Kingdom FM to become Original 106 in radio rebrand

Original 106 will now broadcast across Fife, Tayside, Aberdeen and the north-east.

By Paul Malik

December 18 2024, 4:03pm

Kingdom FM breakfast show hosts Dave Connor and Vanessa Motion. Image: Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson

Kingdom FM will become Original 106 in the new year after 26 years of broadcasting in Fife.

DC Thomson announced a shake-up of its radio brands on Wednesday, with the Kirkcaldy-based station taking on its Aberdeen partner’s name from January.

Original 106 is Scotland’s fastest-growing radio station and is already number one for listeners in Aberdeen and the north-east.

Dave Connor and Vanessa Motion from Kingdom’s award-winning breakfast show will continue on the newly branded Original, broadcasting daily to Tayside and Fife listeners.

News programmes, travel updates and adverts will all remain localised depending on where listeners tune in from.

Kingdom FM to become Original 106

Announcing the change on Wednesday, Kingdom stalwart Dave said: “Being a born and bred Fifer and one of the first presenters on Kingdom FM, I’m excited to be part of this latest evolution of the station and expand our Dave and Vanessa breakfast show into Tayside.

Dave Connor and Vanessa Motion. Image: DC Thomson.

“We’re committed to continuing to celebrate Fife, still being locally based at our studios in Kirkcaldy, and we look forward to welcoming listeners in Dundee and Perth into our radio family.”

Refreshed brand

Original 106 plays a mix of music from the 80s to the current day, with hourly local news bulletins live from The Courier and The Press and Journal newsrooms.

And it will continue broadcasting to listeners in Aberdeen and the north-east as normal.

It is available on FM, DAB, online through the Original app and website and smart-speakers.

Robin Galloway, head of presentation at DC Thomson, said: “The Original 106 relaunch allows us to build on everything great about Kingdom FM, with a new refreshed brand that now also covers Tayside and Fife.”

DC Thomson delved into local radio in 2017 after buying Dundee station Wave 102.

It then took on Original 106 and Kingdom FM in 2019, to become the largest Scottish-owned radio group.

Wave 102 became Wave FM, before being replaced by the central Scotland DAB channel Pure, which was removed from air in 2023 and replaced by Kingdom and Original.