The Breeze (radio network)

The Breeze was a network of Independent Local Radio stations broadcasting to Bristol, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Somerset, North Dorset, North Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Devon, South West Surrey, West Berkshire and West Wiltshire, as well as in East Anglia as Radio Norwich 99.9, The Beach, North Norfolk Radio, Town 102 and Dream 100. The stations broadcast a 'contemporary easy listening' format, playing classic and recent melodic popular music aimed principally at listeners over the age of 40.

The Breeze
Broadcast areaBristol, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Somerset, North Dorset, North Gloucestershire, North Somerset, South Devon, South West Surrey, West Berkshire and West Wiltshire, plus East Anglia
Frequency
All Frequencies
  • FM:
    Andover
    106.4 MHz

    Basingstoke & North Hampshire
    107.6 MHz

    Bath
    107.9 MHz

    Bridgwater & West Somerset
    100.8, 102.4 & 107.4 MHz

    Bristol
    107.2 MHz

    Cheltenham & Gloucester
    107.5 MHz

    East Hampshire & South West Surrey
    97.1, 101.6, 101.8 & 102.0 MHz

    Frome & West Wiltshire
    107.5 MHz

    Isle of Wight
    107.4 & 107.8 MHz

    Newbury
    105.6 & 107.4 MHz

    North Dorset
    96.6 & 97.4 MHz

    North Somerset
    107.7 MHz

    Portsmouth
    107.4 MHz

    Reading
    107.0 MHz

    South Devon
    105.5 MHz

    Southampton
    107.8 MHz

    Winchester
    107.2 MHz

    Yeovil & South Somerset
    105.6 & 106.6 MHz

Norwich
99.9 MHz

Great Yarmouth & Lowestoft
103.4 & 97.4 MHz

Colchester 100.4 MHz
Programming
FormatEasy listening
Ownership
OwnerBauer Radio (exc. Solent)
Nation Broadcasting (Solent)
History
First air date
1998–1999 (as individual stations)
4 July 2010 (stations in West become The Breeze)
9 January 2017 (stations in the East of England join, programming becomes generic)
Links
Websitehttp://www.thebreeze.com

The Breeze network operated on various FM frequencies and was also online at thebreeze.com.,[1] and other relevant links for the East Anglian stations. All frequencies branded The Breeze were previously separate stations centred on each of the broadcast areas, which had been acquired and combined into one network, carrying separate breakfast and drivetime programming for the south and the west of England, and a separate breakfast show hosted by Rob Chandler for East Anglia.

Following the purchase of owners Celador Radio in early 2020 by Bauer Radio, [2] the network was closed on 1 September 2020 and replaced by Greatest Hits Radio.[3]

History

The network launched when Play Radio (a combination of two stations in Hampshire) was acquired by Celador along with an additional station in Portsmouth and rebranded as The Breeze on 4 July 2010. The individual stations have all operated under various owners, formats and identities, with the stations having launched between 1998 and 1999 as a series of local stations focused on a specified broadcast area.

In 2011, Celador acquired two Total Star stations in Bristol & Bridgwater, and successfully applied for an FM licence serving the Bath area,[4] and relaunched all stations as The Breeze. All local programming is now identical across all licence areas.

The Breeze is currently based in Torbay, Southampton, Bristol and Basingstoke.

In February 2019, Bauer Radio acquired Celador Radio stations, including The Breeze. The licences for Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester were sold on to Nation Broadcasting, along with Sam FM (South Coast) which also broadcasts from the Southampton studios, due to the overlap with existing Bauer-owned regional adult-contemporary service Wave 105. The other Breeze stations will remain with Bauer.

As of July 13, 2020, The Breeze network closed, ahead of Bauer's decision to relaunch the stations as part of its Greatest Hits Radio network. They retained their branding but shared the same playlist as Greatest Hits Radio until GHR was fully launched on the former Breeze stations on September 1.

Stations

These stations comprised The Breeze network.

These stations joined the network in January 2017, but did not rebrand. These stations are all in East Anglia.

References
  1. "Media titles owned by Celador Radio". Media UK. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  2. "Bauer Media continues to grow with two acquisitions". 5 February 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. "Most of acquired Bauer stations to become Greatest Hits Radio". 27 May 2020. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  4. "The Breeze heads to Bristol". Radio Today. Retrieved 20 January 2011.
  5. RadioToday: The Breeze to replace Total Star Somerset
  6. "Celador to Launch The Breeze 107". Radio Today. 21 June 2010. Archived from the original on 22 June 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
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