Local Radio news.

[Media Boy]

Global Radio are to renamed the following radio Channels to ''Heart'' from the 5th of January 2009:

They are:

Chiltern Radio - Bedford
Chiltern Radio - Dunstable
Hereward FM - Peterborough
Horizon Radio - Milton Keynes
Northants 96
Q103
Radio Broadland
SGR FM - Colchester
SGR FM - Ipswich

http://www.theairwaves.net/index.php...3539&Itemid=33

Info from AirWaves.

[AndyCambs]

So the way I read that - it means that they're moving to one station and not local stations?

This is the first stage of Global's intention to drop around 30 heritage station names across southern and central England and replace them with the Heart brand and turn these stations into a single network with just breakfast and drivetime broadcast locally.

[Russ]

60% of the stations' output will networked - the radio industry is on its buttocks at the moment. Hardly any commercial stations in the UK have no cross-brand networking. Sure it saves money but any 'local' feel goes right out the window. Sickening.

[sir_drinks_alot]

sad day for Local Radio

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Russ B

60% of the stations' output will networked - the radio industry is on its buttocks at the moment. Hardly any commercial stations in the UK have no cross-brand networking. Sure it saves money but any 'local' feel goes right out the window. Sickening.

Same for local TV..

[Media Boy]

End of an Era for Century

After 15 years in the North East, and a decade in the North West of England, Century Radio is to be re-branded as Real Radio, to match sister stations in Yorkshire, Wales and Scotland.

The two remaining Century stations are part of the same regional GMG network as Real, and the stations are currently alike in everything but name.

LINK: http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4197

Also

UTV Radio to close talk107 on Wednesday.

Edinburgh's all speech station talk107, owned by UTV Radio, is to close on Christmas Eve and hand back its licence back to Ofcom after no buyers were found, and talks of a management buy-out came to nothing.

The station will cease at 10pm on Wednesday 24th December 2008.

LINK: http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4192.2

Info from Radio Today.co.uk.

[Media Boy]

Global chief considers Heart brand expansion

Global Radio chief Ashley Tabor is considering rolling out the Heart brand to stations the radio group does not own in areas such as central Wales, the Scottish highlands and Cornwall.
Tabor, Global Radio founder and group chief executive, is in talks with smaller radio owners about rolling Heart out on their stations.

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/87...and-expansion/

Info from Brand Republic.

Also from March 23rd the following local Radio channels will be rebrand as ''Heart''

GWR Wiltshire

GWR Bristol

GWR Bath

Gemini FM (Torbay and Exeter)

Plymouth Sound

Orchard FM

Lantern FM

South Hams Radio

Fox FM

Severn Sound

2-Ten FM

[Chris]

GWR? I've never lived in the southwest but even I've heard of them. It's such a shame to lose these local station brands, finding them on the car stereo is part of the fun of a long motorway journey.

[Stuart]

I find it rather sad that (as has already happened with ITV), all the local commercial radio stations are merging into one. They tend to lose the thing that in some cases makes them interesting, the local "colour".

Let me try and explain that a little..

I personally listen to Capital Radio. Back in the 80s they had their own sound which was similar (in format) to other commercial stations. As with the other commercial stations, however, they were different enough that they did stand out. They covered local news, and local events. The DJs knew the local area, and would often make jokes about it. For example, Chris Tarrant was obssessed with the "Catford Cat" (see attached) and often made jokes about how tasteless and tacky it is. They also played a wide(r) variety of music.

When they started merging, they started to cut back on the coverage of local news and events, and cut back on the variety of music played, and started playing the same 20 tunes over and over. TBH, I think this is part of the reasone why they lost a lot of listeners (anyone who wanted to listen to the same 20 songs again and again already had Radio 1).

Thankfully, Capital seem to be gradually reverting to the format they used in the 80s, and are actually gaining listeners now.

[NO ONE]

i Had Been Listion To I L R 4 23 years Thre About To 1 Radio Victory Then 2 Ocean Sound West Later to Power Fm just Cheage to Galaxy i give up gone back to the BBC Radio now now i hava Radio 1 on

[Chicken]

Maybe that will mean they have a bigger record selection between them and don't have to keep on playing the same 20 tracks over and over and over and over..........

[Media Boy]

BBC Southern Counties Radio is to become BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey respectively from 30th March.

http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4472.2

[sir_drinks_alot]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

BBC Southern Counties Radio is to become BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey respectively from 30th March.

http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4472.2

Good move SCR coverd to to wide a area this way people in Sussex and Surrey will get more localized information.

[Media Boy]

Global Radio is expected to imminently confirm the sale of BRMB, Mercia FM, Beacon FM, Wyvern, Gold Birmingham, Gold Coventry, Gold Wolverhampton and 106FM Heart East Midlands to Bauer Media for anything up to £30m.

http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/8996...l-Bauer-Media/

Info from Mediaweek.

[Media Boy]

From June 22rd the following local Radio channels will be rebrand as ''Heart''

Southern FM

Ocean FM

Invicta

Essex FM

2CR

Marcher Sound

Coast 96.3

Buzz 97.1

Champion 103

Full story here: http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.4664.2