Sunrise Radio

Sunrise Radio is a 24-hour commercial radio station, focusing on entertainment, music and news from the Indian subcontinent. It broadcasts to the Greater London area on 963/972 AM, nationally on DAB through the Sound Digital multiplex, and via the internet. According to RAJAR, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 520,000 listeners as of June 2023. Sunrise Radio started life as the pirate radio station Sina Radio, originally founded by Manjit Singh Gehdu and based in Southall, Middlesex from 1984 until 1988. In 1989, owned by Avtar Lit, it would be awarded a license and officially launched on 5 November 1989 becoming the first 24-hour radio station specifically for the Asian demographic. It initially broadcast to West London on 1413 AM. In 1994 it took over the BBC's former 1458 kHz frequency which had been used for GLR. In 1992, the station acquired Sunrise House in Southall which was officially opened on 21 January 1993 by Peter Baldwin Chief Executive of the Radio Authority. In 2016 Sunrise Radio Moved to new purpose built Studio and office in Hounslow, this is also the company's Headquarters. The station expanded by also broadcasting on satellite television, first on the Astra analogue satellite, and later on Sky Digital. From 1991 through until August 2004, the Sunrise Radio satellite feed was the source of the live hourly IRN news bulletins for numerous UK commercial, community and hospital radio stations. In July 2013, Lit was one of forty radio professionals honoured by the Radio Centre for their significant contribution to the growth and success of the industry. On 13 January 2014, the station would go into administration. The station was bought by the mobile operator Lyca, and was able to retain its license, with a move to 963/972 AM. Tony Lit was appointed managing director, with Gurdev Jassi as chairman. In November 2014, the Sunrise Radio Training Academy was launched - a free training scheme for those wanting to pursue a career in radio.