Public File

Each local commercial radio station in the UK has requirements in respect of its music and local content, such as news, speech levels etc. These requirements are set out in the station "Format", a document issued by Ofcom, the UK's radio regulator. This Public File contains details of the elements that Ofcom regulate, such as music tracks, local news etc. It is intended to give you a better understanding of our output and what we are doing for our local community.

News Bulletin schedule 

Heart 96.9  broadcasts locally produced news bulletins hourly between 0600 and 1800 weekdays, and 0800 and 1200 at weekends. In addition to these, news containing nationally produced content, is broadcast at 5am and 7pm weekdays and 6am, 7am, 12pm and 1pm at weekends.

News Stories - today's headlines news

The Heart 96.9 Newsteam

Our journalists are:

News Editor: Huw James

Senior Broadcast Journalist: John Stratford

Journalist: Natalie Verney

Journalist: Amy Woodfield

Email: fcnews@heart.co.uk

Telephone: 01234 235030

Fax: 01908 591609

The Heart 96.9 Programme Schedule

The Heart 96.9 programme schedule can be found here. This includes details of all the shows for the coming week as well as quick links to all the DJ pages.

Programme Automation

There are 3 hours of automation between 0100 and 0400 Monday to Friday.
On a Friday night there are 4 hours of automation between 2200 and 0200 (Saturday morning).
Saturday day afternoons between 1600 and 1900 is pre-recorded.
Sunday morning is automated between 0000 and 0200 and Sunday day afternoons between 1200 and 1600 is pre-recorded.

The amount of local programming per day produced by the station

Heart 96.9’s weekday output from 6am-10am, 4pm to 7pm and weekends from 8am until 12pm is produced and presented from our local studios, based in Milton Keynes. Off-peak programming (such as Toby Anstis, Nick Snaith, Club Classics, The Late Show, Emma Bunton, Margherita Taylor, Jason Donovan, and The Big Top 40 Show is produced at various studios owned and operated by Heart 96.9’s  parent company, Global Radio Holdings Limited.

Ofcom Localness Guidelines

Ofcom, the government regulator with responsibilities for local radio, has produced localness guidelines that this station adheres to. These guidelines can be read here: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/broadcasting/radio/localness/localness-guidelines

In addition, all local radio stations have written 'formats' that they must follow at all times. You can read ours here: www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/amfm/analogue-main.htm

Events / Charities support

Have a Heart  is Heart’s own charity whose aim is to make life better for disadvantaged children.  Working with national charity partners, it makes a direct impact on the lives of these children living in the areas that Heart broadcasts to. In previous years, we have supported Starlight Children's Foundation and Children's Hospices UK. From October 2011 – August 2012 we will be supporting ChildLine , the free phone and online service offering advice and support to children who would otherwise have nowhere else to turn.  

Have a Heart raises money through a variety of means, including the Have a Heart Appeal each Spring, overseas challenges, on-air fundraising initiatives (such as ‘Gain an hour, Give an Hour’, where we’re asking listeners to donate an hour of their salary or time to Have a Heart) and one-off events such as Have a Heart’s Moonriders, which saw presenter Toby Anstis and a team of Heart listeners cycle from London to Brighton at night.

We also act as media partner and supporter Cancer Research's Race for Life .  Cancer Research UK is the world's leading charity dedicated to beating cancer through research. We promote Race for Life across each of our Heart radio stations, supporting almost 200 events and 500,000 participants.

We also attend various summer fetes and carnivals across Bedfordshire, Christmas Light Switch On events and Firework events at venues like Bedford Blues Rugby Club, Kimbolton School, and Fairlands valley Park Stevenage. We attend and support The bi-annual Bedford River Festival as well as supporting Keech Hospice Care in Luton with various fundraising events through the year and The Harpur Centre Wishing Tree appeal. 

Heart 96.9's Playlist

Station Format

A melodic adult contemporary music -led service for 25 to 44 year olds, supplemented with news, information and entertainment. The service should have a particular appeal to people in their 30's.

Read Ofcom's Station Format (PDF file)

Station Contact Details

Studio Telephone Number: 0845 481 00 77 

Station Contact Number:  01908 591600

Traffic & Travel Number: 0845 373 3738

Text Number: 82122

Text Messages: Start your message with RADIO

News Contact Number 01234 235030

Sales Contact Number 01234 235010

PC Contact Number 01908 591701

Comment or Complain about the station

If you would like to comment or make a complaint about Heart 96.9, please email mark.sadler@heart.co.uk providing details of your comment or complaint, and our programming team will help with your enquiry.

If you are unhappy with the response you receive, you can complain directly to the regulator, Ofcom. Their website has full details about how to do this: www.ofcom.org.uk/complain/