Latest news about Rock FM

Bauer to rebrand heritage FM stations in England and Wales to Hits Radio

Free Radio, Gem Radio, Hallam FM, Lincs FM, Metro Radio, Pulse 1, Radio City, Rock FM, Signal 1, TFM, Viking FM and Wave Swansea are rebranding to Hits Radio. The news has been announced to staff this morning with 15 radio stations in total making the switch in April 2024.

Rock FM to lose last local show as new shared breakfast show launches

The current single breakfast shows for Rock FM and Radio City will end in January as Leanne Campbell and Joel Ross team up to host a networked show on both stations. Joel Ross currently hosts the Rock FM breakfast show, whilst Leanne Campbell co-hosts with Scott Hughes on Radio City 96.7.

Red Rose Radio name planned to return in Lancashire

Former Rock FM presenter Rob Charles is planning on using the Red Rose Radio name for a new radio station in central Lancashire. Rob said he wants to launch a new station on the small-scale DAB multiplex licence which has just been awarded to cover the Preston area. Red Rose Radio launched in 1982 and split into Red Rose Gold and Red Rose Rock FM in 1990, but Red Rose Gold became...

Presenter moves as Virgin Radio introduces summer schedule changes

Virgin Radio UK has a few programming changes across the network for the summer season, including the return of Virgin Radio Pride UK in June. As Sam Pinkham takes a break, Steve Denyer moves to early breakfast. Bam moves to evenings from 7-10pm on Monday to Thursday, and Olivia Jones joins the team from Rock FM to present the late show from 10pm...

Michelle Dignan to host BBC Radio Manchester Breakfast

BBC Radio 5 Live travel presenter Michelle Dignan is joining BBC Radio Manchester to presenter the breakfast show. Michelle, who has also worked for Bauer at various stations around the north of England, replaces Becky Want next month. In addition to doing voice-overs for the last 15 years, Michelle has co-hosted breakfast at Key 103 in Manchester, Rock FM in Lancashire and Hallam FM in Sheffield...

Olivia Jones to host afternoons on Hits Radio Pride

Olivia Jones will be extending her presenting duties on Hits Radio Pride by hosting weekday afternoons. Olivia currently hosts Sunday afternoons on the Bauer LGBTQ+ radio station, and also co-presents Rock FM Breakfast. She takes over from Paris Munro, who has been hosting weekday afternoons on Hits Radio Pride for the past six months...

Olivia Jones joins Rock FM to co-host Breakfast

Presenter Olivia Jones is to join Joel Ross as part of the Rock FM Breakfast Show from January. Olivia will replace current co-host Janine Marsh who has been on the show since 2016. She presented her last show on Friday (18th December). On joining the Rock FM Breakfast Show from January 4th, Olivia says: “I am beyond thrilled to be taking on a new radio challenge at the start of 2021 with an incredibly talented team at Rock FM. “Breakfast radio is one the most exciting jobs in the world and I look forward to spending each morning with our funny, caring and loyal listeners.”...

Joel Ross joins Bauer to co-host Rock FM Breakfast

Former Heart North West Breakfast host Joel Ross is moving to Rock FM to present the breakfast show with Janine Marsh. Janine currently hosts the show with her husband Steve Marsh, but this show will come to an end on Friday 6th December 2019 as Steve leaves the station and Janine takes time off to have a baby. A new show with Joel and Janine will start next year when Janine returns from maternity leave. Joel Ross, who has previously worked at Virgin, Key 103 and Radio 1, was most recently on Heart North West with Lorna Bancroft, before...

Bauer to network drivetime across 11 licences in North and Midlands

Bauer Media has announced plans to network Wes Butters and Gemma Atkinson across most of its big city stations in England, meaning 7 presenters will lose their daily drivetime show. From 2nd September, Wes will be on 4-7pm across Metro Radio, TFM, Rock FM, Radio City, Hallam FM, Radio Aire, Viking FM and the four Free Radio stations in the West Midlands – in addition to his current show on Hits Radio in Manchester and on DAB across the UK. Gemma will join the show after her maternity leave...

Bauer gains approval to network breakfast shows

Ofcom has granted Bauer a number of Format changes to allow all of its stations to network all but three hours each weekday rather than the previous seven. UK commercial radio stations have been allowed to submit Format changes since the Localness Guidelines were amended last year, but Bauer has only just taken the steps required to allow this. Bauer can now share all programmes, with the exception of a three-hour show on weekdays (which doesn’t have to be breakfast), in the approved areas already suggested by Ofcom.