Hits Radio
Hits Radio is a network of 25 contemporary hit radio stations, owned and operated by Bauer.
 | |
| City | Manchester |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom (digital) |
| Frequency | FM: 96.3 – 106.7 MHz DAB: 10D (Humberside, Teesside) 10C (Liverpool) 11C (Glasgow, Manchester, South Yorkshire, Tyne & Wear) 12A (Lancashire, Swansea) 12C (Manchester) 12D (Edinburgh, Leeds) |
| Branding | The Hits Radio Network |
| Slogan | The Biggest Hits, The Biggest Throwbacks |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | CHR/Pop |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Bauer |
| Sister stations | Country Hits Radio Greatest Hits Radio |
| History | |
| First air date | 4 June 2018 (as Hits Radio Network) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Radioplayer |
| Website | planetradio |
Overview
Hits Radio UK broadcasts on DAB in many parts of the UK, nationally on Freeview and Sky TV platforms and online - a localized version of the station airs on FM and DAB in Greater Manchester. A second localized version also airs on DAB in London.
As of 15 June 2020, a total of 25 local radio stations in the UK providing local programming, news, traffic and sport, along with networked Hits Radio output.
The FM network of stations was formerly known as the Big City Network, Bauer Place, Bauer City and Bauer City 1. The national DAB station was formerly known as The Hits.
History
The Hits
On 19 January 2015, The Hits formed the backbone of a new locally branded Bauer City 3 network of radio stations in Northern England and Scotland.[1] The local City 3 branding was dropped on 31 August 2017, in favour of adding The Hits to all local DAB Multiplexes.[2]
FM stations networking
Initially known as the Big City Network, and latterly Bauer Place and Bauer City 1, networked programming on Bauer's local FM stations in Northern England and Scotland was initially confined to off-peak night time and weekend timeslots.
Hits Radio rebrand
On 18 April 2018, station owners Bauer announced Key 103 in Manchester would be rebranded and relaunched as Hits Radio Manchester a CHR-led music station aimed at 25-44 year olds on Monday 4 June 2018.[3]
The station was merged with national DAB station The Hits which in turn was rebranded itself as Hits Radio UK to provide a single national service across the UK on DAB, Freeview and online.[4] In Manchester, Hits Radio continues to provide local news & information, traffic bulletins and advertising on its local platforms - 103 FM, DAB and online.[5]
Manchester's programming is networked across 24 local FM stations - all of which opt out at times for local programming.
Developments
In February 2014, the stations adopted a standardised audio identity package, produced by Wise Buddah, while retaining their local station branding. Two networked shows were also introduced across most stations - Old Skool and Anthems and In: Demand - produced from Key 103 in Manchester.[6]
Separate schedules for Northern England and Scotland were introduced in August 2015,[7] followed in July 2017 by two networked mid-morning shows for most of the FM stations, produced from Manchester and Glasgow respectively.[8]
Local weekend programming for most of the English stations was replaced with additional network output in July 2019,[9] followed in September 2019 by the introduction of a networked Drivetime show.[10] The Scottish network of stations is due to introduce a networked Drivetime show at the end of March 2020, except for MFR and Radio Borders.[11]
In February 2017, the Free Radio group of stations in the West Midlands began carrying off-peak programming from the Northern England network, replacing most of its own regional output from Birmingham.
Gem in the East Midlands joined the network in July 2019 to carry late night and overnight programming from Manchester.[12]
Five stations were acquired to join the network, of which four retain heritage branding: Pulse 1 (Bradford), Signal 1 (Stoke), The Wave 96.4 FM (Swansea) and Fire Radio (Bournemouth). Pulse, Signal, and The Wave began introducing the Hits Radio network off peak programming from 15 June 2020.[13] The fifth, The Breeze (Portsmouth, Southampton and Winchester) is planned to rebrand as Hits Radio under a licensing agreement with Nation Broadcasting.[14]
On 20 July 2020, Pulse 1, Signal 1 and The Wave officially joined the Hits Radio network.[15]
On 1 September, Radio Aire will close and re-brand to Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire.[16]
Stations
Current stations
| Area | Station | Broadcast area |
|---|---|---|
| UK | Hits Radio UK | national DAB, Freeview 711, Sky 0188 |
| London | Hits Radio London | London DAB only |
| Midlands | Free Radio | West Midlands |
| Gem | East Midlands | |
| Signal 1 | Stoke-on-Trent | |
| North East England | Metro Radio | Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham |
| TFM | Teesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire | |
| North West England | CFM | Cumbria and South West Scotland |
| Hits Radio Manchester | Greater Manchester | |
| Radio City | Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales | |
| Rock FM | Lancashire | |
| Scotland | Clyde 1 | Glasgow and West Central Scotland |
| Forth 1 | Edinburgh, Lothian and Fife | |
| MFR | Scottish Highlands, Moray, the Orkney Islands and parts of North West Aberdeenshire | |
| Northsound 1 | Aberdeen and North East Scotland | |
| Radio Borders | Scottish Borders and North Northumberland | |
| Tay FM | Dundee, Perth and Tayside | |
| West FM | Ayrshire | |
| Wales | 96.4 The Wave | Swansea and South West Wales |
| Yorkshire | Hallam FM | South Yorkshire |
| Pulse 1 | Bradford and West Yorkshire | |
| Radio Aire | Leeds and West Yorkshire | |
| Viking FM | East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire | |
Upcoming stations
| Area | Station | Broadcast area |
|---|---|---|
| Southern England | The Breeze (franchise under Nation Broadcasting) | East Hampshire & South West Surrey |
| Fire Radio | Bournemouth | |
Programming
Most of the stations broadcast their own local breakfast shows from 6-10am each weekday - in most cases, these are produced and broadcast from the originating station's studios.
Daytime programming for England and Wales originates from Bauer's Castle Quay studios at Castlefield in Manchester. In Scotland it originates from Bauer's Clydebank studios near Glasgow and on occasion Bauer's Edinburgh studios.
Overnight programming and The UK Chart Show airs across all Hits Radio stations in England, Wales and Scotland from Bauer's Castle Quay studios at Castlefield in Manchester.
- England and Wales variations
- CFM airs local programming from 6am-7pm on weekdays.
- The Wave 96.4 FM also airs local mid-morning and drivetime shows on weekdays.[17]
- Free Radio airs two separate breakfast shows - one for Birmingham, the Black Country and Shropshire, and a second for Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
- Gem airs local daytime programming throughout the week.
- Metro Radio and TFM simulcast Steve & Karen's Breakfast Show on weekdays from 6-10am.
- Radio City airs local weekend afternoon programming (Saturday 2-6pm and Sunday 12-4pm), alongside The Legends Phone-In on Monday and Thursday evenings at 6.30pm during the football season.
- Scotland variations
- Clyde 1, Forth 1, Northsound 1, Tay FM and West FM all share a drivetime show with Garry Spence.[18]
- Clyde 1's Superscoreboard airs live football commentaries at weekends throughout the season, alongside a nightly magazine show on weekday evenings from 6-8pm.
- Clyde 1 opts out of Hits Party on Saturday evenings to air an extra edition of The GBXperience from 6-10pm.
- Forth 1 and Radio Borders air Super Scoreboard sports shows on Saturday afternoons from 2-6pm - with the latter providing in-depth rugby union coverage.
- MFR and Radio Borders retain their own local daytime shows on weekdays from 10am-1pm and at drivetime from 4pm-7pm.[18]
- All seven local stations air their own local afternoon shows on Saturdays (2-6pm) and Sundays (12-4pm).
News
Bauer's newsrooms across the UK air news bulletins hourly from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and from 7am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.
At weekends, bespoke networked bulletins air from 2pm (until 6pm on Saturdays and 4pm on Sundays). One for England and Wales with a second for Scotland.
At all other times, mainly evening & overnight, hourly national bulletins originate from Sky News Radio in London.
Notable presenters
| Presenter | Timeslot |
|---|---|
| Gemma Atkinson | weekday drivetime |
| James Barr | Hits Radio Breakfast & Saturday morning |
| Lee Butler | Radio City weekend afternoons |
| Wes Butters | weekday drivetime & Sunday morning |
| Sarah-Jane Crawford | The UK Chart Show |
| Fleur East | Hits Radio Breakfast & Saturday morning |
| Sheree Murphy | Sunday morning |
| Joel Ross | Rock FM breakfast |
| Jo Russell | Gem weekday breakfast |
| Dan Wood | Gem weekday daytime |
References
- Bauer City Network 3 launches on local DAB Radio Today, 19 January 2015
- "The Hits to replace Bauer's City 3 network", RadioToday, 2017-08-29
- Bauer to launch new national radio station Archived 19 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Bauer Media, 18 April 2018
- Key 103 to become Hits Radio as part of major rebrand, Prolific North, 18 April 2018
- Key 103 to rebrand as Hits Radio and go national, Radio Today, 19 April 2018
- Daytime sharing arrives at Bauer stations, Radio Today, 31 January 2014
- Bauer brings local radio back to Scotland, Radio Today, 28 July 2015
- Networked mid-morning show for Bauer stations, Radio Today, 12 June 2017
- Hits Radio Network stations to drop local weekend programmes, Radio Today, 30 May 2019
- Bauer to network drivetime across 11 licences in North and Midlands, Radio Today, 5 August 2019
- Bauer networks more shows across Scotland, RadioToday, 29 January 2020
- Gem to take Hits Radio strapline and night programmes, Radio Today, 8 July 2019
- Radio Today: Hits Radio networking starts on new Bauer stations
- Most of acquired Bauer stations to become Greatest Hits Radio Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 27 May 2020
- Bauer starts to roll out Hits and Greatest Hits to new radio stations Stuart Clarkson, Radio Today, 9 July 2020
- Radio Aire to become Greatest Hits Radio, Radio Today, 16 July 2020
- "Bauer networks more shows across Scotland". RadioToday. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.