[cityprod]

Yes, they're continuing and telling everyone they're continuing, but in a couple of weeks a lot of their listeners will turn their radio on to hear them and it'll be Simon Ross instead

It's all very well saying that 'Hits Radio is the new name for Pirate FM' but not telling the audience it's disappearing from FM totally is an odd move, especially for such an established station with such a loyal audience and advertiser base

Well, that will depend if you're listening on FM or DAB.

These days FM is pretty much a legacy platform, with DAB or Internet listening pretty much outstripping it. On DAB, GHR Cornwall already exists, so the major change there will be adding it to FM, which will suit the FM audience who will appreciate that particular music mix.

Meanwhile the audience who would be more interested in the Hits Radio playlist is pretty much already on DAB and the internet. And on DAB, Pirate FM will get renamed to something like Hits Cornwall and to them, Pirate FM will have been replaced by Hits Radio. Meanwhile the FM audience will get their local afternoon/drivetime show on the new to FM, GHR Cornwall.

I would say that overall, this is the best that they can do to promote it. Like with Wave, there'll be a sign off, and then the FM service will begin promoting GHR, before it launches on FM the next morning. Meanwhile on DAB, the output will have split off to countdown to the launch of the new Hits Radio Cornwall with the local breakfast show. It's not ideal, I know, but the way they are doing this right now, is the right call, as much as I might personally think replacing Pirate FM is a big mistake.