View source for Heart West Midlands

{{Short description|English regional radio station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = The Heart Network logo.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| name = Heart West Midlands
| branding = ''This is Heart''
| airdate = 6 September 1994 (30 years ago)
| frequency = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]: 100.7 [[Megahertz|MHz]]<br>[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 11B (Wolverhampton & Shropshire)<br>DAB: 11C (Birmingham)<br>DAB: 12D (Coventry)
| rds = Heart
| city = [[Birmingham]]
| country = UK
| area = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| format = [[Adult Contemporary|Hot AC]]
| network = [[Heart (radio network)|Heart]]
| owner = [[Global Group|Global]]
| sister_stations = [[Capital Midlands]]<Br>[[Smooth West Midlands]]
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

'''Heart West Midlands''' is a regional [[radio broadcasting|radio station]] owned and operated by [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]] as part of the [[Heart (radio network)|Heart]] network. It broadcasts to the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]].

==History==
Heart began broadcasting to the West Midlands on Tuesday 6 September 1994, as 100.7 Heart FM, becoming the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s third [[Independent Local Radio|Independent Regional Radio]] station, five days after [[100-102 Century FM|Century Radio]] in the North East and [[100.4 Smooth FM|Jazz FM North West]].

The first song to be played on 100.7 Heart FM was ''[[Something Got Me Started]]'' by [[Simply Red]]. Its original format of "[[soft adult contemporary]]" music included artists such as [[Lionel Richie]] and [[Tina Turner]]. Reflecting this, its early slogan described the station as being "100.7 degrees cooler".

Its programming format was modified in 1996, a year after Chrysalis launched Heart 106.2 in [[London]]. The new format saw the "soft" AC music replaced with a generally more neutral Hot AC music playlist. This saw radio audience listening figures grow to equal that of local rival [[BRMB]], which had been the leading commercial radio station in the West Midlands. New presenters were brought in from other stations; [[Daryl Denham]] arrived in 2000 from [[Hallam FM]]'s breakfast show in a high-profile move, while Ian Danter and Carlos also arrived from [[BRMB]].

One of Heart's most popular presenters, [[Tushar Makwana]], was killed in 2004 following a burglary at his home which left him injured on his doorstep.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/3483125.stm bbc.co.uk] DJ dies after gang robbery
</ref> The station's staff paid tribute to the presenter on-air, and campaigned for the person(s) responsible to be brought to justice. The station's reception area at the former Broad Street studios included a photographic tribute and plaque.

Following a corporate rebrand of the station, including a change of logo, the more contemporary look was soon reflected in the station's sound. The format was later described as more [[Adult Contemporary|Hot AC]] and featured more music from the likes of [[Natasha Bedingfield]], [[James Blunt]] and [[Keane (band)|Keane]] as well as [[soul music]] from the 1970s, branded as ''Club Classics''. During this relaunch, long-time presenters departed the station, such as Carlos, and Nick Piercey, to be replaced by younger presenters.

2005 saw the evacuation of its studios after [[West Midlands Police]] alerted staff and other civilians following a bomb alert in Birmingham's Broad Street complex.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4668313.stm bbc.co.uk] Birmingham threat 'real' - police</ref> The station continued to operate, initially relaying sister station [[LBC News 1152]] before transmission switched to the studios of Century 106 (now [[Hits Radio East Midlands]]) in Nottingham which broadcast reports from [[DNN (radio)|DNN]] journalists, who had to broadcast from a phone booth due to restrictions on the use of mobile phones.

On 11 September 2006, new station idents and jingles were used for the first time, and saw the station referred to purely as 'Heart' rather than '100.7 Heart FM'.

On 25 June 2007, it was announced that [[Heart Digital|Heart]] along with its sister stations [[The Arrow (radio)|The Arrow]], [[LBC]] and [[Galaxy Radio|Galaxy]] were to be sold for £170 million to [[Global Group|Global]] from [[Chrysalis 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 West Midlands began simulcasting most of its programmes from [[Heart London|Heart 106.2]] in [[London]]. By 2010, local programming from [[Birmingham]] was reduced to seven hours on weekdays and four hours on Saturday and Sunday.

In February 2019, following OFCOM's decision to relax local content obligations from commercial radio, Global announced it would replace Heart West Midlands' local breakfast and weekend shows with networked programming from London.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/02/global-to-network-capital-heart-and-smooth-breakfast-shows/ Global to network Capital, Heart and Smooth breakfast shows], RadioToday, 26 February 2019</ref>

From 3 June 2019, the station's local output consisted of a three-hour Drivetime show on weekdays, alongside local news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/04/amanda-holden-to-join-jamie-theakston-for-heart-uk-breakfast/ Amanda Holden to join Jamie Theakston for Heart UK Breakfast], Radio Today, 29 April 2019</ref>

As of 24 February 2025 all programming originates from Global's London headquarters, including ''Heart Drive'', presented each weekday by [[Jason King (presenter)|JK]] and [[Kelly Brook]].<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2025/01/global-introduces-new-nations-strategy-and-drops-local-and-regional-shows-in-england/ Global introduces new ‘nations strategy’ and drops local and regional shows in England], Roy Martin, Radio Today, 9 January 2025</ref><ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2025/02/national-presenters-confirmed-for-heart-capital-and-smooth-in-england/ National presenters confirmed for Heart, Capital and Smooth in England], Roy Martin, Radio Today, 5 February 2025</ref><ref>[https://global.com/global-confirms-programming-changes-february-2025/ Global confirms new nationwide radio shows for Heart, Capital & Smooth], Global, 5 February 2025</ref>

==Station information==
[[File:Oldheartlogo.png|thumb|right|Former logo until in 2004]]
The station was housed in 111 [[Broad Street, Birmingham|Broad Street]] - the same building as Global Radio-owned sister stations [[Capital Birmingham]] and [[The Arrow (radio)|The Arrow]]. The Digital News Network (DNN) also broadcast from the building until it ceased transmission in August 2006, to be replaced by [[LBC]], whose regional DAB service was fully rolled out on 1 September.

In April 2013, Global moved its Birmingham operations from Broad Street to new studios at nearby Eleven [[Brindleyplace]] - Heart shares its facilities with sister stations [[Capital Midlands]] and [[Smooth West Midlands]].

The FM signal - 11[[kW]] [[Effective radiated power|ERP]] - is broadcast from the [[Sutton Coldfield television transmitter|Sutton Coldfield transmitter]]. The station is available on [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]], thanks to eight transmitters throughout the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] on the MXR 12A multiplex, with strong signals from [[The Wrekin]] and Ilmington in south [[Warwickshire]].

==News==
Journalists within the West Midlands produce hourly regional news bulletins from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and from 6am to 12pm at weekends.<ref>[https://radiotoday.co.uk/2019/05/heart-drivetime-show-presenters-announced-by-global/ Heart Drivetime show presenters announced by Global], Radio Today, 20 May 2019</ref>

==Notable former presenters==
Former presenters on the station include [[Ed James (disc jockey)|Ed James]], [[Carlos (DJ)|Carlos]], [[Daryl Denham]], Nick Piercey, Ted Elliott (voice over), [[Sarah Jane Mee]] and [[Joel Ross (DJ)|Joel Ross]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.heart.co.uk/westmids/ Heart West Midlands]

{{Heart (radio network)}}
{{Global Radio}}
{{West Midlands radio}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Heart}}
[[Category:Adult contemporary radio stations in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1994]]
[[Category:Heart (radio network) stations|West Midlands]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in England]]