Bauer Radio (formerly EMAP Radio) is a UK-based division of Bauer Media Group.
The Bauer network is divisible into several main groups: The Big City Network, Magic Radio, Bauer Radio London, and Bauer Digital Radio.
Scottish Radio Holdings (SRH) was a Scottish media company which owned 22 radio stations, and around 30 local newspapers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was acquired by EMAP on June 21, 2005.
The sale of EMAP Consumer Media and EMAP Radio to Bauer, was completed in January 2008 and the radio division was renamed Bauer Radio.
Stations
Digital (DAB radio and Freeview)
Digital-only stations
Stations relayed outside main coverage area on DAB/Freeview
Local stations on DAB
Local Bauer FM/AM stations (as listed below) are generally relayed on relevant local/regional DAB multiplexes (subject to DAB coverage availability).
Stations in England
(Magic network stations - except for Magic 105.4 - are on AM; all other English stations are on FM unless stated)
Big City Network (England)
The Big City Network consists principally of heritage CHR (pop) stations. CFM was added to the network having previously been part of SRH.
Kiss Network
Main article:
Kiss NetworkKiss plays predominantly rhythmic (dance/urban) music. The East and West versions of Kiss were previously SRH-owned Vibe stations.
Magic Radio Network
Main article:
Magic RadioMagic plays melodic music and golden oldies. Most stations are AM sister stations of Big City Network stations; the London FM service previously broadcast as Melody FM.
Other FM stations in England
Scotland & Northern Ireland
Unless stated otherwise, stations in this section became part of Bauer due to Emap's 2005 purchase of Scottish Radio Holdings.
FM stations in Scotland generally network evening (7pm-6am) content with largely local daytime (6am-7pm) content. Due to local opt-outs, MFR joins the networking at 10pm.
Most AM stations in Scotland carry up to 20 hours a day of networked AM content,[1] with a localised breakfast show on weekdays and a localised morning show at weekends; stations are also able to opt out of networked shows for news/events coverage or localised specialist shows as required. Moray Firth Radio 1170 is exempt from this, as it operates as an opt-out from the FM version of MFR, and carries the FM station's output when not airing separate programming.
In Northern Ireland, Cool FM and Downtown Radio generally carry local programming and do not take any of the Big City Network programmes (although Cool FM does carry the nationally-networked Big Top 40 Show.)
Scotland FM
Scotland AM
Northern Ireland stations
Defunct stations (digital unless stated)
DAB multiplexes
Bauer operates twelve wholly-owned DAB multiplexes and also six jointly-owned multiplexes with other operators (three with UTV Radio and three with Global Radio). Bauer operates the following DAB multiplexes:
Bauer Digital Radio
Bauer's wholly-owned digital multiplexes are primarily located in areas where the firm operates local FM stations; the original group of Bauer (formerly Emap) DAB multiplexes are located in the following areas:
Score Digital
As part of Emap's takeover of Scottish Radio Holdings, the firm gained control of Score Digital, the DAB multiplex operator owned by SRH. Competition guidelines required the merged firm to divest of one of the multiplexes obtained in this deal, and so the Ayr multiplex formerly run by Score was sold on to Arqiva. The remaining Score multiplexes have since been relabelled as Bauer multiplexes.[2]
The ex-Score DAB multiplexes are located in:
UTV Bauer Digital
The Wireless Group and Emap entered into a venture to run the following three DAB multiplexes. These multiplexes were initially branded as TWG-Emap multiplexes; following the sale of TWG to UTV (creating UTV Radio), the multiplexes were relabelled as UTV-Emap, and following the sale of Emap's radio assets to Bauer, the blocks were renamed again as UTV-Bauer. Bauer owns 30 per cent of the UTV-Bauer venture, with UTV holding the remaining 70 per cent.
CE Digital
Bauer and Global Radio jointly own CE Digital Ltd, each holding 50% of the venture. The CE operation was established by Emap in partnership with the Capital Radio Group, which through mergers subsequently became part of GCap Media and later Global Radio. The 'CE' multiplexes take their name from the initials of Capital and Emap, and have not been renamed despite the identity changes of both operators.
CE Digital operate the following DAB multiplexes:
References
- ^ Digital Spy forum discussion of Scottish AM changes
- ^ Listing of UK local DAB multiplexes
External links
