Orion Media moves Mercia to Birmingham

A number of changes have been announced to staff at Orion Media this week, including moving Mercia out of Coventry to co-locate with BRMB at Brindley Place in Birmingham and share mid-mornings.

Beacon is also on the move, leaving Tettenhall Road after 35 years in favour of a less expensive out-of-town unit.

The newsteam across the West Midlands will also be reduced, with 10 journalists now having to re-apply for one of eight positions.

Robin Banks, who hosts the network evening show across BRMB, Beacon, Wyvern and Mercia is also leaving ahead of a new show being introduced, and Mercia will network mid-mornings with BRMB.

Phil Riley, Group Chief Executive told RadioToday.co.uk: “Orion Media, like all businesses, constantly reviews its property portfolio. On this occasion, the company has taken the opportunity afforded it by a new deal at its Brindley Place HQ to locate its Mercia commercial and production operations there – as it is permitted to do within current OFCOM guidelines.”

He added: “Mercia will of course continue to serve Coventry and Warwickshire with local output specifically made for the area throughout the majority of the day, including the highly successful JD breakfast show. News, traffic and travel and other information for Coventry and Warwickshire will continue to be broadcast exactly as now. The station will continue to have a significant presence in the area, including its long term commitment to ‘The Mercia Live Level’ at the Ricoh arena, its partnership with Coventry City FC, its support of major local events such as the Godiva festival, and its long-standing community commitments, as evidenced by the recent highly successful Walk of Warwickshire, which the station hopes to repeat next year. The station will continue to have a dedicated local sales team, working with advertisers across Coventry and Warwickshire”.

Orion owns BRMB, Mercia FM, Beacon FM, Wyvern FM, Gold stations in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton and Gem 106.