Nation purchases five radio licences in England

Bauer Media will transfer five radio licences to Nation Broadcasting as part of a deal to buy Celador Radio and Lincs FM Group.

Four of the licences are local stations whilst the fifth is a large regional service covering the Solent area.

Following Bauer’s purchase of Celador and Lincs today, Nation will take control of Lincs FM Group-owned KCFM in Hull, and Celador’s The Breeze in Winchester, Portsmouth and Southampton (which operates as one station), along with regional station Sam FM South Coast.

Whilst KCFM is locally programmed, Sam FM shares most of its programmes with other Sam stations in the South. The Breeze also shares the majority of its output, created in Southampton, with the rest of The Breeze network.

Speaking to RadioToday about the move, Martin Mumford, Managing Director at Nation Broadcasting told us: “We’re very excited to be expanding Nation Broadcasting’s portfolio by welcoming Sam FM and The Breeze in the Solent area and KCFM in Hull into the group from March.

“As there are various legal processes involved in these transfers taking place we are currently unable to comment further.”

The group cannot comment on its plans for the services – whether they will continue to use the same on-air names, or if they will rebrand to match Nation’s growing brand Nation Radio, which now operates in London, Wales and Scotland.

Nation Broadcasting bought Sun FM from UKRD last year and kept its local name instead of rebranding.