[Spencer]

In any case, since Bauer replaced Gem's AC format with CHR, it now directly competes with Capital who have a strong audience share across the East Midlands.

And it doesn’t compete very well, having lost more than half of its audience in the last five years.

The Poundland Capital format that is the Hits Radio network does seem to have the reverse Midas touch for most of the heritage stations they apply it to.

[James2001]

Especially when you remember that the original GEM (before it was subsumed by Gold), when it was spun off from Radio Trent's MW frequencies was basically the same sort of thing as GHR is now, playing music from around 20-50 years earlier. Very different to what the current GEM is.

The current GEM actually was a decent station until it got subsumed into The Hits network and their musical policy. It's a station that's had more owners and rebrandings than probably any other station in its 25 year existence. The first of which happened only a little over 6 months after they launched.

[Stooky Bill]

I suspect after Lincs' audience didn't drop off a cliff following their first Rajar as a DAB only station, they figured maybe some of the regional and local brands can survive without an FM frequency.

It's something they need to be careful with, station names and habits stick. I suspect there are quite a few now GHR listeners in Lincolnshire who haven't quite clocked the change and ticked Lincs FM on their Rajar diaries.

[IanJRedman]

And it doesn’t compete very well, having lost more than half of its audience in the last five years.

The Poundland Capital format that is the Hits Radio network does seem to have the reverse Midas touch for most of the heritage stations they apply it to.

I think Hits is quite different to Capital, the latter seems to play more rap music.

[James2001]

Is "rap" a misspelling? 😜

[Jon]

It's something they need to be careful with, station names and habits stick. I suspect there are quite a few now GHR listeners in Lincolnshire who haven't quite clocked the change and ticked Lincs FM on their Rajar diaries.

Yes, that’s bound to happen. Although they won’t mind I guess, as they’ll still able claim those listeners even if they aren’t real. Of course it would mean figures for GHR are damaged as a result. 

But I guess for anyone using DAB, it’s a level playing field particularly in newer cars where both stations will be listed.

[lookoutwales]

I wouldn't be surprised to see more Hits stations relinquish FM to GHR, particularly among the underperforming ones.

I'd rank Manchester among them - in the five years since it switched over from Key 103, their RAJAR figures have remained in decline - although Key was really struggling to resonate with its audience in its final few years, even when they were pushing the local card. They even tried a late night phone-in but that sank without trace within 5-6 months.

On which note, Hits in Bristol and the South Coast are moving their local shows from Drive to mid-mornings in order to carry Mike Toolan's Drivetime show across the whole network.

radiotoday.co.uk 

Hits Radio extends network Drive show to Bristol and the South Coast – Rad…
The local shows on Hits Radio Bristol and Hits Radio South Coast are moving from…
  Source: radiotoday.co.uk

[Ash101]

The whole Breakfast / Drive thing is a bit of a mess amongst that Network.

As they’ve had “Hits” branded stations taking the Fleur East Breakfast show with a local drive, whereas the heritage named stations have a local Breakfast with the networked drive.

At least with this it means the Drive show is everywhere. But a shame to lose Tom Green who works the format well.

[BBI45]

On which note, Hits in Bristol and the South Coast are moving their local shows from Drive to mid-mornings in order to carry Mike Toolan's Drivetime show across the whole network.

radiotoday.co.uk 

I'm surprised Bauer haven't decided to move all their local Hits Radio programmes to the mid-morning slots. It'd allow them to push their main talents in both the breakfast and drive-time slots, whilst having their local shows go out back to back on Hits/Greatest Hits.

[Ash101]

I'm surprised Bauer haven't decided to move all their local Hits Radio programmes to the mid-morning slots. It'd allow them to push their main talents in both the breakfast and drive-time slots, whilst having their local shows go out back to back on Hits/Greatest Hits.

I think the issue here is still the naming of Heritage brands, meaning 'The Hits Radio Breakfast Show' doesn't quite work!

It's probably about time they just rebrand all of them as 'Hits Radio' anyway, so they can sit alongside 'Greatest Hits Radio' in each area and then yeah, move the local show to 10am till 1pm.

Competition wise, I'm guessing this doesn't effect things because Bauer seem to run the cash register game where they just make 1 call later in the day, compared to Heart/Capital that did a cue to call style mechanic throughout the daytime hours.