Heart (radio network)
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| Broadcast area | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Branding | This is Heart |
| Slogan | More Music Variety |
| Frequency | 88MHz–108MHz RDS: Heart___ (Varies) |
| First air date | 1994 (Heart West Midlands) |
| Format | Rhythmic AC & Hot AC |
| Language(s) | English |
| Audience share | 6.4% (June 2014, RAJAR) |
| Power | Digital/Analog |
| Owner | Global Radio |
| Sister stations |
Capital FM Classic FM Smooth Radio Capital Xtra Radio X LBC Gold |
| Website | www |
Heart is a radio network of 21 adult contemporary local radio stations operated by Global Radio in the United Kingdom, broadcasting a mix of local and networked programming. Eighteen of the Heart stations are owned by Global, while the other three are operated under franchise agreements.
Heart began broadcasting on 6 September 1994, as 100.7 Heart FM being the UK's third Independent Regional Radio station, five days after Century Radio and Jazz FM North West. The first song to be played on 100.7 Heart FM was "Something Got Me Started", by Simply Red. Its original format of "soft adult contemporary" music included artists such as Lionel Richie, Simply Red and Tina Turner. Reflecting this, its early slogan was 100.7 degrees cooler!.
Heart 106.2 began test transmissions in London in August 1995, prior to the station launch on 5 September. The test transmissions included live broadcasts of WPLJ from New York City.
The Heart programming format was modified in 1996. The new format saw the "soft" AC music replaced with a generally more neutral Hot AC music playlist. Century 106 in the East Midlands became the third station of the Heart network in 2005 after GCap Media sold Century. Chrysalis' radio holdings were sold to Global Radio in 2007.
When GCap Media was taken over by Global Radio in 2008, it announced plans to dissolve the 41 station One Network, with one station (Power FM) becoming part of the Galaxy Network, four stations (BRMB, Beacon Radio, Mercia FM and Wyvern FM) forming a West Midlands regional network (which was latterly sold to Orion Media along with Heart 106), seven stations joining Capital FM to form The Hit Music Network and the remaining 29 stations forming the Heart Network. Heart East Midlands was sold to Orion Media due to the same competition concerns that had forced its earlier sale to Chrysalis.
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