Actress Patsy Kensit is helping to launch a new online radio station aimed at three to nine-year-olds.

Barbie.fm, the brainchild of two Oxfordshire sisters, aged eight and six, goes live from 8am for three days.

Celebrity guests to the station at Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, include Michaela Strachan, Andi Peters, Kate Winslet and Sandi Toksvig, as well as interviews with pop stars Steps, Louise and Westlife.

More than 50,000 people have already logged onto the station's web site in the past three days.

Miss Kensit, former wife of Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, said: "I have never hosted a radio show before and to do so for Barbie.fm and an audience of young girls around the world is fantastic."

The idea for the station came from Amy and Hattie Freeman, whose father David is a TV presenter and DJ, and both will help present the show each day until 12pm on Thursday.

The station will devote its programming to the subjects which young girls are particularly interested in including animals, music, dancing, sleepovers and fashion.

A spokesman for toy manufacturer Mattel, which has sponsored the station, said: "Barbie is all about empowerment and we thought the girls should be given the chance to really let their imaginations fly and decide for themselves what they'd like to hear on a radio station."

The full web address for listeners is: http://www.barbie.fm

  Daily Express
Barbie Girls Show Patsy how Broadcasting is Child's Play
October 25, 2000

MAKING WAVES: From left, six-year-old Hattie Freeman with Patsy Kensit and Hattie's sister Amy, eight

CELEBRITIES are flocking to appear on a new Internet radio station invented by two sisters aged just eight and six.

Actress Patsy Kensit yesterday presented the first show on barbie.fm, the brainchild of Amy Freeman and her younger sister Hattie. The station, aimed at three to nine-year-old girls, is on-air worldwide for three days.

Other star guests who will be visiting the barbie.fm base, in the village hall at Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, include TV presenters Michaela Strachan and Andi Peters, Titanic star Kate Winslet and comedienne Sandi Toksvig. Amy and Hattie will also feature interviews with pop stars Steps, Louise and Westlife.

More than 50,000 people had already logged on to the station's web site at www.barbie.fm before it even made its first broadcast.

The sisters' father David is a TV presenter and DJ. He contacted Barbie doll makers Mattel with the station idea after hearing his daughters playing a game of radio shows featuring their Barbie dolls.A "spokesgirl" for barbie.fm said: "We've had a terrific response. The village hall is full of young girls all going on-air, having a great time."

© Express Newspapers, 2000

  Guardian
Hello dolly
October 25, 2000

Julia Snoddy

Patsy Kensit launches radio Barbie.fm

Barbie, the doll designed by toy company Mattel, yesterday launched her radio career. Barbie.fm, which is sponsored by Mattel, started broadcasting over the internet with the help of actress Patsy Kensit.

Aimed at girls aged between three and nine, it will be going out live for the next two days and will address issues such as music, animals and fashion. There will also be interviews with pop stars.

Two sisters, aged eight and six, came up with the idea by playing a pretend game of radio shows featuring their Barbie dolls. David Freeman, the girls' father, and a TV presenter and DJ, contacted Mattel with the idea.

"Barbie has done lots of things in her 41 years. She is about having a belief in yourself and doing what you want to do. This is what we wanted to promote," a Mattel spokesperson said

By lunchtime yesterday the site had attracted more than 50,000 people.

Based in the village hall at Shipton-on-Cherwell, Oxfordshire, the station will feature Kate Winslet, Andi Peters, the TV personality, and comedienne Sandi Toksvig.

Young girls are also going on air. Lily Magenis, aged 11, introduced a Britney Spears song, and Lucy Ellis, also 11, was interviewed by Miss Kensit.