EBC Stars

EBC Stars is a Euroish radio network and brand operated by EBC Radio, broadcasting a mix of local and networked programming. The station is aimed primarily at a broad audience aged between 18 and 45 with a particular skew towards a female demographic, and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. The station's playlist focuses on a variety of uptempo and well-known pop and dance music ranging from the 1980s to the modern era. It's music playlist could be compared to the UK's and Non Stop Pop FM in Grand Theft Auto V.

It is one of the most popular radio stations in the country, and is the 4th most popular radio network in the Euro Republics.

History
The station was announced in 1992, as part of a series of reforms to the EBC's radio output to better serve a wider audience amid fears that their output was seen as too "elitist" and "serious" as well as dwindling listening figures for Radio 2, terrible ratings for the EBC's local radio stations that had launched throughout the early 80s and vocal criticisms of Radio 3 which despite it's status as a youth station was continuing to cling onto old age presenters.

The station, initially codenamed P-FM, would serve a wide, mainstream audience. It would have an energetic and uptempo sound and serve as a middle ground between Radio 3 & Radio 2. It would feature uptempo hit music with wide appeal, while excluding more youth-oriented music, as well as familiar and youthful music that the older end of the target audience would have grown up with, but which would still fit within the wider scale of the station.

The station was to replace the local radio network whose ratings had been notably abysmal since they launched between 1981 and 1984, with them failing to compete with the local commercial radio stations.

The other major revamps that were made as part of the reforms included the full revamping of Radio 3 as a station targeting the 16 to 29 year old audience, Radio 2 becoming more tightly focused on the 50+ demographic and the inception of Radio 6 as an innovative alternative rock station.

As a condition of replacing the local radio network, the new station was required to carry local programmes at certain points through the day, which was eventually decided as the mid-morning (09:00-12:00), drivetime (16:00-19:00) and overnight (22:00-01:00) slots, with breakfast, lunchtime, afternoon and evening slots being national.

More information about the new station was revealed in June 1994, exactly a year ahead of launch. The name of the station was revealed as Stars FM, as Michael Tarbuck was announced as a presenter for the breakfast slot, and who was to leave 3FM at the end of the year. The station also secured the talents of the MTV Europe VJ Paul King who joined for the evenings. Verity Rollason, who had been presenting for Radio 3 in the 80s and had been presenting for Radio Capital since 1991, would present the new afternoon show.

The groundwork for the launch of Stars FM began in September 1994 when the music policy for the EBC Local stations was changed to one resembling the new national network.

Most EBC local stations began shutting down their own services and programmes on Friday 16th June 1995, whilst over the weekend there was promos for the new network. Stars FM went on air at 6am on Monday 19th June 1995, with Michael Tarbuck presenting the launch show.