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Absolute Radio Network
The Absolute Radio Network is a network of ten radio stations owned and operated by Bauer Radio. Bauer purchased the TIML Radio Limited network of stations in 2013. Most of the Absolute Radio stations are decade-themed services, alongside the flagship station and classic rock and country-formatted stations. The network is aimed at 35 to 54 year olds.
According to RAJAR, the network broadcasts to a combined weekly audience of 5.4 million with a listening share of 3.5% as of March 2024.
Beginning in 2008, the Absolute Radio Network stations (with the exception of 20s) utilise a 'split playlist' solution developed at Absolute Radio to syndicate the presenter links of the weekday Dave Berry Breakfast Show and, since 23 September 2019, Hometime with Bush and Richie from the main Absolute Radio station, with their music tracks replaced by those relevant to each station, chosen by the network database to match the required length, mood and tempo.
Weekend morning programmes, The Frank Skinner Show (Saturday) and The Jason Manford Show (Sunday) are broadcast on a one-hour time delay (airing from 8am on Absolute Radio and from 9am on the digital siblings), again with music tracks replaced by relevant music for each service - with the exception of Absolute Radio Country which does not share weekend morning programming.
Some thematic shows from the core Absolute Radio are simulcast onto a relevant sibling: 80s Greatest Hits on Friday evening is simulcast on Absolute 80s, Classic Rock Party on Saturday evenings is relayed on Absolute Classic Rock, and the first two hours of Andy Bush's Indie Disco on Saturday evening are transmitted on both Absolute Radio and Absolute Radio 90s, continuing on the 90s station only for a further two hours thereafter.
At other times, the digital stations broadcast their own dedicated programming, or non-stop music.
The core station, established as one of three Independent National Radio franchises, began broadcasting in April 1993. It broadcast on AM radio from launch to late January 2023, and since 1999, broadcasts on national DAB. Initially branded Virgin Radio, the station was renamed Absolute Radio in 2008.
This station, playing classic rock music from the 1960s to the 1990s, was established as online back-to-back music service Virgin Classic in 2000, capitalising on the popularity of classic rock music within the general Virgin Radio schedule. The station was relaunched as a presenter-led service under the name Virgin Radio Classic Rock in 2004, and launched onto DAB in London (replacing Liquid). The station was subsequently made available on Virgin Media, Sky and, from 2008, Freesat. As part of the 2008 rebrand of Virgin Radio to Absolute Radio, Virgin Radio Classic Rock was renamed Absolute Classic Rock. The availability of Absolute Classic Rock was extended in late 2010 when the service was rolled out to a number of other DAB multiplexes, mainly in the north of England where it replaced Global Radio-owned Gold on several Bauer Media-owned DAB platforms. (Global later reintroduced Gold to these areas in January 2011 by withdrawing their own rival classic rock service The Arrow from MXR North East and three local multiplexes in Yorkshire, and putting Gold in its place.)
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Absolute Radio Network
The Absolute Radio Network is a network of ten radio stations owned and operated by Bauer Radio. Bauer purchased the TIML Radio Limited network of stations in 2013. Most of the Absolute Radio stations are decade-themed services, alongside the flagship station and classic rock and country-formatted stations. The network is aimed at 35 to 54 year olds.
According to RAJAR, the network broadcasts to a combined weekly audience of 5.4 million with a listening share of 3.5% as of March 2024.
Beginning in 2008, the Absolute Radio Network stations (with the exception of 20s) utilise a 'split playlist' solution developed at Absolute Radio to syndicate the presenter links of the weekday Dave Berry Breakfast Show and, since 23 September 2019, Hometime with Bush and Richie from the main Absolute Radio station, with their music tracks replaced by those relevant to each station, chosen by the network database to match the required length, mood and tempo.
Weekend morning programmes, The Frank Skinner Show (Saturday) and The Jason Manford Show (Sunday) are broadcast on a one-hour time delay (airing from 8am on Absolute Radio and from 9am on the digital siblings), again with music tracks replaced by relevant music for each service - with the exception of Absolute Radio Country which does not share weekend morning programming.
Some thematic shows from the core Absolute Radio are simulcast onto a relevant sibling: 80s Greatest Hits on Friday evening is simulcast on Absolute 80s, Classic Rock Party on Saturday evenings is relayed on Absolute Classic Rock, and the first two hours of Andy Bush's Indie Disco on Saturday evening are transmitted on both Absolute Radio and Absolute Radio 90s, continuing on the 90s station only for a further two hours thereafter.
At other times, the digital stations broadcast their own dedicated programming, or non-stop music.
The core station, established as one of three Independent National Radio franchises, began broadcasting in April 1993. It broadcast on AM radio from launch to late January 2023, and since 1999, broadcasts on national DAB. Initially branded Virgin Radio, the station was renamed Absolute Radio in 2008.
This station, playing classic rock music from the 1960s to the 1990s, was established as online back-to-back music service Virgin Classic in 2000, capitalising on the popularity of classic rock music within the general Virgin Radio schedule. The station was relaunched as a presenter-led service under the name Virgin Radio Classic Rock in 2004, and launched onto DAB in London (replacing Liquid). The station was subsequently made available on Virgin Media, Sky and, from 2008, Freesat. As part of the 2008 rebrand of Virgin Radio to Absolute Radio, Virgin Radio Classic Rock was renamed Absolute Classic Rock. The availability of Absolute Classic Rock was extended in late 2010 when the service was rolled out to a number of other DAB multiplexes, mainly in the north of England where it replaced Global Radio-owned Gold on several Bauer Media-owned DAB platforms. (Global later reintroduced Gold to these areas in January 2011 by withdrawing their own rival classic rock service The Arrow from MXR North East and three local multiplexes in Yorkshire, and putting Gold in its place.)