Regent Radio comprised a group of local business people - including property investor Peter Bolton, local museum owner Michael Ridley and Tom Singh founder of New Look - together with corporate backing from Orchard Media (owners of Taunton’s Orchard FM) and Radio Investments.

Steve secured suitable premises in Trinity Street in the centre of Dorchester, and conversion and studio construction took two months during the summer of 1993.

The station name - Wessex FM - was chosen, together with the original strap line ‘Pure Dorset Radio’ and a completely new team was recruited with Roger Kennedy[who?]

The main on-air team initially comprised Iain Meadows on Breakfast, Roger Kennedy on mid-mornings, Maria Ferguson on afternoons, and Stuart McGinley evenings.

The station went on-air, initially only broadcasting on 97.2FM, at 10am on 4 September 1993, with several special guests including veteran presenter Tony Blackburn and Lionel Blair.