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Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West
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Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West is an Independent Local Radio station based in Manchester, England, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Greatest Hits Radio Network. It broadcasts to Greater Manchester and North West England.
Key Information
As of September 2024, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 341,000 listeners, according to RAJAR.[1]
History
[edit]Early years
[edit]The station began broadcasting at 5am on Tuesday 2 April 1974 as Piccadilly Radio on 261 m (1151 kHz then) AM/MW and on 97.0 MHz FM (from the same transmitter in Saddleworth that is now used by Hits Radio Manchester). The medium wave frequency moved to 1152 kHz on 23 November 1978 with the implementation of the Geneva 1975 plan. The station was named after Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester, and Piccadilly Plaza was home to the station's first studios until 1996, when it relocated to the Castlefield area of Manchester.
Piccadilly's founding managing director was Philip Birch, who previously ran the highly influential pirate station Radio London until it closed down ahead of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act 1967 in August 1967. The first presenter on air was Roger Day – himself an ex-pirate radio presenter – and the first song played on air was "Good Vibrations" by The Beach Boys.
Many of Britain's best-known broadcasters started their careers at Piccadilly, including Chris Evans, Mike Sweeney, Steve Penk, James H. Reeve, Andy Peebles, Gary Davies, Tim Grundy, Timmy Mallett, Pete Mitchell, Geoff Lloyd, Mark Radcliffe, James Stannage, Stu Allan, Nick Robinson and Karl Pilkington.
Journalist Paul Lockitt joined Piccadilly in 1979 and became the station's longest serving on-air employee, working as a producer, presenter and newscaster until his departure in 2017.
FM/MW split
[edit]Piccadilly Radio split into two services in 1988, with Key 103 broadcast on FM with a contemporary music format, while Piccadilly continued on AM, initially under its full service format, gradually adopting a 'golden oldies' music playlist as Piccadilly Gold.
In the mid-1990s, Piccadilly Gold became Piccadilly 1152 as the playlist moved away from "golden oldies" to a mix of classic and current easy-listening music. The late-night phone-in with James Stannage became the most popular radio talk show outside London, whilst the Dave Ward and Umberto breakfast show helped the station to become one of the biggest AM stations.
In 1994, a rival station, Fortune 1458 (later renamed 1458 Lite AM, today broadcasting as 1458 Capital Gold) commenced on BBC GMR's former AM frequency. Despite heavy marketing, and many ex-Piccadilly presenters on the new station, Piccadilly 1152 remained Manchester's most popular station, other than sister station Key 103, until the late 1990s when smaller, localised FM stations in Oldham, Warrington and Bury began to erode away Piccadilly's audience base.
Magic 1152
[edit]
In 1994, Piccadilly (Key 103/Piccadilly 1152) were part of the Transworld Radio Group, which was bought by present owners Bauer Radio (then EMAP). In 1999/2000, parent company EMAP re-branded the station as Magic 1152, to fall in-line with the other nine Magic stations they owned across London and the north of England.
The idea of a corporate "Magic" brand of stations was seen to be beneficial when selling air time to national advertisers. This change in name also coincided with the 25th birthday of Piccadilly Radio. The station was branded as "Piccadilly 1152 – the magic of Manchester" during the transition. Except for a short spell in 2000 – when Key 103 was briefly renamed Piccadilly Key 103 – the Piccadilly brand was finally retired.
In December 2001, EMAP decided that it was more economical for the Magic network to share off-peak programmes. Magic 1152, in line with the other seven Magic AM stations in northern England, began networking 10 am – 2 pm, and 7 pm – 6 am by carrying programming from Magic 105.4 in London. During these hours, it was simply known as Magic, although there were local commercial breaks, and local news on the hour.
In January 2003, after a sharp decline in listening, the station ceased networking with the London station, and a regional northern network was created with the Manchester station providing networked output at weekends while sister station Magic 1152 in Newcastle provided weekday programming.
From July 2006, more networking was introduced across the Northern Magic AM network, with local output reduced to a daily four-hour breakfast show, local news and advertising. In April 2012, Magic 1152, inline with the majority of other Magic North stations, dropped local weekend breakfast shows.
Between March 2013 and December 2014, weekday breakfast was syndicated with Magic 1548 in Liverpool and Magic 999 in Preston.[2]
Key 2/Key Radio
[edit]On 5 January 2015, Magic 1152 was rebranded as Key 2, as Magic FM in London went national on DAB. The station formed part of the Bauer City 2 network. All programming was now networked with the other Bauer AM stations in the North although local news, weather and travel continue to be broadcast as opt-outs during the day.
In June 2018, following the relaunch and rebrand of Key 103 as Hits Radio, the station was rebranded again as Key Radio, retaining the former local identity in a secondary capacity.[3]
Greatest Hits Radio
[edit]On 7 January 2019, Key Radio rebranded as Greatest Hits Radio Manchester.[4]
Following the sale of The Revolution in October 2020, the service is also broadcast on 96.2 FM from a transmitter in Oldham, primarily serving the Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside areas of Greater Manchester.[5]
In February 2021, Bauer announced it would close GHR's medium-wave service on 1152 kHz, marking the end of 47 years of broadcasting on the former AM frequency for Piccadilly Radio.[6] The AM transmitter ceased broadcasting on 28 April 2021.
On 17 June 2021 Bauer announced the purchase of Imagine Radio from Like Media Group, with the existing Imagine service slated to be replaced by GHR services for Stockport and North Cheshire and the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales.[7] Consequently, Greatest Hits Radio can now be heard on FM in the southern parts of Greater Manchester.
References
[edit]- ^ "RAJAR". www.rajar.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ Magic AM starts networking at breakfast Radio Today, 15 February 2013
- ^ Key 2 on AM and DAB rebrands as Key Radio, Radio Today, 4 June 2018
- ^ Bauer Media to launch Greatest Hits Radio network Radio Today, 15 November 2018
- ^ "Revolution 96.2 sold to Bauer for Greatest Hits Radio". RadioToday. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ Bauer to turn off four AM transmitters in the North, RadioToday, 25 February 2021
- ^ RadioToday.co.uk, June 2021
Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins as Piccadilly Radio
Piccadilly Radio emerged as Greater Manchester's inaugural commercial radio station amid the UK's expansion of Independent Local Radio (ILR) in the early 1970s. In July 1972, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) selected Piccadilly Radio Limited from several applicants to operate the franchise for the Manchester area, prioritizing local ownership and community-focused programming to serve approximately 2.5 million residents. The consortium was led by entrepreneur Philip Birch, who had gained experience managing the offshore pirate station Radio London until its closure in 1967, bringing a vision for vibrant, regionally attuned broadcasting.[6][7] The station derived its name from Piccadilly Gardens, a central Manchester landmark, and established its initial studios in Piccadilly Plaza on Portland Street, a location symbolizing the city's urban heart. Broadcasting commenced on 2 April 1974 at 5 a.m. on 261 metres medium wave (1152 kHz) and 97.0 MHz FM, marking the first legal commercial airwaves in the North West outside London. The launch featured a news bulletin followed by DJ Roger Day, who welcomed listeners and debuted with The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," setting a tone of energetic pop music and local engagement. This debut occurred against a backdrop of economic challenges, including the three-day workweek and miners' strikes, yet the station immediately captured public imagination with its accessible format.[8][7][9] From the outset, Piccadilly Radio prioritized a mixed format blending contemporary hits, news, sports, and community interaction, distinguishing it from the BBC's more formal style. Programs like phone-ins and the socially oriented Careline addressed listener concerns on topics such as housing and employment, fostering a sense of regional identity during Manchester's industrial decline. Early presenters, including Day and Colin Walters as programme controller, introduced quirky jingles and irreverent humor that resonated with diverse audiences, from factory workers to students. By 1977, the station had achieved widespread popularity, often topping local listenership surveys and inspiring similar ILR outlets across the UK.[10][9] The station's early success laid the foundation for nurturing talent that would shape British radio. Figures like Gary Davies, Andy Peebles, and a young Chris Evans began their careers at Piccadilly, contributing to shows that mixed chart-toppers with live session artists and regional events coverage, such as Manchester United matches. Under Birch's leadership until the early 1980s, Piccadilly solidified its role as a cultural touchstone, emphasizing northern wit and local stories while navigating IBA regulations on content balance and advertising. This era established the station as the UK's leading non-London ILR outlet, with its innovative approach influencing commercial radio's growth nationwide.[7][8]FM and AM frequency split
In 1988, Piccadilly Radio restructured its operations by splitting its broadcast services between FM and AM frequencies, a move designed to maximize audience reach by offering differentiated programming formats tailored to distinct listener demographics. This separation allowed the station to compete more effectively in the evolving commercial radio landscape, where FM was increasingly associated with modern music and higher fidelity sound, while AM catered to traditional formats.[7] The split took effect on September 3, 1988, at midday, with the FM service on 103 MHz relaunching as Key 103, emphasizing contemporary hit music and a youthful, upbeat presentation aimed at a younger audience. Key 103 retained much of Piccadilly's established DJ talent, including Peter Baker as breakfast host from 1988 to 1995, and focused on current chart-toppers to attract listeners in the competitive FM market.[11][12] In contrast, the AM service on 1152 kHz continued broadcasting under the Piccadilly Radio banner initially, maintaining a broader mix of programming before transitioning to a "golden oldies" format as Piccadilly Gold later that year. This AM offering targeted older listeners with classic hits from the 1960s and 1970s, leveraging the medium wave's wider coverage in areas with weaker FM signals. The division marked a pivotal shift in the station's history, laying the groundwork for separate evolutions on each band.[12][7]Rebranding to Magic 1152
In April 1999, EMAP rebranded its Manchester AM station from Piccadilly 1152 to Magic 1152, marking the completion of a nationwide rollout of the Magic AM network across northern England. This change converted nine regional outlets into a cohesive brand focused on adult contemporary music, primarily classic hits from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, with a soft, easy-listening presentation aimed at listeners over 35. The rebranding for Manchester specifically took effect in April, following earlier launches in other markets like Yorkshire in February, and positioned Magic 1152 alongside sister stations such as Magic 999 in Liverpool and Magic 1548 in the broader North West region.[13] The transition built on the station's evolution since the 1988 FM/AM split, where the AM frequency had operated as Piccadilly Gold before adopting the Piccadilly 1152 name in 1994 to commemorate the original Piccadilly Radio's 20th anniversary and refresh its gold-format playlist. Under the Magic banner, programming shifted toward greater networking, with shared off-peak shows and specialist segments like weekend oldies marathons sourced from EMAP's central hubs, while breakfast and drivetime slots retained local Manchester voices to preserve regional identity. This structure reduced operational costs through syndication but maintained a focus on familiar hits from artists like The Beatles, ABBA, and Cliff Richard, appealing to the station's core demographic.[14] The rebrand was part of EMAP's broader strategy to consolidate its AM portfolio amid increasing competition from FM rivals and emerging digital platforms, emphasizing consistency in branding and content to boost audience retention. Magic 1152 quickly established itself as a staple for nostalgic listening in Greater Manchester, with its 1152 kHz signal covering urban areas and suburbs effectively during evenings and overnights. By the early 2000s, the station had incorporated occasional tributes to its Piccadilly heritage, such as anniversary specials, to honor its roots while fully embracing the Magic identity.[15]Shift to Key 2 and Key Radio
On 5 January 2015, Magic 1152 in Manchester was rebranded as Key 2, becoming part of the newly launched Bauer City 2 network across northern England and Scotland.[16] This change coincided with the national rollout of Magic FM on DAB from London, prompting the regional Magic AM stations to adopt fresh identities while retaining their medium-wave frequencies.[14] The rebrand aimed to target older listeners with a "greatest hits" music format, featuring tracks primarily from the 1970s and 1980s, alongside selections from the 1960s, 1990s, 2000s, and occasional contemporary hits by classic artists such as Queen, Elton John, and Adele.[16] Key 2's programming emphasized a mix of networked and local content to maintain regional relevance. Weekday schedules included a breakfast show hosted by Nick Jackson from 6:00 to 10:00, mid-mornings with Darren Kelly from 10:00 to 13:00, and a home run drive-time slot with Nick Wright from 16:00 to 19:00, all incorporating local traffic, news, and weather updates.[16] Weekends featured presenters like Mike Read for breakfast (7:00 to 10:00), Tony Blackburn for soul sessions, and Adam Catterall for sports-focused shows such as Game On (14:00 to 18:00).[16] Broadcast on 1152 AM and local DAB, the station complemented its FM sister, Key 103, by serving as a secondary service for the North West market.[14] In June 2018, Key 2 underwent a minor rebranding to Key Radio, prompted by the simultaneous relaunch of its sister station Key 103 as Hits Radio Manchester.[17] This adjustment was part of Bauer's broader network strategy to streamline branding amid the Hits Radio expansion, ensuring Key 2's AM and DAB presence retained a distinct "Key" identity without conflicting with the new Hits focus on contemporary music.[18] The core format and programming remained largely unchanged, continuing the greatest hits emphasis with local opt-outs for news and travel, though listener figures showed a decline to 53,000 weekly reach in the following quarter.[19] The shift solidified Key Radio's role as an oldies companion to the evolving Bauer portfolio in the region.[17]Adoption of Greatest Hits Radio branding
In November 2018, Bauer Media announced the launch of the Greatest Hits Radio network, set to replace its existing Bauer City 2 stations across England with a unified branding focused on classic hits from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.[20][21] The initiative aimed to target listeners aged 40 to 59, an underserved demographic in commercial radio, by offering upbeat programming featuring artists such as Queen, Blondie, and Madonna, while maintaining some local elements to complement the younger-skewing Hits Radio network.[21][22] For the Manchester service, the rebranding took effect on 7 January 2019, transforming the AM-based Key Radio—itself a short-lived iteration launched in June 2018 from the former Key 2—into Greatest Hits Radio Manchester.[20][23] The station retained its 1152 AM frequency and began broadcasting a mix of networked shows hosted by prominent DJs, including Mark Goodier on weekdays and Simon Ross for breakfast, alongside features like a launch-week tribute to David Bowie.[22] This marked the first phase of the network's rollout, with the Manchester hub serving as a key production center for national content.[20] The adoption expanded significantly in 2020 amid Bauer's acquisitions of additional local stations, leading to a network-wide relaunch on 1 September that integrated more shared programming while preserving local breakfast shows.[24] In October 2020, Bauer acquired The Revolution 96.2 FM (covering Greater Manchester) from Credible Media and rebranded it as part of the service, prompting an update to the station's name to Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West to reflect its broadened regional footprint on FM frequencies including 96.2 MHz and 104.9 MHz, alongside DAB and AM.[4] This consolidation enhanced coverage across the North West, aligning the station fully with the national Greatest Hits Radio identity while emphasizing local ties through Manchester-based operations.[4] The AM service on 1152 kHz was discontinued on 26 April 2021, consolidating broadcasts to FM, DAB, and online platforms.[5]Technical information
Frequencies and transmission
Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West broadcasts primarily via FM analog radio and DAB digital radio across its coverage area, with additional availability through online streaming platforms. The station ceased its medium wave (AM) transmissions in April 2021 as part of Bauer Media's shift toward digital and FM platforms, citing widespread access to these alternatives.[5][25] FM transmissions utilize multiple frequencies to ensure regional coverage, targeting urban centers and surrounding areas in Greater Manchester and north Cheshire. These signals originate from various transmitter sites, such as those in Oldham, Stockport, and Wigan, providing a strong signal strength typically in the range of 1-10 kW depending on the site. DAB broadcasts are carried on the Greater Manchester multiplex (12C) under the ensemble name "Grt Hits MCR," offering CD-quality audio without the interference common in analog FM. Online listening is facilitated via the station's app, website, and smart speaker integration, enabling global access.[26] The following table summarizes the key FM frequencies and associated coverage areas for the station:| Area | Frequency (MHz) | Transmitter Location/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greater Manchester | 96.2 | Oldham Civic Centre |
| Greater Manchester | 107.4 | Various sites across the region |
| Wigan & St Helens | 102.4 | Local relay |
| Stockport | 104.9 | Ratcliffe Towers |
| North Cheshire | 104.9 | Extended from Stockport |
