Leeds' Radio Aire to become Greatest Hits West Yorkshire with possible job loss

London-based Bauer Media today said that the station will join the Greatest Hits Radio Network from September and become Greatest Hits West Yorkshire, meaning one existing staff role is being put into consultation and one freelance contract has ended.

Bradford station Pulse 1, which is part of the company's Hits Radio Network, "will extend its coverage into more of Leeds and the surrounding areas", the company said.

The move means that Radio Aire in its new format will play music from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, but it will retain a regional drivetime show broadcast live from Leeds.

The company added: "As Radio Aire transitions into Greatest Hits Radio it does unfortunately mean that one staff role at the station is being put into consultation with one freelance contract coming to an end. Bauer Radio is committed to supporting these affected employees during this process."

It comes after OFCOM relaxed the regulations so that commercial stations no longer have to produce a local breakfast show.

Graham Bryce, group managing director of the Hits Radio Network, said: “These changes mean that we can provide the best combination of two distinct radio stations for listeners across Leeds, Bradford and West Yorkshire that offer brilliant nationally known presenters and the local news and information, traffic and travel that we know our listeners value.

"It also means we can grow audiences for local advertisers and protect the long-term future of our stations to ensure they can continue to thrive.

"We recognise this is the end of an era, but also the start of an exciting new one”.

It was announced in May that the company would integrate Dearne FM (Barnsley), Rother FM (Rotherham), Trax FM (Doncaster and Bassetlaw), Minster FM (York), Stray FM (Harrogate), Yorkshire Coast Radio (Bridlington), Ridings FM (Wakefield) and Pulse 2 (Bradford / Huddersfield) as Greatest Hits Radio.

Former Labour MP John Grogan, who represented Selby and later Keighley, at the time called it "an act of breathtaking cultural vandalism".

Greatest Hits West Yorkshire will broadcast new programmes, including a weekday mid-morning show from Mark Goodier, who will also present his retro countdown chart, ‘NOW That’s What I Call a Chart Show’ every Sunday.

Pat Sharp will also join the station on weekends, bringing features such as ‘Sharp Shout Outs’ and ‘Kids Pick Classics’.

Paul Gambaccini also fronts his ‘America’s Greatest Hits’ show every Saturday from 5pm to 7pm and Janice Long will broadcast live from her hometown of Liverpool, every Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm.

As Greatest Hits Radio, the station will also broadcast a new evening show from former BBC Radio 2 presenter Alex Lester, as well as further shows from Andy Crane, Rick Houghton and Simon 'Rossie' Ross.

The company owns 36 per cent of commercial local radio licences in the UK after acquiring the more than 30 stations that came with UKRD, Wireless and Celador and Lincs last year, according to Parliamentary records.

Records also note that OFCOM has relaxed the regulations regarding local content for commercial local radio stations so that they no longer have to produce a local breakfast show and are obliged only to produce three hours of local content, as opposed to seven previously on weekdays.

They are able to do this from regional centres distant from the area covered by the local radio station.