Community station Radio Tircoed to rebrand as Swansea Live Radio

Some of the former Swansea Sound team are getting together to launch Swansea Live Radio on the frequency of Radio Tircoed.

Swansea Live will launch at 7am on Monday 30th September, a date associated with Wales’ first local commercial radio station.

The station will broadcast live and local programmes from studios in Tircoed Village which has been the home of community station Radio Tircoed since 2007.

Swansea-born commercial and BBC radio presenter Shaun Tilley will be station and programme director, and will also host the weekday breakfast show as he did when The Wave launched in 1995.

Shaun told RadioToday: “If ever there was a city that needs truly local radio it is Swansea. I have been fortunate to work all over the UK in my career but this is my town, I was born and bred here plus I know it like the back of my hand.

“This place is unique, the people are special and we are proud of our incredible heritage. We will be giving the city back a truly local station with live and interactive programmes from studios based in the community. Put simply, we will be from Swansea, for Swansea.”

The station will have a number of former Swansea Sound and Wave names on its line up including Steve Dewitt, Siany, Leighton Jones, Plastic Sam, Mark Powell, Chris Smith, Griff Harries, Rob Pendry, James Lewis, Kevin King and the city’s first ever voice on local radio 50 years ago, Chris Harper.

Presenters from the former community station Radio Tircoed will also host shows including a Welsh language programme, specialist music and a more eclectic mix of quality tracks at night.

Swansea Live says it will also air what’s on information and a community billboard whilst also supporting local charities.

Beginning at 7am on Monday 30th September, the station will be heard across Swansea online at swansealiveradio.co.uk and on 106.5 FM in Tircoed Village.

The station is also planning to be available on small-scale DAB in the future. “I feel as excited as I did when I hosted the first show on The Wave 29 years ago” says Shaun. “And we are beyond grateful to the Tircoed Village Trust for their incredible support.

“We look forward to giving them and Swansea as a whole, a truly local station it can be proud of once again.”