The long-running de-localisation of local radio in the UK continues, with Bauer capitalising on a recent change to broadcasting laws to remove the regional afternoon shows that air on its Greatest Hits Radio network. Nine regional shows will be replaced by a national programme fronted by Kate Thornton.
“Greatest Hits Radio has already proved to be a game-changer for daytimes on commercial radio and our ambitions don’t stop there”, says the station’s Network Content Director Andy Ashton, putting a very positive spin on the development.
“I’m delighted that Kate, a hugely talented and already popular broadcaster with our audience, will be coming to afternoons on the station”, he adds. “We look forward to her bringing the greatest storytelling, wit and energy to weekday afternoons, plus of course the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s”.
Both Bauer and its main competitor Global have spent years turning the networks of local radio stations they owned and acquired into national stations, operating under a single brand and pumping out the same programmes for most of the day. Global spearheaded this approach, with Bauer ultimately following its lead, of late mainly by expanding the Greatest Hits Radio brand.
The argument goes that commercial radio stations now operate in a much more competitive marketplace - up against online audio services - and managing lots of different local brands and producing lots of local content just isn’t viable anymore.
However, because these new national brands mainly broadcast via local radio licences, there have still been some obligations to broadcast locally made content for at least some of the day - usually a few hours - under the terms of those licences.
Those obligations have been relaxed at various points over the years, with this year’s Media Act - passed in May - removing some of the rules entirely. Media regulator OfCom last week published an update as some elements of the Media Act went into force, noting that that meant it was “removing requirements from analogue licences relating to music and locally-made programming”.
Bauer plans to utilise that change in the rules almost immediately, with the only remaining regional show currently airing on Greatest Hits Radio - an afternoon show each day between 1pm and 4pm - due to end later this month, and Kate Thornton’s national afternoon show launching on 11 Nov.
A similar change on Bauer’s Hits Radio network will see regional morning shows currently broadcast in Bristol and on the South Coast axed. Local news, travel and weather content will continue to be aired across both networks.
According to Radio Today, the presenters who will lose their daily shows as a result are Heidi Secker, John Marshall, Mark Collins, Andy Goulding, Martin Starke, Scott Temple & Holly Day, Steve Priestley, Tony Wright, Stuart Webster, Jason Webster and Jono Holmes.
Commenting on her new radio gig, Thornton says: “What an honour to be trusted with the reins of the afternoon show on Greatest Hits Radio! I can’t wait to get started and look forward to you all joining me for a chat, a good laugh and some great music from this November”.
