Bauer replace ‘Kiss’ with ‘GHR’ on FM in the East of England

In a rare move, a youth-aimed service is being replaced with a station for a more mature audience.

On 31 January 2023, Bauer Radio Limited submitted a request to radio and television regulator Ofcom to make changes to its analogue FM commercial radio licence for the East of England, under which it currently broadcasts its national Kiss service on all four transmitters – 105.6 MHz (Cambridge); 106.1 MHz (Norwich); 106.4 MHz (Suffolk) and 107.7 MHz.

However, following consultation with listeners in the area, the radio company has been granted permission by Ofcom to change the format of its Kiss radio station in the east of England on three of the broadcast frequencies.

Under the regulations set out, the regulator makes sure ‘the character’ of any one station keeps to the format and type of programmes it is required to provide under the licence to transmit that the frequencies were issued on for the particular network. Kiss’ ‘character’ is described as ‘A contemporary and classic dance music station primarily for under-30s. Identifiable specialist music features for at least six hours per week.’

Kissed-Off, Kiss is to be replaced on FM in the East of England with GHR

While GHR – Greatest Hits Radio – is noted as being, ‘A station playing classic pop and rock hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s with specialist features, local news and information appealing to 25-54 year-olds.‘

Ofcom says the decision to allow the change has also taken into consideration RAJAR data suggesting that there is a higher level of demand for the ‘Greatest Hits Radio’ format among listeners in the East of England licence area than there is for the ‘Kiss’ dance music format.

The three transmitters that cover the east of England which will change to GHR are 105.6 MHz (Cambridge); 106.4 MHz (Suffolk) and 107.7 MHz (Peterborough). Bauer will continue to broadcast Kiss on the 106.1 MHz Norwich transmitter, which serves Norfolk. This decision has been noted as due to Greatest Hits Radio being already widely available to listeners on FM in many parts of Norfolk.

Greatest Hits Radio is now the home of several big-name broadcasters including Ken Bruce, who quit Radio 2 to join the commercial rival.