Greatest Hits Radio is getting a whole lot bigger
Greatest Hits Radio is expanding from this September by adding around 50 extra stations to the network.
This follows parent company Bauer’s purchase of dozens of radio stations last year.
Other stations purchased will become part of the Hits Radio network, while just three will remain as stand-alone stations and digital-only stations acquired will be closed.
There will still be some local shows and stations will continue to provide local news, travel, weather and other information, but Bauer says the changes mean that some staff roles will be put into consultation for redundancy and freelance contracts will be reviewed. The company says it’s ‘fully committed to supporting all affected employees throughout this period and will be working closely with them over the months ahead’.
Many popular local presenters could lose their jobs and RadioToday says it has estimated that out of 200 on air presenting roles, the number could be cut to around 40.
Dee Ford CBE, Group Managing Director Radio, Bauer Radio said: “Audiences love and trust radio. Expanding the Hits Radio Brand Network will ensure listeners to these acquired stations benefit from multi-platform digital distribution meaning they can continue to broadcast in an increasingly competitive, digital and voice-activated world. This ensures the provision of local news and information, traffic and travel as well as access for advertisers to highly valued audiences.”
Graham Bryce, Group Managing Director – Hits Radio Network Brand, said: “We are committed to ensuring the future of radio in local markets and serving the needs of our listeners and advertisers. However, our top priority right now will be to support those affected through this period.”
You can see if your local station is affected from the list below:
Licences rebranding as Greatest Hits Radio:
The Beach (Great Yarmouth & Lowestoft)
The Breeze (Alton, Petersfield, Haslemere & Bordon)
The Breeze (Andover)
The Breeze (Basingstoke)
The Breeze (Bath)
The Breeze (Bridgwater & West Somerset)
The Breeze (Bristol)
The Breeze (Cheltenham)
The Breeze (Newbury)
The Breeze (Reading)
The Breeze (Shaftesbury)
The Breeze (Torbay)
The Breeze (Warminster)
The Breeze (Weston super Mare)
The Breeze (Yeovil)
Compass FM (Grimsby)
Dearne FM (Barnsley)
Dream 100 (Tendring)
Eagle Radio (Guildford)
KLFM (Kings Lynn)
Minster FM (Northallerton)
Minster FM (York)
Mix 96 (Aylesbury)
North Norfolk Radio (North Norfolk)
Peak FM (Chesterfield)
Pulse 2 (Bradford & Huddersfield)
Radio Norwich (Norwich)
Ridings FM (Wakefield)
Rother FM (Rotherham)
Rutland Radio (Rutland)
Sam FM (Swindon)
Signal 107 (Kidderminster)
Signal 107 (Shrewsbury & Oswestry)
Signal 107 (Telford)
Signal 107 (Wolverhampton)
Signal 2 (Stoke-on-Trent)
Spire FM (Salisbury)
Spirit FM (Chichester)
Stray FM (Harrogate)
Swansea Sound (Swansea)
Tower FM (Bolton & Bury)
Trax FM (Bassetlaw)
Trax FM (Doncaster)
Wave 96.5 (Blackpool)
Wessex FM (Weymouth)
Wire FM (Warrington)
Wish FM (Wigan)
Yorkshire Coast Radio (Bridlington)
Yorkshire Coast Radio (Scarborough)
In addition, digital-only station Town 102 (Ipswich) will rebrand as Greatest Hits Radio.
Keeping same brand and remaining as stand-alone stations:
Lincs FM (Lincolnshire)
Pirate FM (Cornwall)
Sam FM (Bristol)
Keeping same on-air brand but becoming part of Hits Radio and taking network programmes outside of 6-10am weekdays:
Pulse 1 (Bradford & Huddersfield)
Signal 1 (Stoke-on-Trent)
96.4 The Wave (Swansea)
Fire Radio (Bournemouth)
Rebranding as Greatest Hits Radio under brand licence agreement:
Sam FM South Coast (Solent regional) – owned by Nation Broadcasting
KCFM (Hull) – owned by Nation Broadcasting
Rebranding as Hits Radio under brand licence agreement:
The Breeze (Portsmouth)
The Breeze (Southampton)
The Breeze (Winchester)
-all owned by Nation Broadcasting
Closing:
Encore (DAB)
Suffolk First (DAB)
Pirate 70s (online)
Pirate 80s (DAB)
Escape to Cornwall (online)
Eagle 70s (online)
Eagle 80s (DAB)
Signal 80s (DAB)
Pulse 80s (DAB)
Wave 80s (DAB)
Total Access (DAB)