Hits Radio Lancashire

For other uses, see Rock Radio (disambiguation).

Radio station in Manchester

Hits Radio Lancashire

* Manchester

Broadcast area| Lancashire
Frequency| FM: 97.4 MHz
DAB: 12A
RDS| HITS_LANC
Branding| Lancashire's Hits Radio
The Biggest Hits, The Biggest Throwbacks
Programming
Format| CHR/Pop
Network| Hits Radio
Ownership
Owner| Bauer Media Audio UK

Sister stations

| Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire
Hits Radio Liverpool
History

First air date

| 5 October 1982; 42 years ago (1982-10-05)

Former names

| Red Rose Radio
Red Rose Rock FM
97.4 Rock FM
Rock FM

Former frequencies

| 97.3 FM
999 MW
Technical information

Licensing authority

| Ofcom
Links
Webcast| Rayo
Website| https://hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/lancashire/
Logo used until 2024.

Hits Radio Lancashire, formerly Rock FM, is an Independent Local Radio station, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Lancashire, North West England.

As of March 2025, the station has a weekly audience of 188,000 listeners according to RAJAR.[1]

## Overview

[edit]

Rock FM logo used from 2008 to 2015.

Originally launched in 1982 as Red Rose Radio, transmitting on 97.3 MHz and 999 kHz (301m MW). The FM frequency transmission changed when the station split to 97.4 MHz 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 Trans World Communications (owned by Owen Oyston) and which eventually 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 towards The West Midlands and minor parts of North Shropshire

From its launch, Rock FM was based at studios in a converted church (St. Paul's) in Preston.[2] 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.[3][4][5]

As of December 2023, the former studios at St Paul's Church are now used as office space.[6]

On 16 November 2023, it was announced that Rock FM's weekday breakfast show - the station's sole remaining local programme - would be merged with Radio City in Liverpool and simulcast across the two stations.[7]

As of January 2024, presenter Joel Ross continues with Bauer, with the breakfast show broadcast from Bauer's Liverpool studios.[8] Rock FM retained its own local news bulletins, traffic updates and advertising.[9]

### Hits Radio rebrand

[edit]

On 10 January 2024, station owners Bauer announced Rock FM would be rebranded as Hits Radio Lancashire from April 2024, as part of a network-wide relaunch involving 17 local radio stations in England and Wales.[10][11]

### End of regional programming

[edit]

On 20 March 2025, Bauer announced it would end its regional Hits Radio breakfast show for the North West to be replaced by a new national breakfast show for England and Wales on 9 June 2025.[12] Local news and traffic bulletins will continue.

The station's final regional programme aired on 6 June 2025[13] with breakfast presenter Joel Ross moving to a new national breakfast show on sister station Hits Radio 00s.

## Programming

[edit]

Hits Radio network programming is broadcast and produced from Bauer’s London headquarters or studios in Manchester & occasionally Newcastle.[14][15]

Local programming ended on 5 June 2025. At the time local programming ceased, it consisted of The Hits Radio Breakfast Show with Leanne & Joel, which was broadcast from Bauer's Liverpool studios at St Johns Beacon and later from Bauer’s central Manchester studios. The show also aired on sister station Hits Radio Liverpool.[16]

### News

[edit]

Hits Radio Lancashire broadcasts local news bulletins for Lancashire 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, originating from the Hits Radio Leeds newsroom.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Quarterly listening". RAJAR.
2. ^ Earnshaw, Tom (27 January 2020). "End of an era as Rock FM presenters to leave Preston - for good". Lancs Live. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
3. ^ Bauer moves Rock FM programming to Manchester, RadioToday, 27 January 2020
4. ^ "Rock FM to leave Preston HQ at end of February - Prolific North". Prolific North. 27 January 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
5. ^ Ainscough, Colin (5 March 2020). "In pictures: Rock FM's past and present DJs reunite at Preston Church for emotional farewell". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
6. ^ "Plans proposed to convert former Rock FM church building into offices". Blog Preston. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
7. ^ "Rock FM to lose last local show as new shared breakfast show launches". RadioToday. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
8. ^ "Rock FM's last local show axed in Joel Ross breakfast shake-up". 19 November 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
9. ^ Lopez, Jamie (20 November 2023). "Rock FM loses last Lancashire-only show as merger announced". Lancs Live. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
10. ^ "Fifteen local stations get set for Hits Radio rebrand". Bauer. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
11. ^ "Bauer to rebrand heritage FM stations in England and Wales to Hits Radio". RadioToday. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
12. ^ "Hits Radio to launch national Breakfast Show across England and Wales". Bauer Media. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
13. ^ "Bauer's local radio breakfast shows end in England and Wales". Radio Today. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
14. ^ Hits Radio Network stations drop local weekend programmes, Radio Today, 30 May 2019
15. ^ Bauer to network drivetime across 11 licences in North and Midlands, Radio Today, 5 August 2019
16. ^ "Rock FM to lose last local show as new shared breakfast show launches". Radio Today. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Hits Radio

UK|

* Hits Radio UK
* Hits Radio Pride

London|

* Hits Radio London

Midlands|

* Birmingham
* Coventry & Warwickshire
* Herefordshire & Worcestershire
* Black Country & Shropshire
* East Midlands
* Staffordshire & Cheshire
* Lincolnshire

North East England|

* North East
* Teesside

North West England|

* Manchester
* Liverpool
* Lancashire
* Cumbria

Scotland|

* Clyde 1 (Glasgow \- Ayrshire)
* Forth 1
* MFR
* Northsound 1
* Tay FM

Southern England|

* Bristol & The South West
* Cornwall
* Dorset
* Oxfordshire

Wales|

* South Wales

Yorkshire|

* South Yorkshire
* West Yorkshire
* East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire

Related topics|

* Bauer Media Audio UK
* Greatest Hits Radio
* Timeline of Hits Radio

* v
* t
* e

Culture and infrastructure of the City of Preston

Transport|

* Bus station
* Bypass
* Dick, Kerr & Co.
* John Fishwick & Sons
* Guild Wheel
* Longridge Railway
* Preston Corporation Tramways
* Park & ride
* Preston Bus
* Ribble Bus
* Ribble Link
* Ribble Link Trust
* Ribble Steam
* Stagecoach
* Tramroad
* Transport in Preston
* United Electric Car Company
* Whittingham Hospital Railway

* Railway stations: Preston
* Disused stations: Barton and Broughton
* Broughton
* Deepdale
* Deepdale Street
* Fishergate Hill
* Grimsargh
* Lea Road
* Maudland Bridge
* Maudlands
* Maxwell House
* Oxheys
* Ribbleton

Education|

* University of Lancashire

* Schools: Archbishop Temple
* Ashton
* Broughton
* Cardinal Newman
* Christ the King
* Corpus Christi
* Fulwood Academy
* Moor Park
* Our Lady's
* Preston's College
* Preston Muslim Girls
* Closed: Catholic College
* Larkhill
* Winckley Square

Sport|

* Deepdale
* Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.
* Preston (speedway)
* Preston Grasshoppers R.F.C.
* Preston Mountaineering Club
* Preston North End F.C.
* Preston North End W.F.C.
* Preston Zingari F.C.
* Pro Championship Wrestling
* West Cliff

History|

* Battles of Preston
* 1648
* 1715
* County Borough of Preston
* Fulwood Urban District
* Preston Castle
* Preston Pals
* Preston Passion
* Preston Rural District
* Preston Strike of 1842
* Preston strike of 1853–4
* Preston Tithebarn redevelopment

Media|

* The Bee
* 106.5 Central Radio
* Farmers Guardian
* Lancashire Evening Post
* Preston FM
* Preston is My Paris
* Red Rose Radio
* Hits Radio Lancashire
* Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire

Companies|

* BAE Systems Military Air & Information
* Booths
* Edugeek
* Horrockses, Crewdson & Co.
* Recycling Lives
* Skiddle

Politics|

* Council elections
* 1945
* 46
* 47
* 49
* 50
* 95
* 96
* 98
* 99
* 2000
* 02
* 03
* 04
* 06
* 07
* 08
* 10
* 11
* 12
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 18
* 19
* 21

* Wards: Ashton
* Brookfield
* Cadley
* College
* Deepdale
* Greyfriars
* Ingol
* Larches
* Lea
* Moor Park
* Preston Rural East
* Preston Rural North
* Ribbleton
* Riversway
* St George's
* St Matthew's
* Sharoe Green
* Town Centre
* Tulketh

* Constituencies: Preston
* By-elections: 1929
* 36
* 40
* 46
* 2000
* Preston North
* Preston South
* Ribble Valley
* Wyre and Preston North

53°48′N 2°36′W﻿ / ﻿53.8°N 2.6°W﻿ / 53.8; -2.6
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