Riviera Radio History

Italy:

Caroline DJs Tell the True Story of Riviera Radio
Riviera Radio is the English-language station covering the French Riviera, “From San Remo to Saint-Tropez.” It currently broadcasts on 106.5 FM from Mont Agel, but in the late 1990s it broadcast on the former RMC Radio Monte Carlo frequency of 702 kHz.

After being acquired by Global Radio, it changed its website and stated that the station “started as an initiative by Princess Grace to serve the English-speaking community along the French Riviera.”

But this is far from the truth: Riviera Radio, originally known as Radio Sovereign, was started by a group of pirate DJs, including some who had previously worked for Radio Caroline.
We decided to contact two of them, Grant Benson and Kevin Turner, and ask them to tell us the real story.
It is a story that began in Bordighera, Italy, using a 2 kW transmitter bought in Milan and an antenna purchased in the UK.

You can hear the full story in a 25-minute broadcast on Centrale Milano, broadcasting on 1575 kHz with 1 kW, at the following times:
Saturday, August 29 at 7.30 PM in Milan (17.30 UTC)
Thursday, September 3 at 00:30 in Milan (22.30 UTC Wednesday Sept. 2)
The station is also available via streaming at Centrale Milano.

Marco Hugo-Barsotti (2026-08-28)