GWR Group
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Capital Radio Group and GWR Group have merged. For information on the combined radio group, refer to the GCap Media article.
The GWR Group is a United Kingdom radio company. Major assets include Classic FM.
Between 1996 and 1999 the group was a major shareholder in London News Radio, which owned and operated London's LBC and News Direct radio stations. These stations were sold to Chrysalis Radio in 2002.
GWR is owned by Daily Mail and General Trust plc (majority share), various asset management firms, Sir Peter Michael and other small shareholders.
The group revolutionised local radio with its policy of branding its stations with similar phrases, initially "today's best mix" or "the best mix of the 80s, 90s and today". This allowed it to syndicate a number of programmes across its network of radio stations. It currently has four main syndicated programmes: Music Control (previously Core Control, weekdays 7pm to 10pm (and 7-9 on Fridays)), Late Night Love (Sunday to Thursday 10pm to 1am) presented by Graham Torrington, Minstry of Sound (previously Vibe Nation) presented by Howard Ritchie (Friday and Saturday nights) and Sunday Revival (Sunday mornings).
The stations are usually the commercial market leader in the areas that they operate, and the group as a whole, has enjoyed much financial success.
GWR has been a strong proponent of DAB Digital Radio, and is the major shareholder in the national commercial digital radio multiplex, Digital One. It also operates 14 local digital multiplexes (under the NOWdigital banner and is the largest shareholder in the Digital Radio Group (London) Ltd.
The group is chaired by Ralph Bernard and its head office is in Passage Street, Bristol.
GWR Group also own the Marcher Group stations as well - MFM 103.4, Beacon 103.1, Key 103, Coast 96.3 and Buzz 97.1
Stations owned by the GWR Group
- Classic FM (national)
- 2CR FM
- 2-Ten FM
- Beacon FM
- Broadland 102
- Buzz 97.1
- Champion FM 103
- 96.9 Chiltern FM
- 97.6 Chiltern FM
- Coast FM
- Essex FM
- Gemini FM
- GWR FM (Bristol & Bath)
- GWR FM (Swindon)
- Hereward FM
- FM 103 Horizon
- Lantern FM
- Leicester Sound
- Mercia FM
- Mercury 96.6
- Mercury FM
- MFM 103.4
- Orchard FM
- Plymouth Sound FM
- Q103 FM
- RAM FM
- Severn Sound
- SGR-FM
- SGR Colchester
- South Hams Radio
- Ten 17
- Trent FM
- Wyvern FM
In addition the group owns Core, The Storm, The Mix, Planet Rock, Chill all on DAB Digital Radio, Digital Television and the Internet.
Merger
GWR Group is in the process of merging with the Capital Radio Group. The merger is set to be completed in May 2005 and the combined company is expected to take the name GCap Media.
External links
- GWR Group plc (http://www.gwrgroup.com/)
- GWR's local radio network (http://www.musicradio.com/)
- NOWdigital - GWR's local multiplex division (http://www.now-digital.com/)