Metropol

Recently, I've been a bit bored and have started working on some tables showing how radio stations of the past, merged into the networks we know today.

We'll start off with Greatest Hits Radio: https://up.metropol247.co.uk/BBI45/Grea ... 0Radio.pdf

Nice work, this is really interesting. I wonder why it took Piccadilly Radio a few more years than the others to split their AM frequency into a gold station?

Philip wrote: ↑Thu 08 Jul, 2021 17.59 Nice work, this is really interesting. I wonder why it took Piccadilly Radio a few more years than the others to split their AM frequency into a gold station?

They split off at the same time as the others. The only difference is that whilst most stations kept their "main" service on FM whilst launching a Gold service on AM, Piccadilly turned their FM outlet into Key 103 in 1988 whilst the Piccadilly name stuck on AM.

Just completed a version for Capital, which can be downloaded here: https://up.metropol247.co.uk/BBI45/Capital.pdf

What I think is worth noting on this one is Marcher Sound doing what I'm now gonna call the "ol' Piccadilly" (keeping widely known name on AM, whilst launching a new name on FM), and how the Scottish station underwent three changes between 2005 & 2011.

I'm gonna move onto Heart next, which looks like it's gonna be a pain to put together, so it might be a day or two... or ten.

Excellent work.
After Capital Radio Group bought Beat 106, it did turn a bit less dancey than its original format, and even took on the Capital 'red lips' logo for a while before pivoting to XFM. XFM Scotland was great, but I realise I was probably about its only listener.

I don't know if it's worth including Bauer's Scottish stations in your GHR chart - they're mostly still going by their original name, but share the same music log as GHR, and take some of the Manchester programmes (while the rest are mostly networked from Clydebank/Edinburgh).

thegeek wrote: ↑Fri 09 Jul, 2021 07.00 Excellent work.
After Capital Radio Group bought Beat 106, it did turn a bit less dancey than its original format, and even took on the Capital 'red lips' logo for a while before pivoting to XFM. XFM Scotland was great, but I realise I was probably about its only listener.

I don't know if it's worth including Bauer's Scottish stations in your GHR chart - they're mostly still going by their original name, but share the same music log as GHR, and take some of the Manchester programmes (while the rest are mostly networked from Clydebank/Edinburgh).

Thank you for your kind words.

I did initially decide against including the Scottish GHR stations as they did retain their own branding unlike the English stations. However, I will now be going back through and adding the Scottish stations to the GHR table. I'll share the new table alongside the Heart table once they're both completed.

I've just been trying to work my way through the table for Heart, but it's exposed some issues with how everything is being presented given that some mergers have had an impact on things like news output, whilst others have not.

With this in mind, I have decided that I will restart all the tables focusing on how everything has come together outside of news and travel output, and I'll have a column at the end showing the individual news/travel opts in the present day (to the best I can tell from Wikipedia and the like).

Having had another look at the GHR one, I think it's remarkable that Swansea Sound held onto its original name for 46 years. I think Downtown Radio* is the only other station with a chance of beating that record.

*I only *just* got that it's named after County Down.

Just completed the updated version for Capital: https://up.metropol247.co.uk/BBI45/Capital%202.pdf

I think it does a better job of showing how many mergers have occurred whilst still allowing you to see where the small local splits for news and advertising remain.

Good idea and nicely compiled, takes me back a bit as I spent many an hour listening to Leicester Sound back in the day.

Merger table for Heart now available: https://up.metropol247.co.uk/BBI45/Heart.pdf

Most notable sections (IMO) are Heart East, Heart South, and Heart West.

Metropol

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