Bauer Media has today announced the completion of its acquisition of Imagine Radio. Formerly owned by Like Media Limited, the station will be joining the Hits Radio Brand Network from September 1st and rebrand as Greatest Hits Radio.

The station contains two FM licenses covering South Manchester and North Cheshire, and High Peak and the Derbyshire Dales. Stockport and the surrounding areas will welcome Greatest Hits Radio (Greater Manchester and the North West), including a regional afternoon show hosted by Debbie Mac. Buxton and surrounding areas in the Derbyshire Dales will become home to Greatest Hits Radio (Derbyshire) and welcome a regional afternoon show from Andy Goulding.

Listeners will continue to be served news bulletins carrying locally gathered stories along with local traffic bulletins and information. For advertisers in the region, the rebrand creates even further scale and a broader range of advertising opportunities.

The Hits Radio Brand Network is the largest commercial radio network in the UK, providing the highest listening hours of any commercial radio brand. The acquisition will extend Greatest Hits Radio’s reach by an additional 470,000 people.

Graham Bryce, Group Managing Director for the Hits Radio Brand Network said “Greatest Hits Radio is fast becoming one of the UK’s most loved radio networks providing local connections that we know our listeners highly value, along with our team of legendary broadcasters and a hugely popular classic hit format. We’re so pleased to be able to bring the station to even more of our listeners in Greater Manchester and Derbyshire, expanding access to the station across all broadcast platforms and ensuring a seamless experience whilst on the move.”

Speaking previously about the acquisition, Ryan Davies, Managing Director of Like Media Group said: “It’s been great fun developing Imagine Radio over the last couple of years, and working with the fantastic team that we have and I know each of them will continue to thrive. The sale wasn’t an easy decision for us, however it allows the remaining Like Media Group team to fully focus on the other projects that we have underway. We would like thank Dee and the Bauer team and wish them all the very best with the Hits Radio Brand Network.”