Rock FM (English radio station)
 Logo used since 2015 | |
| City | Preston |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Lancashire |
| Frequency | FM: 97.4 MHz DAB: 12A |
| RDS | ROCK FM |
| Branding | Across Lancashire & the North West |
| Programming | |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Network | Hits Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire | |
| History | |
First air date | 5 October 1982 |
Former names | Red Rose Radio 97.4 Rock FM |
Former frequencies | 999 MW |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Rock FM - Radio Player |
| Website | Rock FM |
Rock FM is an independent local radio station broadcasting to Lancashire, North West England. The station is owned & operated by Bauer Radio and forms part of the Hits Radio network.
As of February 2020, the station broadcasts from studios outside its broadcast area at Bauer's Manchester headquarters.
Overview[]
Originally launched in 1982 as Red Rose Radio, transmitting on 97.3 MHz (301m MW) and 999 kHz. The FM frequency transmission changed when the station split to 97.4 kHz in 1990.
In 1990, Red Rose Radio was split into two stations - Red Rose Rock FM using the FM frequency and Red Rose Gold on the medium wave frequency. Rock FM was given its name as the station was initially going to be based in Blackpool, Lancashire. However the agreement for the studio premises subsequently fell through and the station remained in Preston.
The managing director was Dave Lincoln, with Mark Matthews as programme director, 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).
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.
For over thirty years, Rock FM was based at studios in a converted church (St. Paul's) in Preston. The station 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.
In January 2020, Bauer announced Rock FM would cease broadcasting from its Preston studios and co-locate with Hits Radio at Bauer's Northern headquarters in Manchester the following month. The station retains local news, advertising and charity staff at offices elsewhere in the city.[1]
Programming[]
All of Rock FM's programming is produced and broadcast from Bauer's headquarters in the Castlefield area of Manchester.[2]
Local output consists of a weekday breakfast show with Joel Ross and Olivia Jones from 6-10am, daytime news bulletins and peak-time traffic updates.[3][4]
News[]
Rock FM broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6am-7pm on weekdays, from 7am-1pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Headlines are broadcast on the half hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.
National bulletins from Sky News Radio are carried overnight with bespoke networked bulletins on weekend afternoons, usually originating from Radio Aire's Leeds newsroom.
References[]
- ^ Bauer moves Rock FM programming to Manchester, RadioToday, 27 January 2020
- ^ Rock FM - Public File
- ^ Hits Radio Network stations drop local weekend programmes, Radio Today, 30 May 2019
- ^ Bauer to network drivetime across 11 licences in North and Midlands, Radio Today, 5 August 2019
External links[]
- Bauer Radio
- Hits Radio
- Radio stations in Lancashire
- Mass media in Preston
- Radio stations established in 1982
- 1982 establishments in England