View source for Heart London

{{Short description|Radio station in London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = The Heart Network logo.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| airdate = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1995|9|5}}
| name = Heart London
| branding = ''London's Heart''
| frequency = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]: 106.2 [[megahertz|MHz]]<br /> [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: CE Digital ([[London]]),<br /> Block 12C, 128&nbsp;kbit/s <br />[[Sky UK|Sky]] <small>(UK only)</small>: 0111 <br /> [[TalkTalk TV]]: 612<br />[[Virgin Media]]: 918<br />[[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] 728<br />[[Freesat]] 733
| rds = HEART
| format = [[Hot AC]]
| network = [[Heart (radio network)|Heart]]
| owner = [[Global Group|Global]]
| sister_stations = [[Capital London]]<br>[[LBC]]<br>[[LBC News]]<br>[[Smooth London]]<br>[[Radio X (United Kingdom)|Radio X]]<br>[[Gold (British radio network)|Gold]]
| website = {{URL|www.heart.co.uk/london}}
}}
'''Heart London''' is a regional [[radio broadcasting|radio station]] owned and operated by [[Global Group|Global Radio]] as part of the [[Heart (radio network)|Heart]] network. Across [[London]] and its neighbouring counties, it can be heard on 106.2 [[Hertz|MHz]].

==History==
In 1994 Chrysalis Radio was awarded a London-wide licence to broadcast "soft AC" music, winning the licence as "Crystal FM".

The name was changed to Heart 106.2 which began test transmissions in August 1995, prior to the station launch on 5 September. This included live broadcasts of [[WPLJ]] from [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=497467 |title=wplj before Heart 106.2 |publisher=Digital Spy |access-date=21 October 2014}}</ref>

In 1996 the Heart programming format saw the "soft AC" music replaced with a generally more neutral Hot AC playlist.{{CN|date=March 2025}}

On 25 June 2007, [[Chrysalis Records]] announced that [[Heart Digital|Heart]] along with its [[sister station]]s [[The Arrow (radio)|The Arrow]], [[Sky News Radio]], [[LBC]] and [[Galaxy Radio|Galaxy]] were to be sold for £170 million to [[Global Group|Global Radio]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080108152234/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2007/06/25/bcnchrys125.xml Chrysalis sells three radio stations]</ref>

On 28 April 2008, Heart London began simulcasting most of its programmes on [[Heart West Midlands]], thereby beginning a roll-out of Heart London to other stations and by 2010, local programming was reduced to seven hours on weekdays and four hours on Saturday and Sunday. By 2019, that output was reduced to the OFCOM minimum 3 hours per weekday, with no local content on weekends.

==Current notable presenters==
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2024}}
*[[Lindsey Russell]]
*[[Amanda Holden]]
*[[Jamie Theakston]]
*[[Ashley Roberts]]
*[[Kelly Brook]]
*[[Jason King (presenter)|Jason King]]
*[[Dev (DJ)|Dev Griffin]]
*[[Toby Anstis]]
*[[Zoe Hardman]]
*[[Mark Wright (TV personality)|Mark Wright]]
*[[Yasmin Evans]]
*[[Emma Bunton]]
*[[Lucy Horobin]]
*[[Vicky Pattison]]
*[[Scarlette Douglas]]
*[[Davina Mccall]]
*[[Olly Murs]]

==Availability==
In addition to [[FM radio|FM]], the station is available on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] digital radio in London, and across the [[Heart UK|UK]] on [[Freesat]], [[Sky (UK & Ireland)|Sky]], [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]], [[TalkTalk TV]] and [[Virgin Media]]. The station is also available on MXR regional DAB [[multiplexes]] in the North West, North East, the Severn Estuary and Yorkshire, as well as on Switch Digital in central Scotland, having replaced [[Heart Digital]]. Until April 2006, the station could also be listened to worldwide through its Internet stream. However, according to the website, the station has withdrawn this facility outside the UK due to licensing laws.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.heart1062.co.uk/article.asp?id=66804|title = Heart}}</ref>

==News==
Global's London headquarters broadcasts hourly news bulletins 24 hours a day, including local news bulletins from 0500 to 1900 on weekdays and 0600 to noon at weekends.<ref name=public>[https://www.heart.co.uk/public-file/london/ Public File – London], heart.co.uk, 1 June 2019</ref>{{bsn|date=January 2024}}

== See also ==
* [[Heart East]]
* [[Heart South]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.heart.co.uk/london/}}

{{Heart (radio network)}}
{{Global Radio}}
{{London radio}}
{{Freeview}}

{{coords|51.5102|-0.1286|display=title}}

[[Category:Adult contemporary radio stations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Radio stations in London]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1995]]
[[Category:Heart (radio network) stations|London]]