97.4 Rock FM

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97.4 Rock FM
City of license Preston
Broadcast area Lancashire
Frequency 97.4 MHz,
DAB (223.93 MHz)
First air date 5 October 1982
Format Contemporary hits
Audience share 9% (March 2012, [1])
Power 1.4KW
Owner Bauer Radio
Sister stations Magic 999
Webcast Radio Player
Website 97.4 Rock FM

97.4 Rock FM is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting to Lancashire, North West England and some parts of North Wales. Its output is mainly contemporary pop and current chart hits. The station is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of Bauer's Place Network of stations. The total survey area of the station for RAJAR is broadly defined as western, southern and central Lancashire including parts of Greater Manchester and Merseyside. But the station is audible on FM from Cumbria down into Wales and towards The West Midlands.

Rock FM (and its sister AM station Magic 999) broadcast from studios based at a converted church (St. Paul's) in Preston. The station can be received across most of north west England and North Wales. Rock FM consistently rates as the number one commercial radio station in its target service area by reach, share and hours. Over a quarter of all adults in its market listen every week.

Contents

Overview

In 1990, Red Rose Radio, which was transmitted on 97.4 MHz and 999 kHz, was split into two stations - Red Rose Rock FM using the FM frequency and Red Rose Gold on the medium wave frequency. The managing director was Dave Lincoln and at that time the station was owned by the Miss World Group, later known as TransWorld Communications (owned by Owen Oyston) and which subsequently became part of Bauer Radio (previously EMAP Radio).

In early 2010, it was announced that Adam Catterall would be leaving the station's breakfast show: it was subsequently confirmed that he would be replaced by former Xfm London, Galaxy Yorkshire, and Absolute Radio presenter Graeme Smith and Jude Vause-Walsh, returning to the FM station after several years on Century 105 & Real Radio.[1] 18 months later, the station announced drivetime presenters Hywel Evans and Jamie Atherton would move to the breakfast slot from Monday 26 September 2011 with Smith moving to Drivetime and Jude Vause-Walsh leaving the station. The station also announced the arrival of controversial TV and radio broadcaster Tim Shaw to host weekend afternoons. Shaw had previously hosted edgy late night zoo format shows on Absolute Radio and Kerrang Radio and is reputedly one of the most controversial radio presenters in the world.

Programming/presenters

In:Demand, overnights and Saturday evening/night are networked and weekday nights is simulcasted from Key 103 in Manchester. The Vodafone Big Top 40 syndicated from Capital in Leicester Square, London.

Local presenters

  • Jamie Atherton (weekday breakfast, Saturday mid-morning/lunchtime)
  • Danny Bee (Sunday morning)
  • Michael Blades (Saturday afternoon)
  • Hywel Evans (weekday breakfast, Saturday mid-morning/lunchtime)
  • James Everton (weekend breakfast)
  • Mark Freejack (Sunday evening)
  • Tim Shaw (Sunday night)
  • Darren Spence (Sunday afternoon)
  • Paul Webster (weekday mid-morning/lunchtime)
  • TBA (weekday drivetime)

Networked presenters

  • Adam Brown (Saturday overnight, Sunday early breakfast)
  • James Carpenter (Sunday overnight)
  • Alex James (In:Demand)
  • Dave Kelly (Saturday evening)
  • Matt Spokes (weekday nights)
  • Paul Webster (Saturday night)
  • Matt Wilkins (weekday overnights)

Syndicated presenters

Past Presenters

References

External links

Coordinates: 53°48′N 2°36′W / 53.8°N -2.6°E / 53.8; -2.6


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Copyrights:

Mentioned in

John Barnes (English broadcaster)
Jeff Cooper (broadcaster)