102.4 (103 in the Stroud Valleys) Severn Sound FM is the most successful local radio station in Gloucestershire, England.

Beginning in 1980, the Station focuses on contemporary pop and, as such, draws a very wide audience, in my town (Stroud) almost everyone aged between seven and twenty five listens to it at least a few times a week. Although sometimes cheesy the station has a very wide appeal, the tone is similar to the BBC's Radio 1, but, aside from the fact it includes adverts, is generally considered to be better, possibly because the areas and places talked about are familiar and local culture is embraced.

The station's tag line is "Today's Best Mix" (it originally was "Today's Better Music Mix" but the presenters complained it was too hard to say, so it go changed) actually this is because they are part of The Mix Network of Radio stations, but it suits the station well, although they tend to stick to the 80s and 90s they do play an impressive range of music, usually they share popular opinion on what's good and what isn't, for instance they refuse to play such songs as "Agadoo" or "Barbie Girl," which is an intensely good thing. They used to have a policy of never talking over songs, which they stuck to for many years. Recently they seem to have dropped this policy, and have picked up the annoying habit of cutting off songs before they end. Sometimes this doesn't matter, but on some songs the ending is unusual and you miss it!

The presenters are generally in their twenties or early thirties and have the standard issue happy-go-lucky, slightly mad sounding voices, on some shows like "The Morning Crew" they seem to be just talking amongst themselves, but I believe in one show it was revealed that a lot of it is in fact scripted. You wouldn't know it to listen to them, they sound pleasant, jokey and each have a good, if cheesy sense of humour. In the night the show "Late Night Love" comes on the air, and seems to be bombarded with e-mails claiming that the presenter (Graham Torrington) 's voice is sexy, being a straight male I'm not one to judge, but it's sort of deep and smooth.

The radio station often features request shows (where listeners can ring in and request a favourite song), these are usually ok since you can get a very wide range of music, although they have been known "not to find" a Cliff Richard single and put on something else instead.

Severn Sound has featured two, five minute, comedy sketches that are broadcast (if I remember rightly) at seven in the morning, eight fifteen in the morning, (I used to panic if I heard it, it meant I was VERY later for school) and four thirty in the afternoon. They are "The X-Fools" and "Billy Sparkle's Showbiz Showdown."

The X-Fools

The X-Fools are Special Agents Fax Smoulder, a dumb male agent parody of Fox Mulder and Donut Sulky a smart, female parody of Dana Skully, they had very strange, spoof X-Files style adventures. A typical except is as follows:

Attendant: Can I help you folks?
Sulky: Good evening sir.
Attendant: Well hel-lo sweetie-pie.
Smoulder: Hello sir. Federal agents. If I could ask you a couple of questions.
Attendant: Oh yeah, of course.
Smoulder: How much for this packet of chewing gum?
Attendant: Fifty cents.
Smoulder: Is there a decent motel around here?
Attendant: The Cockroach Inn.
Smoulder: Why do gas stations lock their restrooms?
Attendant: We're afraid someone might come in and clean 'em.
Sulky: Oh I see, you've been very helpful.
Smoulder: Thank you very much sir, okay.
Attendant: No problem. Y'all come back now, ya hear? Especially you, gorgeous.
Smoulder: I will, sir.

The X-Fools were aware of the Batman-style narrator and tended to respond with confusion to him

When you've just woken up and are dreading double maths, or work or some other terrible event like a morning, the X-Fools are surprisingly effective for putting you in a cheerful mood for the day.

Billy Sparkle's Showbiz Showdown

This show replaced the X-Fools shortly after the Conservative Party lost the 2001 general elections. It is a roundup of showbiz news hosted by Billy, a strange man who sounds surprisingly similar to a certain politician. It is often topical, making fun of Big Brother, Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair and other showbiz topics. One of my favourite excerpts is:

Billy: Now I'm speaking to Tony Blair...
TB: Uh, hello
Billy: Given the current Iraq crisis, what have you to say about the totalitarian regime over there?
TB: Well I believe we have a lot to learn from the Iraqis, no-one complains about the national health service over there, and crime is very low. Of course they also all worship the leader over there-
Billy: (Cutting in) Well that's all we have ti- TB: (Cutting in, maniacal) All hail Presedent Blair.

The Radio Station follows the following schedule.

1-6am, The All Night Request, presenter: James Clayton (Monday) and Tony Wright (Tuesday to Friday).
People phone in and request songs that they want played. Usually lorry drivers and security guards, with the occasional computer programmer.

6-9am The Morning Crew, Presenters: Russ, Lucy and Garthy.
Oddly entertaining morning madness with the usual blend of 80s and 90s pop.

9am-2pm, Listen at work, Presenter: Neil Vincent
General music and competitions.

2-7pm, Drivetime, Presenter: Andy Henly
Quaterhourly traffic news and general music.

7-10pm,(9pm on a Friday), Core Control, Presenters: Kam and Sally
A daily chart show where you can phone in and vote for your favourite songs. Tends to be about four weeks ahead of the normal Charts.

10am-1pm (Sunday to Thursday), Graham Torrington's Late Night Love, Presenter: Graham Torrington
Love songs, matchmaking and dedications.

9-11pm (Friday)Vibe Nation, Presenter: Howard Ritchy Club music

11pm-1am Non Stop Vibe Nation. Same as above with no presenter, only breaks for adverts.