GREATEST HITS RADIO LAUNCHES ON FM IN LONDON

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


NEWS PROVIDED BY
Bauer Media

London’s 12.2 million radio listeners will today be able to enjoy greater access to one of the UK’s fastest growing radio stations as Greatest Hits Radio launches on 105.8FM.

The first format change of its kind in London*, Greatest Hits Radio brings programmes such as the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show and Now That’s What I Call a Chart Show with Mark Goodier, along with a playlist of classic pop and rock hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

The station arrives in the capital as new research reveals that music and radio is helping more than half of the UK public to break up their day and keep them company among Covid-19 disruption. A year on from the start of lockdown, over 60% of workers are continuing to work at least partly from home, with over half of people struggling to break up their day.

The survey commissioned by Greatest Hits Radio**, found that a third of Brits use radio to help form a routine during lockdown. With regular news bulletins and time reminders helping, 16% of people said that tuning into certain radio programmes at a specific time also helped to provide structure.

Drivetime is traditionally the daypart in radio where broadcasters reach people though car radios, usually when driving to and from work. While the survey noted that in car listening had reduced by 9% in the last year, listeners instead tuned in from their homes, with increased listening in kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms.

Greatest Hits Radio’s Group Programme Director Gary Stein said “With less driving or commuting over lockdown, Drivetime has become a really important point for people to bookend their day. Rather than getting sucked into a clockless working pattern, they turn to the radio to give them that prompt they need to move onto the downtime part of their day. On Simon Mayo’s Drivetime Show they’ve created a feature called the ‘6:24 dance floor’ in which they play a disco anthem at 6:24pm each weekday. It’s a chance for listeners to stop working, to log off and get up and dance – the evening has started. It’s become a radio punctuation point in the day.”

With a playlist of songs from iconic artists such as Blondie, Queen, George Michael, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Elton John and Whitney Houston, there’s plenty of music on Greatest Hits Radio to get the UK up and moving.

Simon Mayo added “The music we play on Greatest Hits Radio is the music that I grew up with and have been playing my whole life. And being a Londoner it’s fantastic to be expanding onto FM in London.”

Presenter Debbie Mac is taking requests from listeners in the capital this week between 1-4pm, and the station is launching a vote to name the UK’s favourite all-time song of the 70s, 80s and 90s. Listeners have until 23rd May to name their favourites by voting at greatesthitsradio.co.uk. The Top 500 songs will be counted down on the station from Bank holiday Monday 31st May with the winner revealed on 4th June.

Listen to Greatest Hits Radio on 105.8FM, DAB digital radio, on your smart speaker, mobile device or online at greatesthitsradio.co.uk

  • ENDS -

Note to editors:

  • On 25th March 2021, Ofcom approved a format change request for 105.8FM from Absolute Radio to Greatest Hits Radio. The slot was awarded to Virgin Radio in 1995 which later rebranded to Absolute Radio in 2008. Since the slot was allocated, other stations in London have rebranded such as XFM to Radio X and Choice FM to Capital Xtra however none have been approved a format change in this manner with the original station continuing to broadcast. This is the first change of its kind in London for 26 years. Absolute Radio is available in London on AM and nationally on DAB or 1215AM, online, via the official mobile app digital TV or voice-activated device.

** Quant survey sample size of 1,159 (UK representative weighted on gender, age, social grade & region). + online focus groups with 75 participants.

About

About Greatest Hits Radio

At Greatest Hits Radio it’s all about the music and the unique feeling that hearing a great song gives you, with listeners able discover an upbeat, authentic, fun and entertaining format where the ‘Good Times Sound Like This’. Targeting an audience of 40+, the station plays the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s including music from iconic artists such as Blondie, Queen, George Michael, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Elton John and Whitney Houston.

Featuring a presenter line-up of legendary broadcasters including; Simon Mayo, Mark Goodier, Pat Sharp, Paul Gambaccini, Janice Long, Jenny Powell and many more, Greatest Hits Radio is part of the Hits Radio Brand Network. Find the station on your radio, mobile or ask your smart speaker to play ‘Greatest Hits Radio.’

Source Bauer Media

May 18, 2021 5:00am ET by Bauer Media  

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