GMG Radio rebrands regional stations

Guardian Media Group Radio is renaming its two Century Radio stations as Real Radio. The name change will see six stations come under one unified brand.

Century broadcasts across the north-west and north-east of England and will be formally renamed as Real Radio next April. The move will be backed by regional marketing campaigns.

They will join sister stations already under the Real Radio banner in Scotland, Yorkshire, south Wales, west Wales and, from the end of next year, mid and north Wales.

Stuart Taylor, GMG Radio deputy chief executive, says: “As strong brands become increasingly important in the media market GMG Radio will house two of the most powerful networks in the UK Real Radio and Smooth Radio complement each other perfectly.”

According to Rajar, Ipsos Mori and RSMB figures, in the period ending September 14 its five Real and two Century stations attracted over 2.7 million adult listeners each week.

On-air the move from Century to Real will happen gradually while a marketing campaign is planned to communicate the new name to listeners in the spring. The on-air content and music will remain unchanged on both stations.