GMG Wins Yorkshire Regional Licence

The Radio Authority has awarded the Yorkshire regional radio licence to the Guardian Media Group (GMG) which will begin broadcasting its Real Radio format in the region early next year.

The licence will give GMG access to a potential audience of 3m listeners, and is one of the last big regional licences to be awarded before the Radio Authority is merged into new regulator OFCOM.

GMG Radio managing director, John Myers, said: “We look forward to entertaining Yorkshire and taking on the BBC.”

The Real Radio speech and music format was launched in South Wales last October and achieved a 11.5% reach, according to recent RAJAR figures. With last month’s purchase of Scot FM (see Wireless Group Sells Scot FM For £25.5m), which is due to have a similar format developed, the Yorkshire licence will bring the number of GMG’s wholly owned regional commercial stations to three.

GMG Radio also holds stakes in stations including speech station Oneword and Jazz FM, as well as broadcasting melodic hits and speech radio brand Smooth on MXR’s digital network.

Guardian Media Group: 020 7278 2332 www.gmgplc.co.uk

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