Island FM

What Island FM does

Island FM is a commercial radio station and local media platform serving the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney). The core offering is live FM and DAB+ digital radio broadcasting on 104.7FM (Guernsey, Herm, Sark) and 93.7FM (Alderney), supplemented by a digital footprint that includes iOS and Android mobile apps, Alexa smart speakers, TuneIn on smart TVs, Nation Player, Radioplayer and online streaming. RAJAR/Ipsos MORI/RSMB data for the period ending October 2025 records 50% weekly reach among Guernsey adults, 29,000+ weekly listeners, 39,000 listeners over a four-week period, 11 hours per week average listening time, and a 32% market share that the station claims is the highest of any radio station in the British Isles. The on-air lineup includes a Breakfast Show and multiple named presenters, with editorial coverage spanning Guernsey and Jersey news, national and international news, sport, business and finance, entertainment, weather, and traffic and travel.

The product architecture is a platform-plus-modules model built around the core broadcast: add-on modules include Job Path (recruitment advertising), Trading Edge (trader directory), Beauty Base (wellness directory), an Events Directory, Traffic & Travel, a Lifestyle editorial section, on-air and online Competitions, and an Island FM VIP membership programme. Original podcasts extend the audio surface (documentary, interviews, and sponsored series such as 'Money Matters with HSBC'). The site and content are powered by the Aiir radio CMS, and sister stations Soleil Radio (classic hits, 70s/80s/90s, on DAB+) and Channel 103 (Jersey) sit within the wider Tindle Radio group.

The business is a sales-led commercial broadcaster. Revenue is generated through quote-based on-air and digital advertising packages sold by a direct sales team to Channel Islands businesses, with multi-year contracts as the standard billing cadence and no publicly disclosed rate card. Local SMBs dominate the advertiser mix (e.g., Norman Piette, Mim's Kiosk), supplemented by occasional enterprise sponsorships (e.g., Coop Mobile's 'Summer of Soccer'). The legal entity is Island FM Limited (registered company number 25506), headquartered at 55 The Bordage, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, and the company operates as a private subsidiary of the Tindle Radio group under the chairmanship of Tom Fotheringham.

Name

Island FM

Legal name

Island FM Limited

Website

https://islandfm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Island FM is a commercial radio station and local media platform serving the Bailiwick of Guernsey via FM, DAB+, mobile apps and smart speakers, reaching 50% of local adults weekly and monetising through advertising, directories and a VIP membership as part of Tindle Radio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Terrestrial Radio Broadcasting (AM/FM) (MPAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Radio Streaming & Catch-Up Audio Platforms (MPAIADAJ), Local Radio Station Groups (Owned & Operated/Station Chains) (MPABACAC)

Keywords

• Local radio broadcasting
• Radio advertising
• Digital radio broadcasting
• Podcast production
• Community news media

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Peter Port

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Radio Advertising: Island FM generates revenue through on-air and online advertising packages sold to local and Channel Islands businesses. The station reaches 50% of Guernsey adults weekly with 29,000+ weekly listeners and 32% market share.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Island FM is a commercial local radio station that broadcasts music, news, weather, traffic, and entertainment programming across the Bailiwick of Guernsey via FM (104.7FM/93.7FM) and DAB+ digital radio, with online streaming and mobile app distribution. The station generates primary revenue through on-air and online advertising packages sold to local Channel Islands businesses, reaching 50% of Guernsey adults weekly with a 32% market share. Supplemental offerings include podcasts, mobile apps, a VIP membership program, and ancillary services such as Job Path recruitment advertising.

Product overview

Island FM is a commercial radio station and local media platform serving the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The core offering is live radio broadcasting across FM and DAB+ formats, complemented by a suite of digital products including news coverage, podcasts, and community directories. The station operates under a platform-plus-modules architecture: the core radio broadcast service is supplemented by add-on modules including Job Path (recruitment), Trading Edge (trader directory), Beauty Base (wellness directory), Events (community calendar), Traffic & Travel information, and a VIP membership program. A sister station, Soleil Radio, extends the portfolio with a classic hits format. The station generates revenue through advertising services and reaches 50% of local adults weekly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soleil Radio: New sister station featuring legendary music from the 70s, 80s and 90s, broadcasting on DAB+ Digital Radio across the Channel Islands.

Products and services

• Radio Broadcasting Live radio broadcasting across Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and Alderney via FM (104.7FM/93.7FM) and DAB+ digital radio, featuring local presenters and curated music programming with news, weather, and traffic updates for adult listeners in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
• Podcasts On-demand audio content including interview series, documentaries, and specialty programs such as 'Dark Waters: Alderney's Nazi Atrocities', 'Foraging, Food and Cooking with Fire', and 'Money Matters with HSBC' distributed via the Island FM website.
• VIP Membership Premium membership program offering enhanced features and exclusive benefits for registered users of the Island FM platform via signup and login on the VIP page.
• Advertising Services Commercial advertising solutions including on-air radio spots and digital online advertising, sold to Channel Islands businesses and reaching 50% of Guernsey adults weekly with a 32% market share.
• Job Path Recruitment advertising service connecting Guernsey job seekers with vacancies from local employers via weekly radio-advertised positions and online listings.
• Island FM Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play) enabling listeners to stream Island FM live on smartphones and tablets.
• Soleil Radio Sister radio station featuring classic music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, broadcasting via DAB+ across the Channel Islands as a complementary sub-brand.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tindle RadiocoreOthersIsland FM is part of Tindle Radio, a larger radio broadcasting group operating across the Channel Islands and beyond. Tindle Radio is the parent company providing operational infrastructure and support.
• Soleil RadiominorOthersSister station focused on classic music from the 70s, 80s and 90s, also available on DAB+ Digital Radio across the Channel Islands.
• Channel 103minorOthersSister station based in Jersey covering similar local news and radio programming for Jersey residents.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Capital Brighton: Local commercial station operating under the Capital network brand in a UK regional market. Same format-driven, advertising-led model; comparable as a regional branded commercial radio peer.
• Wave 105: UK regional commercial radio station serving the Solent area. Comparable in scale, format, and sales-led local advertiser model; useful benchmark for regional commercial radio unit economics and digital extension strategy.
• Channel 103: Sister station under Tindle Radio broadcasting to Jersey in the Channel Islands. Same business model (commercial local radio + digital advertising), same parent group, and same sales approach to Channel Islands businesses. Most directly comparable peer by audience and operating geography.
• Tindle Radio (group stations): Parent group operating multiple small-market UK local radio stations (e.g., Radio Pembrokeshire, Radio Norwich). Same commercial local-radio business model and similar advertiser base; highly relevant for understanding group economics and comparable station-level economics.
• Soleil Radio: Sister station under Tindle Radio broadcasting classic hits on DAB+ across the Channel Islands. Same parent, same operating infrastructure, and complementary format targeting the same audience; highly comparable in scale and revenue model.
• BBC Radio Jersey: Public-service broadcaster serving Jersey with local news, music, and talk. Competes directly with Island FM and Channel 103 for Channel Islands listener share and is the principal non-commercial alternative for advertisers seeking broad local reach.
• BBC Radio Guernsey: Public-service local radio station serving Guernsey. The most direct head-to-head competitor to Island FM for local listener share, news coverage, and audience attention in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Global Radio: UK's largest commercial radio group operating Capital, Heart, LBC, Classic FM, Smooth, and Radio X. Sets the benchmark for multi-brand commercial radio portfolio strategy and digital/audio advertising scale relevant to Island FM's growth ambitions.
• Bauer Media (UK local radio): Major UK radio group operating large national and regional brands (Absolute, KISS, Magic, Hits Radio). Not a direct competitor in Guernsey but the dominant commercial radio group in the UK, defining the competitive template for multi-station, multi-platform commercial radio economics.

Others

• Radioplayer: UK radio industry streaming platform and aggregator used by Island FM for online listening. Functions as enabling infrastructure for broadcast radio digital distribution; relevant as a peer for the streaming and listener-experience layer rather than content competition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/islandfm
• Facebookfacebook.com/islandfm
• Instagraminstagram.com/islandfmgsy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Island FM