03 Jun Save Spirit FM!

When we think about Spirit FM at Kiwi HQ, we fondly recall the creative enthusiasm, driven by the experienced sales team, of how we would like our message to come across to the local community.

You see, Spirit FM is a local radio station that heavily relies on advertising revenue to survive as a business. Radio is expensive, the soundwaves are expensive and listenership figures are of the utmost importance to justify the means when it comes to selling ad space to local businesses. More than one in two people across West Sussex tune into our vibrant local talent and over half a million hours are spent listening to Spirit FM every week! For more facts on listenership, click here.

For those local businesses, radio advertising works, and at Kiwi we have really enjoyed poking fun at local competitors, but mostly the Aussies. Our advertisements let local businesses know we can support them with temporary or placement hires, and local jobseekers know who to come to for support when they need to find their next role.

It’s not just about the advertisements you hear daily on Spirit FM either. We have taken part in videos, an entire week dedicated to Careers Advice, competitions in partnership with our sister company BBQ Tips , War of the Works , the Local Hero Awards that are held annually and raising awareness for other charitable events that we are committed to, such as The Big Sleep Out. This is because we love our community, and the team at Spirit FM has always done a fantastic job at supporting them too!

All these amazing achievements and creative ideas help local businesses, change local lives, and keep our local community informed. And now all of this is under threat as Spirit FM was last week acquired by Bauer Media. Bauer Media purchased Spirit FM’s parent company, UKRD, in March 2019 and on 27th May 2020 announced that Spirit FM will be rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio from September.

This will mean that nothing will be produced locally, and only the drivetime show will be “regional” which will cover the same area as ITV Meridian, so not truly local. The rest of the programming will come from Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham or London. What that means is that, from September, what we have all known and come to love for the last 24 years as Spirit FM will cease to be and many people that have worked so hard to make it what it is today will lose their jobs – despite recently posting their best listener figures ever.

Kiwi Recruitment are therefore proud to support the Save Spirit FM Campaign, details of which can be found on Facebook. To get behind the team, join the group, sign the petition, display a poster to show your support. Here is a print ready poster if you are unable to make one. Write to the Ofcom about the Bauer Consultation here. If you are on Twitter, share your support and tag @spiritfmsussex, using the hashtag #savespiritfm

All the staff at Spirit FM are under a strict gag order, so at a time where they have lost their voice – show your support and lend them yours!

We are behind you Spirit – all the way.

Kiwi HQ x