View source for SIBC

{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox radio station
| logo = SIBC logo.jpg
| name = SIBC
| airdate = 26 November 1987
| frequency = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]:<br>96.2 MHz (Shetland Islands)<br>102.2 MHz (Lerwick)
| city = [[Lerwick]]
| area = [[Shetland Islands]]
| rds = SIBC____
| format = [[Contemporary hit radio]]
| owner = Shetland Islands Broadcasting Company
| website = [http://www.sibc.co.uk/ SIBC]
}}
{{Coord|60.155559|-1.146110|display=title}}
'''Shetland Islands Broadcasting Company''' '''(SIBC)''' is the only [[Independent Local Radio]] station broadcasting in the [[Shetland|Shetland Islands]]. Its coverage extends across the whole of Shetland. The station, which is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Ian Anderson and Inga Walterson, is located at Market Street, [[Lerwick]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-06 |title=Dirk’s dragon mural adds colour to SIBC building |url=https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2022/10/06/dirks-dragon-mural-adds-colour-to-sibc-building/ |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Shetland News |language=en-GB}}</ref> and broadcasts from [[Bressay transmitting station|Bressay]] on 96.2&nbsp;MHz FM.

==History==
The company, which was registered on 23 September 1985, began broadcasting on 26 November 1987, initially as an unlicensed [[Pirate radio in the United Kingdom|pirate radio]] station<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 August 1987 |title=Shetlands pirate plan |work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]] |pages=10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 July 1988 |title=Call for paid staff at rural stations |work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]] |pages=12 |quote="SIBC has been on the air, without a licence, since last year..."}}</ref> covering the immediate area around Lerwick, after the operator was told by regulators of the era that the population of Shetland was too small to support an independent local radio station.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Doreen |date=21 December 1987 |title=A station up in the air - The confused status of Shetland's commercial radio |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

SIBC was later granted an official licence in 1991, extending its coverage to the whole of the Shetland Islands. It is currently on a 12-year commercial radio licence from broadcasting regulator [[Ofcom]].

Ian Anderson, one of the station's two owners, was previously a broadcaster for the [[BBC]] and [[Radio Forth]], as well as [[pirate radio]] stations including [[Radio Atlantis]], [[Radio Northsea|Radio Northsea International]], and [[Radio Caroline]].<ref>http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djs7a.htm Pirate Radio Hall of Fame</ref>

==Programming==
SIBC is on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a schedule of contemporary hit music and local news (on the hour and at 07:30, 08:30 and 17:30), which at times includes news of Shetland fish landings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SIBC - News Schedule |url=http://www.sibc.co.uk/news-schedule.php |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=www.sibc.co.uk}}</ref> The station also carries, as necessary, essential information regarding emergencies, school closures, etc. Programming is largely automated outside of the breakfast slot. Music by local Shetland artists forms a part of SIBC's playlist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-11-30 |title=Happy birthday, SIBC – and co-owner Ian admits he hasn’t had a full day off in 30 years |url=https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2017/11/30/happy-birthday-sibc-and-co-owner-ian-admits-he-hasn-t-had-a-full-day-off-in-30-years/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Shetland News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The station is unusual in that it carries very few DJ-led programmes, most hours are filled with back-to-back music, and all programmes and news bulletins aired on the station are presented by either Ian Anderson or Inga Walterson.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morton |first=Tom |date=30 August 1997 |title=Why Wadbister Voe became a cult for Shetland listeners |work=[[The Scotsman]]}}</ref> Its format has remained unchanged since launch, with only the music being updated to reflect current hits.<ref name=":0" /> 

== Transmission ==
SIBC transmits its main signal on 96.2 MHz from a transmitter on the island of [[Bressay]] with an effective radiated power of 14kW.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Technical parameters for broadcast radio transmitters |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/information/radio-tech-parameters |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=Ofcom |language=en}}</ref> The station has an additional transmitter facility situated at its Lerwick premises, broadcasting with 25 watts on 102.2 MHz, as an emergency back-up facility to provide coverage to Lerwick in the event of issues at Bressay.<ref>{{Cite web |title=mb21 - The Transmission Gallery |url=https://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1326 |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=tx.mb21.co.uk}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[BBC Radio Shetland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.sibc.co.uk SIBC Website]
*[https://twitter.com/SIBC_Shetland SIBC on Twitter]

{{Radio in Scotland}}

[[Category:Radio stations established in 1987]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Scotland]]
[[Category:Shetland music]]
[[Category:Mass media in Shetland]]
[[Category:Companies based in Shetland]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom]]


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