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.
Next move: Wireless buys Nation.
One of the Solent services are likely to be re-branded to Nation, most likely is The Breeze. The regional licence could well see the return of presenter-led programmes, possibly under a new name.
As Compass FM is also within the Viking & Lincs FM transmission areas, I’m surprised it wasn’t included in the KCFM sale.
I hope they keep the breeze format
Why? it’s dreadful
Isn’t Breeze an AM station in Essex ?
Interesting times……I was wondering why Bauer has to sell both Solent licences to Nation, so they will have two in the Solent area, when Bauer have only one interest in Wave.. Global own the ex Ocean/2CR assets and broadcast Capital and Heart in the area on FM….? Curious what Nation will do as only really have one house ‘Brand’.
With the Solent stations could the Breeze become Nation while Sam could become Greatest Hits Radio or Hits radio under a franchise agreement with Bauer in a similar way to Global and Communicorp ?
Of course Ofcom will grant them a license, make a few half-hearted promises and they’ll let them have more areas, easily. Then we’ll have the same formulaic radio that we have had in the last few years. George Ezra, 10 times a day, anyone?
https://youtu.be/s92DuPFfkpg << Use the hi-fi section on radiofeeds and forget fm and DAB by using this.
breeze will stay because its a good brand of radio stations
Bauer had to sell The Breeze and Sam FM to Nation Radio as it operated Wave 105, so as to get round license regulations. Global and Bauer are big players on the Solent region, lets hope the programmes on the new company will remain the same as now
Prediction 1: UKRD are next in the sights of Bauer and Global
Prediction 2: Bauer buy KM-FM (Kent)
Prediction 3: Wirelsss and Nation merge to stave off the threat of a buyout by Bauer or Global
Preciation 4: There will be plenty here comparing about the death of local radio, again. Oh . . . Sorry, withdraw that, it’s already happened 🙂
Why is more Nation Radio a good thing?
Because they aren’t Bauer or Global?
Which isn’t saying much obviously.
it should be come a 50s 60s radio station