'We need West Sussex to help us' says Spirit FM presenter

A Spirit FM presenter has said the station needs the support of West Sussex residents after doubt was cast on the station's future.
The Spirit FM team on local radio day. From left to right in that photo are:  Milly Luxford, Stuart McGinley, Ian Crouch, Alex Berry, Neale Bateman, Steve Freegard, Gary Booker, Ryan Burrows, India Ede, Sally Austin, Zoe Bryant, Peter Phillips and Ollie Coleshill.  Not pictured are Jo Symes, Kaya Bryant, Jess Clements, Aaron Whitham and Anna Bingham.The Spirit FM team on local radio day. From left to right in that photo are:  Milly Luxford, Stuart McGinley, Ian Crouch, Alex Berry, Neale Bateman, Steve Freegard, Gary Booker, Ryan Burrows, India Ede, Sally Austin, Zoe Bryant, Peter Phillips and Ollie Coleshill.  Not pictured are Jo Symes, Kaya Bryant, Jess Clements, Aaron Whitham and Anna Bingham.
The Spirit FM team on local radio day. From left to right in that photo are: Milly Luxford, Stuart McGinley, Ian Crouch, Alex Berry, Neale Bateman, Steve Freegard, Gary Booker, Ryan Burrows, India Ede, Sally Austin, Zoe Bryant, Peter Phillips and Ollie Coleshill. Not pictured are Jo Symes, Kaya Bryant, Jess Clements, Aaron Whitham and Anna Bingham.

The station, which is based in Chichester, was bought by media giants Bauer Media in 2019 and will now join Bauer's 'Hits Radio Brand Network'.

As part of the move, Spirit FM will rebrand as 'Greatest Hits Radio', after playing into homes and cars across West Sussex as Spirit FM since 1996.

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Steve Freegard has been working in local radio since he was 15 and hosts Friday and Saturday nights with Spirit FM.

He has set up a petition to save the station and has already received 6,346 signatures at the time of writing. You can find a link to the petition here: #SaveSpiritFMHe said: "We need West Sussex to help and get behind us. I posted on my own personal Facebook literally without thinking and obviously I don't know what would happen.

"I typed it up and sent it - it took off more quickly than I had expected.

"We have probably got about 30 days to be able to save the station. If we can get our local MP involved and we really need to link up with some of the other stations.

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"A lot of their listenership seems to be up in arms about it. What we need to do it get this into Parliament.

"We don't know what is going to happen but we can read between the lines and see what happened with Heart."

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Spirit FM to undergo re-brand following buyout

Bauer Media confirmed the change does mean a number of jobs will be put into consultation and freelance contracts will be reviewed.

A spokesman for the group said it is 'fully committed' to supporting employees affected by the change. A period of consultation with employees potentially affected began yesterday.

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For many, Spirit FM is much more than a radio station and has put time into championing local causes.

Steve added: "The dedication of a lot of local stations like Spirit that do so much for the local community is a risk. All the presenters live locally and everything we do is to help the local community.

"It's at the core of what we are about, local people and local businesses.

"All that is going to be lost if we don't do something about it."

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