Hits Radio


Hits Radio is a network of 25 contemporary hit radio stations, owned and operated by Bauer.

Overview

broadcasts on DAB in many parts of the UK, nationally on Freeview and Sky TV platforms and online - a localized version of the station airs on FM and DAB in Greater Manchester. A second localized version also airs on DAB in London.
As of 15 June 2020, a total of 25 local radio stations in the UK providing local programming, news, traffic and sport, along with networked Hits Radio output.
The FM network of stations was formerly known as the Big City Network, Bauer Place, Bauer City and Bauer City 1. The national DAB station was formerly known as The Hits.

History

The Hits

On 19 January 2015, The Hits formed the backbone of a new locally branded Bauer City 3 network of radio stations in Northern England and Scotland. The local City 3 branding was dropped on 31 August 2017, in favour of adding The Hits to all local DAB Multiplexes.

FM stations networking

Initially known as the Big City Network, and latterly Bauer Place and Bauer City 1, networked programming on Bauer's local FM stations in Northern England and Scotland was initially confined to off-peak night time and weekend timeslots.

Hits Radio rebrand

On 18 April 2018, station owners Bauer announced Key 103 in Manchester would be rebranded and relaunched as Hits Radio Manchester a CHR-led music station aimed at 25-44 year olds on Monday 4 June 2018.
The station was merged with national DAB station The Hits which in turn was rebranded itself as Hits Radio UK to provide a single national service across the UK on DAB, Freeview and online. In Manchester, Hits Radio continues to provide local news & information, traffic bulletins and advertising on its local platforms - 103 FM, DAB and online.
Manchester's programming is networked across 24 local FM stations - all of which opt out at times for local programming.

Developments

In February 2014, the stations adopted a standardised audio identity package, produced by Wise Buddah, while retaining their local station branding. Two networked shows were also introduced across most stations - Old Skool and Anthems and In: Demand - produced from Key 103 in Manchester.
Separate schedules for Northern England and Scotland were introduced in August 2015, followed in July 2017 by two networked mid-morning shows for most of the FM stations, produced from Manchester and Glasgow respectively.
Local weekend programming for most of the English stations was replaced with additional network output in July 2019, followed in September 2019 by the introduction of a networked Drivetime show. The Scottish network of stations is due to introduce a networked Drivetime show at the end of March 2020, except for MFR and Radio Borders.
In February 2017, the Free Radio group of stations in the West Midlands began carrying off-peak programming from the Northern England network, replacing most of its own regional output from Birmingham.
Gem in the East Midlands joined the network in July 2019 to carry late night and overnight programming from Manchester.
Five stations were acquired to join the network, of which four retain heritage branding: Pulse 1, Signal 1, The Wave 96.4 FM and Fire Radio. Pulse, Signal, and The Wave began introducing the Hits Radio network off peak programming from 15 June 2020. The fifth, The Breeze is planned to rebrand as Hits Radio under a licensing agreement with Nation Broadcasting.
On 20 July 2020, Pulse 1, Signal 1 and The Wave officially joined the Hits Radio network.
On 1 September, Radio Aire will close and re-brand to Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire.

Stations

Current stations
AreaStationBroadcast area
UKHits Radio UKnational DAB, Freeview 711, Sky 0188
LondonHits Radio LondonLondon DAB only
MidlandsFree RadioWest Midlands
MidlandsGemEast Midlands
MidlandsSignal 1Stoke-on-Trent
North East EnglandMetro RadioTyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham
North East EnglandTFMTeesside, County Durham and North Yorkshire
North West EnglandCFMCumbria and South West Scotland
North West EnglandHits Radio ManchesterGreater Manchester
North West EnglandRadio CityMerseyside, Cheshire and North Wales
North West EnglandRock FMLancashire
ScotlandClyde 1Glasgow and West Central Scotland
ScotlandForth 1Edinburgh, Lothian and Fife
ScotlandMFRScottish Highlands, Moray, the Orkney Islands and parts of North West Aberdeenshire
ScotlandNorthsound 1Aberdeen and North East Scotland
ScotlandRadio BordersScottish Borders and North Northumberland
ScotlandTay FMDundee, Perth and the general Tayside area in Scotland
ScotlandWest FMAyrshire
WalesThe Wave 96.4 FMSwansea Bay
YorkshireHallam FMSouth Yorkshire
YorkshirePulse 1Bradford
YorkshireRadio AireWest Yorkshire
YorkshireViking FMEast Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

Upcoming stations
AreaStationBroadcast area
Southern EnglandThe Breeze East Hampshire & South West Surrey
Southern EnglandFire RadioBournemouth

Programming

Most of the stations broadcast their own local breakfast shows from 6-10am each weekday - in most cases, these are produced and broadcast from the originating station's studios.
Daytime programming for England and Wales originates from Bauer's Castle Quay studios at Castlefield in Manchester. In Scotland it originates from Bauer's Clydebank studios near Glasgow and on occasion Bauer's Edinburgh studios.
Overnight programming and The UK Chart Show airs across all Hits Radio stations in England, Wales and Scotland from Bauer's Castle Quay studios at Castlefield in Manchester.
Bauer's newsrooms across the UK air news bulletins hourly from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and from 7am to 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.
At weekends, bespoke networked bulletins air from 2pm. One for England and Wales with a second for Scotland.
At all other times, mainly evening & overnight, hourly national bulletins originate from Sky News Radio in London.

Notable presenters