Guardian Group Wins South Wales Licence

The Guardian Media Group has won the Independent Local Radio Licence for the South Wales area. The group beat six other applicants in its bid for the licence with its programming proposal under the banner of Real Radio (see Seven Applicants Bid For South Wales Licence).

Broadcasting across an area which includes Swansea, Newport and Cardiff, the service will target 25-54 year olds with a 24-hour service comprising music from the last 40 years and speech-based programming incorporating news, sports, business and community information.

GMG will invest £3 million in the new venture, which is the first licence applied for by the group’s newly formed radio division under John Myers (see Guardian Media Group Looks To Expansion In Radio).

Myers commented: “This is great news for the people of Wales, and superb news for the Guardian Media Group, who are determined to grow their radio interests further.”

Future plans for the division include a bid for a regional radio station in the Yorkshire region (see Guardian Media Group Plans Yorkshire Radio Bid), and the launch of the UK’s first 24-hour internet-only station (see Guardian Group To Launch Radio Brand On The Web).

Guardian Media Group (Radio): 0468 186 989