Free Radio

What Free Radio does

Free Radio, now trading as Hits Radio (Birmingham), is a regional commercial radio station licensed to serve the Birmingham market in the West Midlands of England, United Kingdom. The station broadcasts a contemporary pop format built around current hits and classic throwbacks, with a presenter-led daytime lineup that includes Wes Butters on breakfast/drive-adjacent slots and weekend shows fronted by Fleur East, Will Best, James Barr, Sam Thompson, Gemma Atkinson, and Mike Toolan. Programming extends beyond music into local news, competitions, and community initiatives such as the Cash For Kids charity partnership and ticketed live events (Hits Radio Live 2026).

The station is one brand within a broader Hits Radio network operated by Bauer Media Group, a privately held UK media conglomerate owned by Yvonne and Heinz Bauer. The immediate operating entity is Bauer Radio Limited, registered in England and Wales, with Bauer Consumer Media Ltd as a parent within the same group structure. Distribution is omnichannel: traditional FM/AM broadcast plus the Rayo streaming platform (hellorayo.co.uk), the Bauer Radio mobile app for iOS and Android, smart speaker integrations, and in-car entertainment systems. The Hits Radio network also operates six format-specific sub-brand stations — Hits Radio Country, Dance, 90s, 00s, Chilled, and Pride — exposing listeners to genre-segmented feeds under the same platform.

The business model is free-to-air commercial radio: listeners consume content at no direct price, and revenue is generated through advertising sales, sponsorship, competition platforms such as Make Me A Winner, and ancillary event monetization. Bauer Media Group has not disclosed standalone revenue figures for the Birmingham station; the legal entities, ownership, and registered offices of the parent group are published in the station's public files. Headcount disclosed for the station is 44 employees.

Name

Free Radio

Legal name

Bauer Radio Limited

Website

https://freeradio.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hits Radio (Birmingham), formerly Free Radio, is a regional UK commercial pop station serving Birmingham listeners with current hits and throwbacks, operated by Bauer Media Group and distributed via FM, web, mobile apps, smart speakers, and in-car systems under an advertising-supported model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Radio Networks (Format-Based) (MPABABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Independent Local Radio Stations (MPABACAD)

Keywords

• Commercial radio broadcasting
• Music streaming platform
• Digital audio content
• Radio advertising sales
• Regional radio station

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: Free-to-air radio station generating revenue through advertising and sponsorship, similar to other Bauer Media radio stations in the UK.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Free Radio, now trading as Hits Radio (Birmingham), is a free-to-air regional commercial radio station broadcasting popular music, including current hits and throwbacks, to listeners in the Birmingham area. It operates as part of Bauer Media Group's national Hits Radio network and offers multiple genre-specific sub-brand stations (Country, Dance, 90s, 00s, Chilled, Pride). Revenue is generated through advertising and sponsorship rather than direct consumer fees.

Product overview

Free Radio (now trading as Hits Radio Birmingham) is a regional radio broadcasting service operated by Bauer Media Group. The offering is structured as a multi-station radio network featuring the flagship Hits Radio (Birmingham) station alongside several genre-specific sub-brands including Hits Radio Country, Hits Radio Dance, Hits Radio 90s, Hits Radio 00s, Hits Radio Chilled, and Hits Radio Pride. Content is distributed via the Rayo platform for web, mobile, smart speakers, and automotive listening. The station provides live radio programming with scheduled shows and on-demand content capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hits Radio (Birmingham) Regional commercial radio station for Birmingham listeners broadcasting a mix of current pop hits and classic throwbacks, featuring presenter-led shows and music entertainment. Audience is consumers in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
• Hits Radio Country Country music radio station featuring the biggest country hits and throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking country genre content.
• Hits Radio Dance Dance music radio station featuring the biggest dance hits and throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking dance genre content.
• Hits Radio 90s Decade-specific radio station featuring 1990s music throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking nostalgic 90s content.
• Hits Radio 00s Decade-specific radio station featuring 2000s music throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking nostalgic 00s content.
• Hits Radio Chilled Relaxed, laid-back radio station featuring chilled hits and throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking ambient music content.
• Hits Radio Pride Pride-focused radio station featuring pride hits and throwbacks, available within the Hits Radio network for listeners seeking Pride-themed music content.
• Rayo Audio streaming platform and app enabling listeners to access the Hits Radio network stations and podcasts on demand across multiple connected devices.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cash For KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHits Radio (Birmingham) partners with Cash For Kids charity for community fundraising initiatives and events, supporting children in the local community.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Magic Radio: Bauer-owned UK commercial music radio station playing softer adult contemporary hits. Direct Bauer sister brand, sharing ad-sales infrastructure and digital platforms with Hits Radio.
• Greatest Hits Radio: Bauer-owned UK commercial radio network focused on classic hits and throwbacks. Sister brand under the same Bauer parent; competes for the same throwback-format listeners and ad budgets.
• Heart Radio: UK commercial pop/hits radio network operated by Global Media. Directly comparable: same pop-music format, ad-funded model, regional station structure and national network identity.
• Classic FM: UK's most popular commercial classical music radio station. Comparable commercial broadcasting structure, ad-funded model and Bauer competitor relationship, though serving a different genre.
• Smooth Radio: Global-owned UK commercial adult contemporary radio network. Comparable ad-funded regional-to-national music radio structure targeting a slightly older but adjacent pop/throwback audience.
• KISS FM: Bauer-owned UK commercial dance/urban radio brand. Another Bauer sister station sharing the Rayo platform and corporate parent, comparable in format-driven, ad-funded model.
• Radio X: Global-owned UK commercial alternative/rock radio station. Comparable commercial radio structure, ad-funded model and digital distribution footprint competing for similar advertiser budgets.
• Virgin Radio: Wireless Group-owned UK commercial music radio brand (formerly owned by Bauer). Comparable pop/alternative music positioning, ad-funded model and digital-led distribution approach.
• Capital FM: UK commercial pop/hits radio network (Global). Same format positioning as Hits Radio Birmingham, same ad-funded model, same regional-to-national network architecture — the closest direct competitor.
• BBC Radio 1: UK public-service pop/CHR radio station. Comparable target audience (younger pop listeners) and music-format scope, but funded via the BBC license fee rather than advertising.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/free-radio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Free Radio