Radio station exudes X appeal

How much further is Xfm supposed to “widen its appeal” when it launches in London next Sep tember (MW, January 24)?

As the station which – in previous incarnations – was the first to give regular daytime exposure to Garbage, Radiohead, The Bluetones, Skunk Anansie, Elastica and the Boo Radleys (as well as lesser-known bands like Pulp and Oasis), Xfm already has the credentials to appeal to anyone who was adolescent in the Seventies or later.

Radio listening choice is as much about attitude as age, and even if some of us don’t get to as many gigs as we used to, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to listen to tomorrow’s bands today. And to do so at breakfast time rather than the evenings – when we’re usually too busy trying to work out how our commercial radio schedules can reach style leaders effectively before Xfm comes on air.

There’s no doubt about the station’s ability to appeal to a wider audience than the under-25s – as long as they have the right attitude.

David Beadle

Media Development Director

The Media Factor

London NW1