{{Infobox radio station | country = England | name = Heart Bedford | logo = The Heart Network logo.svg | logo_size = 200px | city = Bedford | area = Bedford | branding = | airdate = 1 June 1982 | frequency = FM: 96.9 MHz <br><small>RDS: Heart_BD</small> | format = Hot AC | power = | erp = | class = | callsign_meaning = | owner = | website = }}
'''Heart Bedford''' (formerly '''Chiltern Radio 96.9''') was an Independent Local Radio station based in the Priory Business Park in Bedford, Bedfordshire in England.
==History== Together with sister stations 97.6 Chiltern FM, Northants 96 and Horizon Radio, it formed the Chiltern Radio Network, which became the Chiltern Radio Group. The station briefly changed its name to ''B97 FM'' in 1996 when GWR bought the station. The station changed back to ''Chiltern FM'' in 1999. Now part of the Global Radio portfolio, after GCap Media failed to stop the buyout, the station was rebranded as ''Heart Bedford'' on 5 January 2009, becoming a part of the Heart Network.
==Network restructuring== On 21 June 2010, Global Radio announced plans to close Heart Bedford and merge the station with Heart Milton Keynes, Heart Dunstable and Heart Northants as part of plans to reduce the Heart network of stations from 33 to 16.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/media/2010/jun/21/global-radio-restructure Global Radio to halve number of local Heart stations], mediaguardian.co.uk, 21 June 2010</ref> The new station, ''Heart Home Counties'', began broadcasting from Dunstable on 16 July 2010.<ref>[http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6025 Heart slims but strengthens] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626043822/http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6025 |date=2010-06-26 }}, RadioToday, 21 June 2010</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040815163625/http://www.geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKBeds.htm History of local radio in Bedfordshire] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070420031921/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sandy-heath.asp Sandy Heath mast] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070926221644/http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/zouches-farm.shtml Zouches Farm transmitter]
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{{Global Radio}}
Category:Radio stations in Bedfordshire Category:Radio stations established in 1982 Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2010 Bedford Category:1982 establishments in England Category:2010 disestablishments in England