Broadcast area United Kingdom Format Children's Radio | Frequency DAB Owner Folder Media | |
First air date 1 May 2005 (As Fun Radio) Audience share 350,000 (children and adults) (March 2015, [1]) | ||
Fun Kids is a national children's digital radio station in the United Kingdom with associated websites, YouTube and podcast channels. It has previously been the winner of the Sony and Arqiva Digital Radio Stations of the year. It is operated by Children's Radio UK Ltd which is owned by Folder Media. It broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio across the UK as well as online and mobile.
Contents
Background
Fun Kids (formerly Fun Radio) was created by GCap Media, Hit Entertainment and the children's radio campaigner Susan Stranks. It went on-air in May 2005 and then was acquired in September 2008 by Folder Media.
Changes to platforms
Fun Radio was initially launched on DAB digital radio in London and some areas of the South East alongside being broadcast on digital television. In January 2008, the line ups of a number of local digital multiplexes changed, with Fun Radio being removed as a service from those outside London. In summer 2009, Fun Kids launched temporarily on the national Digital One multiplex from 27 June until 3 October, thus everyone in the United Kingdom was able to listen via DAB. Fun Kids was removed from Virgin Media channel 926 on 1 December 2009 and also from Sky Digital channel 0171 on 16 December 2009.
In February 2016 it was announced that the station would start broadcasting nationwide by joining Sound Digital's national DAB digital radio multiplex. It launched, alongside the multiplex's other radio stations on 29 February.
Presenters
Fun Kids has been a training ground for many young radio presenters including James Barr, Tim Dixon, James Beckingham, Matt Kot and Luke Franks.
Its current presenter line-up includes: Sean Thorne, Frankie Vu, Jamie Mason, Josh Divney, Bex Lindsay and Dan Simpson.
There are also two licensed shows on Fun Kids, Beanotown based on The Beano and Bin Weevils based on the Bin Weevils online game.