Absolute Radio 70s

Last updated

Absolute Radio 70s
Absolute Radio 70s Logo.svg
  • London
Frequency DAB:
  • 11B Bauer Tayside
  • 12A Switch London
  • 12D Bauer Stoke And Stafford
BrandingAbsolute 70s
Programming
Format Non-stop music from the 1970s
Network Absolute Radio Network
Ownership
Owner Bauer Radio
History
First air date
29 November 2011 (2011-11-29)
Links
Webcast Planet Radio
Website absoluteradio70s.co.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Absolute Radio 70s is a national Digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. It broadcasts locally to parts of the UK on DAB radio multiplexes. It broadcasts nationally via Smart Speaker and online web streaming. Its output is non-stop 1970s hits.

Contents

History

Details of Absolute Radio's plan to extend their decade-themed radio stations were released in October 2010, and following the success of Absolute Radio 80s and Absolute Radio 90s, the former of which was ranked eleventh in terms of listener numbers. [1] Two new stations were announced, Absolute Radio 60s and Absolute Radio 70s, both of which would be dedicated to the music of their respective decades. Initially the 70s station would be available on DAB in London only, but would be accessible nationally and internationally through an online service. A website holding page was opened at absoluteradio70s.co.uk in line with the announcement of the station, which carries station information and an indicative schedule. The 60s service went on air on 22 November 2011, with Absolute Radio 70s launching a week later on 29 November. [2]

Absolute Radio 70s shares the DAB slot currently used by Absolute Radio 00s, with 00s cutting its broadcast capacity (and switching to broadcast in mono) to release space for the 70s service. [3]

At the time of its launch Absolute Radio 70s branded itself as "The UK's only 70s radio station", but was joined on DAB within a few weeks by Smooth 70s, a similarly themed station from GMG Radio which was launched nationally on DAB on 27 December 2011. [4] However, in spite of its competitor, Absolute 70s continued to style itself as the UK's only 1970s-themed radio station. [5] [6] Smooth 70s subsequently ceased transmission on 6 October 2013, and its national frequency was taken over by Capital XTRA. Six years later, Global resumed transmission of a national 70s music service with the launch of Heart 70s, which is now Absolute 70s' chief competitor (other stations, such as Pirate 70s have existed in the interim, but generally to a smaller broadcast area - in Pirate's case, Cornwall).

Format

Although a separate entity, Absolute Radio 70s takes a limited amount of programming from the main Absolute Radio station, chiefly The Dave Berry Breakfast Show and The Frank Skinner Show. Hometime with Bush and Richie was added to the schedule of Absolute's digital stations from 23 September 2019. The station itself was originally fronted by former Radio 1 presenter Richard Skinner, who presented an afternoon programme. Following the station's 2018 downgrading, there were no presenters outside of shows shared with Absolute Radio and some specials; in summer 2019, former Gold breakfast presenter Tony Dibbin joined Bauer to present a weekday daytime show on Absolute Radio 70s, which became the only presented programme exclusive to the 70s station.

Absolute 70s plays a broad mix of music from the 1970s, ranging from rock and punk to glam and soul. Artists and groups typically heard on the station include David Bowie, Kate Bush, Elton John and Blondie. [2] [7]

Distribution

The station's DAB transmission was originally solely to London, in contrast to the wider distribution of its siblings, and the 70s station was not affected by the December 2014/January 2015 changes which impacted many of Absolute's other digital transmissions including those of Absolute Radio 60s.

Absolute Radio 70s has been made available more widely through online transmission via Absolute's website and apps, where it appears alongside the other Absolute network stations.

The 70s service was made available nationally via digital satellite television from 9 February 2015, when the station took over a Sky guide slot previously occupied by Insight Radio; it joins Absolute's 80s, 90s and Classic Rock stations on the Sky lineup. Although Absolute Radio 70s was not guide-listed on Freesat, it could be manually tuned into by Freesat boxes. The station was removed from Sky on 4 June 2018, and was replaced by Hits Radio. [8]

May 2018 also saw the station, and Kerrang! Radio, removed from London DAB to release space for the addition of Hits Radio; the stations were kept active by relocating to Bauer's Tayside DAB multiplex - a similar 'placeholder' move had shifted DAB transmission of Absolute's 60s and 00s stations to Inverness as part of the 2014/15 reshuffle (00s having previously been broadcast in London alongside the 70s service.)

In early 2021 it was announced that, as part of wider alterations to the Absolute Radio Network's distribution, including Absolute Radio's withdrawal from FM in London and the relaunch of Country Hits Radio as Absolute Radio Country, that Absolute Radio 70s would, along with Absolute Radio 10s, be made available to listeners in London in the DAB+ format from May of that year. [9] On 26 April 2021, a broadcast of AR70s began, in mono using the DAB standard, on the Switch London multiplex from which it had been removed three years prior, with Hits Radio London reducing its bitrate to accommodate the addition - this effectively partly reverses the change made in 2018, when space previously used by AR70s went towards the addition of Hits. In the early hours of 28 April 2021, the mono service was replaced by a stereo DAB+ transmission.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerrang! Radio</span> British digital radio station

Kerrang! Radio is a British specialist digital rock music radio station related to Kerrang! magazine. It is owned and operated by Bauer and forms part of the Kiss Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (UK radio station)</span> Adult contemporary radio station in London

Magic Radio is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer. The station is available on 105.4 FM in London and across the UK on Digital Radio, on the Magic Radio app, online, and on Smart speakers. It plays "soft adult contemporary classics" such as Elton John, Madonna, Hot Chocolate, Whitney Houston, UB40, Simply Red, and more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolute Radio Classic Rock</span> Radio station in London

Absolute Classic Rock is a national digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. Its music output is non-stop classic rock hits.

Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. As of March 2010, the multiplex covered more than 90% of the population from 137 transmitters. Coverage was extended to Northern Ireland in July 2013. It contains a list of DAB and DAB+ radio stations operated by Bauer Media Audio UK, Global and News Broadcasting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolute Radio 80s</span> Radio station in London

Absolute Radio 80s is a national digital radio station, owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jazz FM (UK)</span> Radio station in London

Jazz FM is a radio station broadcasting on digital radio in the United Kingdom and Malta which predominantly plays jazz music, jazz standards as well as blues and soul music. The station, in this incarnation set up by Richard Wheatley, traces its roots back to 102.2 Jazz FM, which first launched in 1990. The current station commenced broadcasting on 6 October 2008.

Bauer Media Audio UK is a UK-based radio division of Bauer Media Group owning several brands including Absolute Radio, Greatest Hits Radio, Jazz FM, Scala Radio, Hits Radio, KISS, Planet Rock, Magic, Kerrang! Radio and Heat Radio.

Planet Rock is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Kiss Network. The station broadcasts classic rock music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Arrow (radio station)</span> British radio station

The Arrow was a British digital radio station playing classic and contemporary rock music. It broadcast on DAB Digital Radio and was also streamed over digital satellite TV and online. The station was operated by Global; prior to Global's formation it was owned by their predecessor Chrysalis Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth Scotland</span> Radio station in Glasgow, and Edinburgh

Smooth Scotland is a Scottish Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Global as part of the Smooth network. The station replaced Saga 105.2 FM in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nation Broadcasting</span> British media company

Nation Broadcasting is a British media company headquartered in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It currently owns and operates twelve Independent Local Radio stations across the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolute Radio Network</span> British digital radio network

The Absolute Radio Network is a network of ten radio stations owned and operated by Bauer Radio. Bauer purchased the TIML Radio Limited network of stations in 2013. Most of the Absolute Radio stations are decade-themed services, alongside the flagship station and classic rock and country-formatted stations. The network is aimed at 35 to 54 year olds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Absolute Radio 00s</span> Radio station in London

Absolute Radio 00s is a semi-national digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. It broadcasts locally on Bauer's Inverness DAB Multiplex. It broadcasts nationally via smart speaker streaming and online web streaming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth 70s</span> Radio station in London

Smooth 70s was a British radio station dedicated to music from the 1970s. Launched by GMG Radio as a sister station to Smooth Radio, it first aired on 27 December 2011, replacing a temporary station GMG had launched for the Christmas period. The station was broadcast through DAB on the Digital One multiplex and was also available online, where it could be accessed using Radioplayer. The station operated largely on an automated basis, but there was also some presenter input. Although Smooth 70s was not the first UK radio station to be dedicated solely to music from the decade, it was the first to be broadcast nationally. Audience data released by Radio Joint Audience Research Limited (RAJAR) in October 2012 indicated 749,000 listeners were tuning into the station on a regular basis. Global Radio–which bought GMG in June 2012–announced on 3 October 2013 that Smooth 70s would cease broadcasting from the early hours of 6 October.

Absolute Radio 60s is a semi-national Digital radio station in the United Kingdom owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Absolute Radio Network. It broadcasts locally on Bauer's 11B Inverness DAB Multiplex. It broadcasts nationally via Smart Speaker streaming and online web streaming. Its output is non-stop classic 1960s hits, followed by hits of the 1950s played alongside.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth Radio (2014)</span> Radio station in London

Smooth Radio is a network of local radio stations broadcasting on FM, AM and DAB in the United Kingdom. Smooth Radio features a soft adult contemporary radio format. Launched in March 2014, it replaced the national Smooth Radio that had launched in 2010 on FM and DAB, and most outlets of Gold on AM.

This is a timeline of the development of independent radio in the UK.

A timeline of notable events relating to Absolute Radio and its spin-off stations, and its predecessor Virgin 1215/Virgin Radio.

This is a list of notable events in the timeline of digital audio broadcasting in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hits Radio UK</span> British national digital radio station

Hits Radio UK is a British digital radio station based in Manchester and London, England, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts across the United Kingdom.

References

  1. ↑ "Absolute Radio readies '60s and '70s stations". Digital Spy. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  2. 1 2 Plunkett, John (18 October 2011). "Absolute Radio 60s and 70s prepare for launch". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  3. ↑ "Ofcom radio broadcast licensing update for October 2011". Office of Communications. HM Government of the United Kingdom. 1 November 2011.
  4. ↑ "GMG Radio trialling new all-70s station". Radio Today. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  5. ↑ "Smooth Radio presenters head to Smooth 70s". Radio Today. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  6. ↑ "Absolute Radio 70s". Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012. The UK's Only 70s Radio Station
  7. ↑ "Absolute Radio launches 60s and 70s". Radio Today. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Changes to listening to Absolute Radio 70s on digital radio in London and on digital TV". Absolute Radio. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  9. ↑ "Absolute Radio Network to expand", get digital radio.com
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.