EMAP restructures Big City network as Parkinson heads south

EMAP has restructured the Big City network of local radio stations from two operating regions to seven and has appointed new regional managing directors.

The network has been extended to include the Magic AM stations, it already includes the former Scottish Radio Holdings stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Travis Baxter will remain managing director of the network.

The new regions are Northern Ireland, West Scotland, East Scotland, Grampian, North East England, Yorkshire and North West England.

The changes mark the completion of the SRH integration and mean that EMAP Radio Scotland & Northern Ireland managing director Steve Parkinson will return to London.

He will set up a research team that will operate across the radio division and will also integrate audience insight into other parts of EMAP’s portfolio.

Parkinson will be responsible for brand strategy and media planning and for developing a pan-radio and pan-EMAP promotional plan.