Free Radio 80s replaces Gold on AM & DAB

31/08/2012 - 10:20 | 35 Replies More

Free Radio 80s has replaced Gold in the West Midlands with a test broadcast, ahead of its full launch on Tuesday.

The station will broadcast on DAB, AM and online with all eighties all day, plus live Midlands football commentary with a localised news, weather and travel service.

Dave Sherwood will host the breakfast show whilst non-stop music fills the rest of the schedule with Free Radio (FM) presenters hosting occasional shows.

Group Programme and Marketing Director, David Lloyd told RadioToday.co.uk: “We know the appeal of this decade, so we know that the station will be a much-loved new little sister for Free Radio. It’ll be simple and music-intensive; complementing ‘Today’s best music mix’ on our ‘characterful’ FM Free Radio brand which already attracts over 700,000 *listeners”.

listen to ‘The AM transition – Gold (West Mids) to Free Radio 80s’ on Audioboo

The station has replaced the 60s and 70s Gold oldies service on 1152, 1017, 1359 and 990 AM, which Orion Media has operated under licence in the West Midlands from Global Radio. Removing Gold from terrestrial radio in the West Midlands area would leave Global Radio free to put Gold on FM in place of Smooth Radio, should they have plans to once their purchase of Real and Smooth Radio completes. It’s not known at this point if Global Radio plan to offer Gold on DAB in the West Midlands as a replacement.

Gold continues in the East Midlands and around the UK on DAB and AM.


Category: Station News

  • http://www.facebook.com/J.Kenelm Сал Мас

    Is ‘music-intensive’ a euphemism for ‘presenter-free’?

  • Jimbo

    I hope they don’t suffer from what has maybe happened in the
    East Midlands. The name Heart still appears in Rajar Diaries over there, due to
    Heart being on DAB. People still appear to be ticking it with some confusion
    and GEM is feeling that oversight in their Rajar. People are ticking what they
    think they are listening to and they still think they are listening to Heart on
    FM.

    Also, there seems to be a lot of self generated hype with Free. Last Rajar as
    the old brands gave a combined reach of 801K, first Rajar as the new brand
    gives 708k .

    • Mat

      To be honest I prefer Gem than Heart, as Gem offers more variety in the music, and at least it is local for the most part. I understand how Heart would still be chosen mistakenly over Gem on DAB, as even my DAB still has Heart Preset to it.

  • Mat

    It probably won’t work
    As far as I was aware the oldies tuned into Gold for the speech from the more older presenters, at more mature level. Plus the FM signal is supposed to attract much younger audience, so the presenters, shouldn’t really have to play 80′s tunes if they go and fill in. The FM station is supposed to be a contemporary and chart hit station. not Hot AC.

    • lisa

      I’m young and I loved Gold Radio because they played loads of Status Quo, Queen, ELO and other brilliant classic songs. The station that’s taken over is chronic and I won’t be tuning in.

  • PB

    Major mistake, listners will be lost, Gold was muchloved in the area, what has been done is wrong

  • http://www.facebook.com/craig.butler.94 Craig Butler

    good to here 80s in the midlands at last also well done to dave sherwood for the breakfast slot an ex fm jock from the mercia days and going to am……… dissapointed rest of day gonner be filled with syndicated jocks why not have a local drive time slot too…… im available ex mercia presenter!!! phill riley if u are intrested….

  • den

    Jimbo with 30% digital listen on several platforms, it could well be 110,000 are back listening to Heart in the east midlands compared to 407,000 listening to Gem, would not be surprised if Global’s Gold starts to keep a large number of digital listening in the west midlands

  • lisa

    It’s PANTS, Bring back Gold Radio :-(

  • Disappointed

    What a shame, listened to Gold for years, the new Free Radio 80s is rubbish, but can’t understand the logic of ditching what appeared to be a successful formula. So many of my friends are saying the same. Anyone know another station that offers what Gold used to offer.

  • Lisa. S

    I have listened to Gold for years and it was the best station by far, Have listened to Free Radio 80s but won’t be tuning in any more. BRING BACK GOLD!!!

  • Ann avid Gold listener

    What’s going on? Why has Gold been taken off and Free 80s test transmissions been put on instead? Gold was fantastic – please bring it back. Absolute are the experts at providing decade based radio – Free radio leave it to the experts and focus on what you were good at. Bring back GOLD please!!!!!

  • Mark

    I liked Gold, but am happy listening to Free radio 80s tonight. There’s always the net or tv if you want to hear Gold. I’ll give it a go unless too many adverts come…

    • http://www.facebook.com/paul.lowe.7 Paul Lowe

      its all if you got sky or freesat and net

  • http://www.facebook.com/ddwig Dave Wiggy Wiggins

    Just Think Of Us In Gloucestershire Now Gloucestershire Is Stuck With Global Radio Gold 774 Am Here In Gloucestershire I Do Just Hope That Bauer Media Will See This Now And I Liked To Say To Bauer Media Do Buy Global Gold 774 Am In Gloucestershire And Re Name It As Magic 774 Gloucestershire Bauer Media That Be Good Now

  • sheila tipton

    ii cannot understand the reason i dont want to listen to 80,s music all day

  • Chris

    Fantastic!time for a breath of fresh air,Gold was stale and repetitive radio,roll on Tuesday!

  • Ntm disco

    What the hell is going on? Gold radio was fantastic. The greatest hits if all time. Now gone. We don’t need another 80s station. Absolute 80s will crush them. Free radio….free rubbish more like. Orion media have NO vision. I hate free radio ever since they ruined wyvern FM and BRMB. The same six songs all day long. BRING IT BACK !!!!!!!!!

  • Bren

    Have listerned to Gold for years, tuned in every day, but no more, what a load of rubbish it is now. It would have been nice
    to have let all us listeners know what was going on in advance,
    bring gold back please.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003294357207 James Martin

    Although not my cup of tea, I did think Gold was – and is – a brilliant oldies station. That said, however, I’m really impressed with Free Radio 80′s. The music has been excellent. I can’t see it delivering an audience on AM though. I see the long-game being played here: growth is going to come, almost exclusively, from DAB; leading to AM quietly being switched off in 3-4 years’ time.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ddwig Dave Wiggy Wiggins

    This Is A Very Very Very Big Big Big Let Down Wright Now The
    West Midlands Always Get New Commerical Radio Stations It Is True But Here In Gloucestershire We Have Not Got Any New Commerical Radio Stations At All And That Is So True We Are Stuck With This Gold Station Gold 774 Am In Gloucestershire It Would Be So Nice To Have Bauer Media Radio Station Magic Here In Gloucestershire Wright Now So I Do Not Want To See West Midlands People Saying This Station Free Radio 80s Is They Should All Think Befor They Complain Becuse They Have Got Far More Good Choice Of Radio Stations To Listen Too They Got Free Radio On 96Point Four Fm In Birmingham Then They Got Free Radio 80s On 1152 Am Now And Then They Got Smooth Radio Then They Got Capital Fm As Well Then They Got Signal 107 And They Got Touch Fm And They Got Heart 100 Point 7 Fm As Well What Have Got Here In Gloucester Heart 102 Point Four And Gold 774 Am And That Is True Now So Please West Midlands People Do Not Complain About Free Radio 80s Now Please

  • andy

    Absolute 80s pisses over free radio 80s gold was great with a good variety of 60 s 70 s and 80s bring it back there was nothing better than listening to some good 60s tunes late at night to relax you if I want 80s its absolute all the way but would much rather have the 60s I hope free radio go bust

  • lynda

    Hi There. where the heck has gold gone to. I loved it all the oldies from 60s, 70s etc. not everyone like the 80s especially all day long. Wrong wrong decision, Im switching off straight away. would have been nice to find out what listeners reall want to listen to. Theres plenty of 80s in other shows.
    Really really upset and missing my daily dose of proper good old fashioned golden oldies.

  • jorrow birmingham

    hate it
    there is no decent radio show now for the 50 pluses will never listen again and will tell all my freinds to switch to gold on fm

  • Heather

    We are disgusted with this. Have listened to Gold for years and now it’s gone. Yes, we like 80′s music, but we already have Absolute 80′s for that. Gold played some brilliant music, something for everybody. Not happy at all. :-(

  • Laurence

    I’m in my twenties and loved Gold; what is wrong with the people that make these decisions? Gold was great and there was nothing else like it. For goodness sake, somebody knock some sense into these idiots!

  • Mick

    Ruined a great station again I like the 80s but won’t bother to listen

  • Christopher Parkes

    I’m enjoying Free Radio 80s, I like Magic radio too tho and used to listed to that mostly.

  • http://www.facebook.com/lynda.rowsell Lynda Rowsell

    I hate this new format. Bring back Gold for people who love listening to music prior to the 80′s. We love guess the year Sunday mornings so why change it? LyndaR

  • Rodger

    Gold was great. Really dislike free 80 and am looking for an alternative station in west midlands. they really got this move wrong.
    Rodger

  • Wolverhampton listeners

    Big, big mistake. We loved gold. You must have lost thousands of listeners since the change over! We certainly haven’t listened since. BRING GOLD BACK TO THE WEST MIDLANDS!!!

  • Ronald eite

    RON
    Have listened to radio stations for years that play 50s and 60s music and every one is taken over by other stations.
    Now have to listen on line or Sky television radio what a waste
    of time it was buying a digital radio.

  • DAVE

    BRING BACK GOLD FREE RADIO IS CRAP!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/lisa.bates.739 Lisabluenekko Bates

    I will not be listening to this station again 80s naff all the time. :(

  • Mark H

    Miss gold and the listener does not count makes me mad, hate the 80ts and all that went with it

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