Emap Moves The Hits Onto Digital Radio

Emap Performance has launched its TV music channel, The Hits, on digital radio in London.

The new station, which will take a direct feed from The Hits TV channel, will play a broad range of chart-based music aimed at 15 to 45 year-olds. Emap plans to extend the brand onto the analogue radio platform if it is successful in its bid for the Glasgow FM licence, which is set to be advertised later this year.

The Hits launched on the BBC’s digital platform Freeview last year and was soon rolled out onto Sky, NTL and Telewest (see Emap Extends New Music Channel).

Tim Schoonmaker, chief executive of Emap Performance, commented: “Everyone is really impressed with the way The Hits is performing on Freeview, so we are confident that it will be an exciting addition to the London radio market.”

Emap Performance has also announced that its Smash Hits Chart Show has signed a range of syndication deals across eighteen analogue radio stations including the Real Radio group. According to Emap, the new syndication deals add an extra 1.3 million potential listeners to the chart, creating a potential analogue radio audience of more than 6 million.

The new Smash Hits Chart Show was developed last year after Pepsi withdrew its sponsorship from the existing Pepsi Chart Show (see Emap Launches Re-Vamped Chart Show).

Emap: 01733 568 900 www.emap.co.uk

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