Tag: rock radio
GMG Radio sale: Look back at group’s history
Following the sale of the radio division by Guardian Media Group, we take a look at Guardian’s involvement in our industry over the last 13 years.
The purchase by Global Radio brings to a close a period of the industry which saw investment in personality-led music commercial radio and documentaries aimed at rivalling the BBC.
Paul Anthony to do Planet Rock breakfast
National digital radio station Planet Rock has announced a change to its breakfast show, with Paul Anthony taking over from Lucio in the New Year.
Paul joins from GMG Radio’s Rock Radio, where he most recently did the evening show until the rebrand to Real Radio XS in September.
GMG celebrates £750k raised for Heroes
GMG’s Smooth Radio and Real Radio are celebrating their total donation of £750k to Help for Heroes.
The money has been raised by auctions and events on three Help for Heroes Days held by the stations, which goes directly to wounded soldiers.
Rock Radio Glasgow to rebrand as Real XS
GMG Radio has announced it will now not be selling its 96.3 Rock Radio station in Glasgow, and instead will rebrand it as Real Radio XS next month.
Previously, the group had said it was in discussions over a management buy out for the station and in the meantime went ahead with the rebrand of the Manchester sister station on 5 September.
106.1 Rock Radio morphs into Real XS
GMG Radio’s Classic Rock station in Manchester has changed name from Rock Radio to Real XS.
The switch-over took place at midnight, and is part of the group’s attempt to make the format an attractive commercial proposition for advertisers.
Jazz FM leaves regional DAB multiplexes
Regional DAB transmissions from Jazz FM in the West Midlands, North West, London and Glasgow have now ended.
The station had been duplicating coverage in these areas since appearing on Digital One in March this year, and will now be replaced by GMG’s rock station Real XS.
Andy Carter takes GMG Group MD role
A new position of Group Managing Director has been created at GMG Radio, and filled by Smooth Radio Brand MD Andy Carter.
He’ll now be responsible for all stations in the group, including the soon to launch Real Radio XS in Manchester on September 5th.
GMG: Real audience 2.5m for first time
GMG’s Real Radio network has posted a combined reach of more than 2.5m weekly listeners for the first time ever.
Smooth is up 400,000 listeners in a year to 3.2m, while Rock Radio Manchester bows out with best-ever figures.
GMG swap Rock Radio brand for Real XS
GMG Radio’s Manchester Rock Radio station is to be re-branded as Real Radio XS from September, while the Glasgow station looks like being sold to Brand Managing Director Billy Anderson.
The group says the new name in Manchester will ‘benefit from the brand strength and scale of sister station Real Radio’.
106.1 Rock Radio plans a double wedding
Manchester’s Rock Radio is to help its breakfast producer get married by asking listeners to be part of a double wedding.
Mike Sweeney’s producer Russ Collington will marry his fiancé Jo in front of Manchester Museum’s T. Rex, named Stan, on the 4th August, along with another couple.
