[Neil Arrowsmith]

There's a radio station up here in the NW called Rock FM. I haven't a clue why they call themselves Rock FM, as they never play any rock music. They play the same old & new crap over & over & over.
By the way, what happened to Sally Moon who was a DJ there in the early 80's when they were called Red Rose Radio?
Cheers, Neil.

[RadioJoc]

They changed there name to Rock about the same time everyone changed, Marcher Sound to MFM, Pic to Key103, I don't think it was meant to have anything to do with the music, it was just a name, Red Rose Rock Fm.

Sally is at The Bay ,does a Sunday programme, so is Tony Cookson, John Gilmore and Nigel Clarkson all ex-Rock or Red Rose presenters.

I got the impression from your posting Neil that you get the same feeling as me, all the postings on here are from down south

[kev]

Originally posted by RadioJoc
They changed there name to Rock about the same time everyone changed, Marcher Sound to MFM, Pic to Key103, I don't think it was meant to have anything to do with the music, it was just a name, Red Rose Rock Fm.

Sally is at The Bay ,does a Sunday programme, so is Tony Cookson, John Gilmore and Nigel Clarkson all ex-Rock or Red Rose presenters.

I got the impression from your posting Neil that you get the same feeling as me, all the postings on here are from down south

Way back in 1989 it used to be "97.4 Red Rose Rock FM - More Rock - Less Talk", before switching to a 80s (still new at the time) and todays CHR station with a dash of dance.

Later Red Rose Radio were taken over by EMAP who completed the transition to a Kiss / Big City FM (Key, City) hybrid, dropping the Red Rose name in the process (and changing sister station Red Rose 9-99 (formally Red Rose Gold) to Magic 999)....

the 97.4 Rock FM of today is a shadow of it's former self, playing the same songs again and again, with far too many commercials....

Geln Hunt, Claire Anderson, Kev Seed, Brian Moore all from the prime of Red Rose Radio....

Everytime i here Claire Anderson it reminds me of sitting at home doing my home work listening to "97.4 Red Rose Rock FM from the Rocking Church at St. Pauls Square, to the Tower Of Power at Winter Hill across the Great North West"..... with the very regullarly played "Buy a Bike, Buy A Bike - get down to Charnock Richard Cycles" adverts..... them were the days....

It all started to go wrong when Sally Stone started on evenings.... I eventually gave up listening in August 1998 when Century 105 started, which conincedently was made up of a large number of ex-Red Rose Radio DJ's (John Myers/Morgan, Rob Charels and others)...

Kev. Prestonian born an' bred....

[dpw02]

I remember reading somewhere it was named after Blackpool rock but I'm not sure how serious that comment was

Way back in 1989 it used to be "97.4 Red Rose Rock FM - More Rock - Less Talk", before switching to a 80s (still new at the time) and todays CHR station with a dash of dance.

I can remember the station following a rock orientated playlist after the name changed so I suppose they couldn't be bothered changing the name when they swapped formats a few years later.

[Chris E]

Originally posted by dpw02
I remember reading somewhere it was named after Blackpool rock but I'm not sure how serious that comment was

I've heard that too - I think it may be right, as it certainly isn't rock music anyway.

[kev]

Originally posted by Chris E
I've heard that too - I think it may be right, as it certainly isn't rock music anyway.

The Blackpool Rock conotation was mentioned a few times on Media UK.

Back in 1989 when the AM and FM broadcasts had to end simulcasting we had

Red Rose Radio - MOR AC
Red Rose Rock FM - Rock

Later, Red Rose Radio became Red Rose Gold (Golden Oldies) and the Rock station became CHR....

The original split names were based on the music they played....

[LLOYDYLAR]

I think stations like Rock fm & City 96.7 are a shadow of their former selves, but is this really any surprise considering the mass diversification caused by the ending of MW-VHF simulcasing by ILR stations?

When Red Rose 301 & 194 Radio City began, they had to try & please everyone (not just 10-20 year olds unlike today) so it was possible to hear the Number 1 record next to a track from 2 decades ago, all throughout the day.

I really liked the sound of Century 105 when it began, classic album show on Sunday (in spite of being with Gary Davies) Scottie Mcclue every night etc. When it rebranded to 105.4 Centuy fm, it seemed to lose its way, and what pisses me off most is the amount of thime the station name is mentioned.

Jingle (1)-trailer(2/3)-jingle(4) drone from dj(5/6) then a record. At leasr 6 bloody station name announcements before a record. Whats wrong with them?

Living in Crockie Park, my favourite is now KCR106.7.

Great mix of music, good dj's (even Terry Linnane sounds ok these days) & by far the most important show on ILR anywhere.... Dave Monks on Sunday night, with The Pool. Fantastic local bands show, in a John Peel tradition, & so dedicated to helping local bands. Pity no-one will advertise on it though!

[media-guru]

Personally I don't like the fact that they are all owned by EMAP now - they are like mirror images of each other and even share the same logo and have the same promotions (recently the holiday camp thing - rock fm weekend, key 103 weekend) - sister, or twin stations??

[kev]

Originally posted by media-guru
Personally I don't like the fact that they are all owned by EMAP now - they are like mirror images of each other and even share the same logo and have the same promotions (recently the holiday camp thing - rock fm weekend, key 103 weekend) - sister, or twin stations??

[RANT]
At least they arn't as bad as "The Mix" which blight all of central and southern england, Deeside, Cheshire and Noth Wales (Oxon, Brum, Southampton, London and Cornwall are lucky though)

The EXACT same show on all 5 (on 6 frequencies) stations i could get last year after 19:00.

96.2 Trent FM (Nottingham)
96.5 Trent FM (Mansfield)
97.2 Beacon FM (Wolverhampton)
97.0 Mercia FM (Coventry)
102.8 RAM FM (Derby)
105.4 Leicester Sound (erm, Leicester)

During the day, you could flick between them and find any song you liked repeated almost instantly.

Competitions nearly always run across the Network, The Logo's are all the same....

Identical Twin's have more individuality than these blasted things....

Most of the time on their MW sister stations you get EXACTLY the same show too - at least "The Hits" and "Magic" arn't networked all the time.

[/RANT]

[intune]

To clear a few points up -

Red Rose Rock FM and Red Rose Gold launched at 8am on 1st June 1990, a split of the popular Red Rose Radio service.

The features/presenters/programmes from Red Rose Radio were kept on Red Rose Gold while Red Rose Rock FM was a totally new concept (in Lancashire anyway!) designed to hook the younger listeners fed up with older playlist songs and lengthy news of Red Rose Radio.

It was all based on American pop stations, hence the American voice over and classic jingle package.

The name "Rock" has nothing to do with Blackpool rock, its rock meaning rocking, good, fast, pacey modern - "rocking" an 80's expression which sounds dated now hence confusion with people thinking the station plays rock music.

When I worked there, EMAP was taking about the possibilty of renaming ALL its FM stations to "Metro" - That would have been interesting!

[kev]

Originally posted by intune
To clear a few points up -

Red Rose Rock FM and Red Rose Gold launched at 8am on 1st June 1990, a split of the popular Red Rose Radio service.

The features/presenters/programmes from Red Rose Radio were kept on Red Rose Gold while Red Rose Rock FM was a totally new concept (in Lancashire anyway!) designed to hook the younger listeners fed up with older playlist songs and lengthy news of Red Rose Radio.

It was all based on American pop stations, hence the American voice over and classic jingle package.

The name "Rock" has nothing to do with Blackpool rock, its rock meaning rocking, good, fast, pacey modern - "rocking" an 80's expression which sounds dated now hence confusion with people thinking the station plays rock music.

When I worked there, EMAP was taking about the possibilty of renaming ALL its FM stations to "Metro" - That would have been interesting!

Thanks for that, i didn't realise that Gold started at the same time as Rock.

Regarding renames, in the ITV Freeview bid it was mentioned that the Big CIty stations across the north were to be rebranded "The Hits" and their new TV service would have complemented them....

[Bangers]

Originally posted by kev
Thanks for that, i didn't realise that Gold started at the same time as Rock.

Regarding renames, in the ITV Freeview bid it was mentioned that the Big CIty stations across the north were to be rebranded "The Hits" and their new TV service would have complemented them....

Actually the bid said the channel would be called Big City TV - Big City Radio is the term EMAP use to market their northern FM stations to advertisers as, and over time there would be some form of integration.

[adamfromskem]

I have said it before (on the old MUK) forums, and I will say it again here. EMAP are slowly killing ILR. Radio City was a distinct sounding, powerful station. Rock FM was not as big a sound, but still a distinct sound. Key 103 was the closest thing we had to capital up here. Big names with a very big sound.
And now they have all been EMAP'ed. They all have the same music format. They have as good as lost their local identity. EMAP have killed the MW stations they adopted. They don't seem to have any direction or individuality anymore.
Before long, you will be able to tune your radio anywhere in the ILR frequency range and you will hear lots and lots of stations with the exact same output fed from one station.

Give Red Rose back to the Oystons, bring back Beswick, Paul Jordan, and co. Please?

[RadioJoc]

Originally posted by adamfromskem
Give Red Rose back to the Oystons, bring back Beswick, Paul Jordan, and co. Please?

I think you'll find Paul Jordon is still there, isn't he the MD now?

[Alan Thew]

Originally posted by kev
[RANT]
At least they arn't as bad as "The Mix" which blight all of central and southern england, Deeside, Cheshire and Noth Wales (Oxon, Brum, Southampton, London and Cornwall are lucky though)

The EXACT same show on all 5 (on 6 frequencies) stations i could get last year after 19:00.

96.2 Trent FM (Nottingham)
96.5 Trent FM (Mansfield)
97.2 Beacon FM (Wolverhampton)
97.0 Mercia FM (Coventry)
102.8 RAM FM (Derby)
105.4 Leicester Sound (erm, Leicester)

[/RANT]

You can add two more stations over five FM frequencies to that list, namely:

96.7 Wyvern FM (Kidderminster)
97.6 Wyvern FM (Hereford)
102.8 Wyvern FM (Worcester)
102.4 Severn Sound (Gloucester)
103.0 Severn Sound (Stroud)

Also, Mercia are on 102.9 somewhere (again with the same programme) and then there's GWR in, I think, Bristol. Collectively, these are the GWR stations, the scourge of the airwaves. Absolutely appalling. Don't dream of tuning in if your age or your IQ is greater than ten.

[Alan Thew]

Oh, and Beacon is also on 103.1 in Shropshire, from the Wrekin I think. The sad thing is, Beacon and Wyvern both used to be decent little local stations before being gobbled up by the GWR monster. The only proper non-BBC local station left in my area is The Bear on 102.0, and even that is currently being given a dangerously "cool" rebrand as "Bear 102" or somesuch nonesense.

[kev]

Originally posted by Alan Thew
Oh, and Beacon is also on 103.1 in Shropshire, from the Wrekin I think. The sad thing is, Beacon and Wyvern both used to be decent little local stations before being gobbled up by the GWR monster. The only proper non-BBC local station left in my area is The Bear on 102.0, and even that is currently being given a dangerously "cool" rebrand as "Bear 102" or somesuch nonesense.

I was just illustrating the stations that i could pick up in Nottugham.

To add to that list just look at www.koko.com and add MFM, Coast FM, The Buzz and Champion 103

[dpw02]

Originally posted by Alan Thew
Oh, and Beacon is also on 103.1 in Shropshire, from the Wrekin I think. The sad thing is, Beacon and Wyvern both used to be decent little local stations before being gobbled up by the GWR monster. The only proper non-BBC local station left in my area is The Bear on 102.0, and even that is currently being given a dangerously "cool" rebrand as "Bear 102" or somesuch nonesense.

Yeah Beacon was a great station but that was many years ago...(7 in fact)

GWR purchased Beacon Radio Group (103.1, 97.2 and WABC) and took full control in early 1997 rebranded them as Beacon FM (103.1 and 97.2) and Classic Gold WABC. They also added their own unique brand of dull jingles, tedious presentation and patronising networked shows

[deepfroat]

Originally posted by intune
Red Rose Rock FM and Red Rose Gold launched at 8am on 1st June 1990, a split of the popular Red Rose Radio service.

Those were the days - when there was more to commercial radio than a jukebox operated by liner-card jocks.

There must be something to say for old style ILRs like Red Rose Radio which combined meaningful chat with music. John Myers has spent the last five years or so recreating the spirit of his former station, first with Century and then with Real Radio. Reaches of 15-20% show there's an audience for it.

[LLOYDYLAR]

Those were the days - when there was more to commercial radio than a jukebox operated by liner-card jocks.

Quite right Deepfroat! Remember these Radio City shows..

Kev Keating's Downtown...(was trounced when Alan Beswick started on Red Rose) #Its the peaceful hour on City, the peaceful hour.....on Radio City!!!!#

The Great Easton Express midweek, & Saturday Night Out Disco Show!

On the minus side Sundays afternoon shows, Joe Butlers Country Style & The God Slot. Amazing to think that less than 20 years ago at one point there was no pop music available on the VHF waveband till the Radio 1 top 40 started at 5!

[obee100]

why does rock fm and key 103 play the same songs in the same order they could at least mix them up a bit there promoting rock the dancefloor eight but not played one track yet from it which last year they did

why does radio city play different songs to key and rock fm anyone know?

[Chris E]

Originally posted by obee100
why does rock fm and key 103 play the same songs in the same order they could at least mix them up a bit there promoting rock the dancefloor eight but not played one track yet from it which last year they did

why does radio city play different songs to key and rock fm anyone know?

Emap now have a generic playlist, although Radio City doesnt seem to take it just yet.

[Paul Evans]

Originally posted by intune
To clear a few points up -

Red Rose Rock FM and Red Rose Gold launched at 8am on 1st June 1990, a split of the popular Red Rose Radio service.

The features/presenters/programmes from Red Rose Radio were kept on Red Rose Gold while Red Rose Rock FM was a totally new concept (in Lancashire anyway!) designed to hook the younger listeners fed up with older playlist songs and lengthy news of Red Rose Radio.

I remember the 10th Birthday show they ran in 2000. Playing the original jingles and voiceovers and bringing back some of the original presenters/DJs from 1990-95. Funny thing was, I could listen to the show in Bangor, North Wales!

It was all based on American pop stations, hence the American voice over and classic jingle package.

Key 103 went the same way. Originally we had 'Piccadilly Radio upto the late eighties, before the split. Piccadilly Gold found a new home on 1152AM (and is barely receivable despite me living just outside Manchester), whilst Key103 kept the old frequency on 103FM. The format between Rock and Key 103 was very similar (hence why I listened to Rock FM whilst living in Bangor), with a good mix of modern music and eighties classics. It all died when Capital, then EMAP took over and now both stations can rightly be called 'crap'.

The name "Rock" has nothing to do with Blackpool rock, its rock meaning rocking, good, fast, pacey modern - "rocking" an 80's expression which sounds dated now hence confusion with people thinking the station plays rock music.

One of the common jokes in Manchester was "Rock FM - We don't play rock, we just rock!"

When I worked there, EMAP was taking about the possibilty of renaming ALL its FM stations to "Metro" - That would have been interesting!

Well considering that all the EMAP stations share the same playlists, logos, shows and shallow presentation, they may as well go ahead and rename the lot. Key 103 isn't even a shadow of it's former self, and I miss the eighties weekends that Rock FM used to present upto 1998. I have grown to really despise commercial radio (and I'm only 24!), because they can no-longer be classified as 'independent', and Rock and Key103 certainly cannot be described as 'local' any more.

Oh how I miss the proper Key 103 with Pete & Geoff...

[kev]

Originally posted by Paul Evans
Funny thing was, I could listen to the show in Bangor, North Wales!

Not too surprising as the Winter Hill transmitter belts south wards and west wards with ease - Century is recivable in Wolverhampton!

The Bangor station - North Wales' Coast 96.3 is also recivable in Preston.....

Originally posted by Paul Evans
with a good mix of modern music and eighties classics. It all died when Capital, then EMAP took over and now both stations can rightly be called 'crap'.

In 2000 "20th Century Classic meant anything in the chart Christmas 1999

97.4 Rock FM - if we were to play any more music we'd have to sing the news... now its if we were to play any more ads - we'd need more hours in the day

4 one-time great stations (Rock FM, Red Rose Gold, Picadilly Key and Century 105) have been driven to the ground once emap and Capital took over

[Paul Evans]

Originally posted by kev
The Bangor station - North Wales' Coast 96.3 is also recivable in Preston.....

Marcher Coast? I think that's what it was still called when I finished Uni in 2000. I used to listen to it quite a bit when Rock FM's reception got ropey. Century 105 was receivable in stereo in Bangor, which is some feat considering that I struggle to get a decent mono signal from it here in Manchester!

In 2000 "20th Century Classic meant anything in the chart Christmas 1999

97.4 Rock FM - if we were to play any more music we'd have to sing the news... now its if we were to play any more ads - we'd need more hours in the day

4 one-time great stations (Rock FM, Red Rose Gold, Picadilly Key and Century 105) have been driven to the ground once emap and Capital took over

Century 105 was great for the football. The music on it wasn't really to my liking, but I did like their eighties weekends. Unfortunately, Century's definition of 'Eighties Weekend' now is one track from the eighties and three-four manufactured tracks from last week...

I remember Rock FM's 20th Century Classics. They were taking the piss, weren't they? Their idea of 'classic' was a manufactured Simon Fuller/Pete Waterman track from 1999. In other words - S Club 7/6/2/whatever or Steps!