Enterprise FM

From Freeradio

Enterprise FM was a black pirate radio station which broadcast to the Birmingham area between 1987 and 1989.

Enterprise FM started life in 1987, when Mikey B split from PCRL. For a brief while, there was some animosity between the two stations as a result, which spilled over onto the airwaves. Enterprise was the first to broadcast in stereo, with PCRL following soon after. Enterprise tended to have a more populist, youth-orientated programme style, compared with the more "laid-back", community -based style of PCRL.

Enterprise had a wide range of programmes, including: "School's Out" on Saturday mornings, which was for kids and hosted by kids as DJs. Programmes also included a gospel music show.

Original frequency was 90.9, although in early 1988 they moved to the clearer frequency of 91.9

Like most of the larger pirates, Enterprise FM used a remote link to their main transmitter.

Solar Rock FM

In mid 1988, for a brief period, 90.9 was again in use as Enterprise opened a sister station called Solar Rock FM. Solar Rock aimed to broadcast mellower and more specialist music such as soul and jazz music.

Sadly, Solar Rock only lasted for about 2 weekends and was dogged with technical problems, thought to have been associated with Interference to the links, which occasionally took not only Solar Rock but also Enterprise FM off the air.

Close-down and aftermath

In early 1989, Enterprise FM closed down to apply for a community radio licence, and never returned.

Many of Enterprise's DJs were later heard in 1989 on Power FM.

Mikey B went on to work on Birmingham small-scale ILR Buzz FM, before being sacked from the station. Following a court case for racial discrimination, Buzz FM was sold to Mikey B for a brief period in 1994 - before being sold on again.

For more information on this and other stations from around this area then checkout The Pirate Archive