Radio News

Hits Radio to launch own UK Chart Show

Bauer is to broadcast its own chart show each Sunday afternoon following its decision to drop the Official Big Top 40 from Global. The UK Chart Show will broadcast every Sunday 4pm till 7pm with Sarah Jane Crawford across the Hits Radio Network from this Sunday, 6th January 2019. The programme will play “the hottest 30 tracks in the UK, airing what audiences are listening to, streaming, watching and downloading that week...

The 10 biggest UK radio industry stories of 2018

The last 12 months have been the biggest in RadioToday’s history, with over a million new people visiting the site, so here are the top 10 reasons 2018 was one of the most interesting years in recent radio history. 10. Key 103 replaced by Hits Radio After 40 years of locally-named radio in Manchester, (Piccadilly) Key 103 rebranded to the more generic sounding name of Hits Radio in the Spring. Billed as a national radio station from Manchester, it is widely expected for the same to happen in other places where Bauer owns a similar radio station, such as Hallam FM in Sheffield and Rock FM in Preston...

Here it is… Our radio industry predictions for 2019…

Once a year we pretend to be radio futurologists and predict the future of radio, with our annual radio industry predictions. The truth is, with deregulation and the continued movement of the top talent in the industry, anything could happen in 2019. So we’ve gone for some tongue-in-cheek predictions this year along with one or two which have a more than 50% chance of happening. Comments are open for a few days if you want to add yours! Happy New Year! ...

All the new radio shows starting in January 2019

Radio was alive and well in 2018 with numerous announcements on major changes to schedules, breakfast shows and more. Most of the news towards the end of the year revealed changes from January, so in case you’ve lost track, here’s the RadioToday guide to what’s new in 2019. January 2nd: Tom and Daisy start the new KISS FM UK Breakfast Show, whilst Neev returns to KISS mid-mornings, replacing Pandora...

Zoe Ball’s Radio 2 Breakfast Show team revealed

More details are emerging of the new Zoe Ball Breakfast Show starting on BBC Radio 2 in January 2019. The last Chris Evans Breakfast Show will take place on Christmas Eve, with Zoe Ball taking over on Monday 14th January at 6.30am till 9.30am. In addition to the start date, which is one week earlier than Chris Evans’ start date on Virgin Radio, we now know who the travel, weather and sport presenters will be.

Chris Evans Show to be advert free on Virgin Radio

The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio will be free of commercials when it launches on January 21st 2019. Instead, a sponsorship deal has been agreed in principle between Virgin Radio UK and Sky to promote the television services on the radio. Listeners moving with Chris from commercial-free BBC Radio 2 will no doubt welcome the news. Virgin Radio says Sky’s sponsorship will provide investment to create branded content, competitions and events which will take the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio to a whole new level.

Wireless creates its own weekly Top 40 show

Local radio stations owned by Wireless are to broadcast a new weekly Top 40 chart show each Sunday afternoon from 4pm till 7pm. The Total Access Top 40 will be hosted by Olivia Jones and available on nine stations – Signal 1, Signal 107, Wish FM, Pulse 1, Peak FM, Tower FM, Wire FM, Radio Wave and The Wave. The chart will be compiled from airplay, downloads and sales in the UK and sponsored by The Sun.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire starts Black Beats Show

A five-week series exploring black beats and sounds in Cambridgeshire will air on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire from this week. Black Beats with Edward Adoo starts on Wednesday, and with help from listeners, DJs, artists and people, Edward highlights those who have made the black music scene in Cambridgeshire what it is today. Edward is joining the recently revamped evening schedule show, The Residency, which​​ give​s...

Dawn French to be the voice of Greatest Hits Radio

Dawn French will be the station voice of Bauer’s Greatest Hits Radio brand when it officially launches in January. The station, playing music from the 70s, 80s and 90s, will be on numerous DAB multiplexes around the UK, 105.2 FM in the West Midlands and 105.9 FM in Liverpool, AM in the North and online.

Classic FM signs newsreader and presenter Moira Stuart

BBC Radio 2 morning newsreader Moira Stuart is joining Classic FM from February. Moira will be joining Tim Lihoreau on breakfast and then Classic FM’s morning programme with John Suchet to read the news each weekday. Then from July, Moira will join the weekend line-up to present her own Saturday afternoon show, Moira Stuart’s Hall of Fame Concert, replacing Nicholas Owen who will remain on Classic FM to present other programmes throughout the year.