Broadcast area | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Branding | 95-106 Capital |
Slogan | The UK's No.1 Hit Music Station |
Frequency | 95-108 MHz depending on area, DAB National on D1, Freesat: 719 Freeview: 724 Sky: 0109 Virgin Media: 958 RDS: Capital_ |
First air date | Capital London, 1973; other stations 1975-1999; Capital (radio network), 2011 |
Format | Contemporary hit radio, news, entertainment, speech, showbiz |
Language(s) | English |
Audience share | 4.1% (whole of UK) (June 2016, RAJAR) |
Owner | Global |
Sister stations |
Heart Classic FM Smooth Radio Capital Xtra Radio X LBC Gold |
Website | www |
Capital is a radio network of twelve independent contemporary hit radio stations in the United Kingdom, owned and operated by Global Radio. Capital was previously known as Mix, One, Galaxy and Hit Music at various times. The stations were formerly owned by GCap Media and Chrysalis Radio prior to their respective takeovers by Global Radio and, with the exception of Capital London, were all part of Galaxy or Hit Music until they were merged to form the Capital network on Monday 3 January 2011.
The stations serve a combined weekly audience of 8 million listeners and target a core audience in the 14–34 age group.
Throughout the 1990s, Capital became one of the UK's major radio groups by acquiring a number of additional local radio stations including Red Dragon FM, BRMB and Wyvern FM. Rival GWR Group also acquired a number of local radio stations in the 1990s, including Leicester Sound, Ram FM, GWR FM, Chiltern FM, Hereward FM, Marcher Sound and Trent FM, which operated as part of the 33 station Mix network.
Capital Radio and GWR Group's merger in 2005 resulted in the stations being amalgamated into One which existed until June 2009 when most of the stations, now in the ownership of Global Radio, who purchased GCap in 2008, were rebranded as part of The Heart Network. This left Leicester Sound, Ram FM, Red Dragon FM and Trent FM which formed Hit Music with network content produced in Nottingham. In January 2011, these stations were rebranded as part of Capital.