Ofcom since the rebrand, with a concern over the ‘significant reduction’ of local content.
He said: “Its locally produced content and community-focused broadcasting has been an essential part of its public value for many years.
“The station now primarily broadcasts networked content from other Nation broadcasting outlets.”
Lyca chief executive Raj Badhan previously said: “Whilst we continue investing in our south Asian radio stations, our time as owners of 107.5 is ending.
“We wish the station’s employees and clients well as it becomes part of the Nation Broadcasting Group.”
A number of Time’s presenting team have decided to launch a new, independent radio station named All Hit Radio since the axe.
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