Takeover
In 2000, the company was purchased by GWR Group, which included all of its radio assets. This followed an attempt to expand the Group further, including bidding for another licence on Merseyside, which was later secured by Dune FM. In 2005, GWR Group and Capital Radio merged to form GCap Media.
Upon purchase, Marcher's four FM licences became part of The One Network, a nationwide network of independent local radio stations operated by GCap Media which syndicated much of its programming from GWR FM Bristol. The practice of programme simulcasting has been extensively used by Marcher in the past across its FM stations, and still continues this to an extent in its local programming opt-outs.
In 2005 GCap announced it was to sell many of its radio businesses, including those of Marcher Radio Group. However, in March 2006 the company called off the sale.
Following acquisition by Global Radio, the Marcher Radio stations broadcasting on FM were rebranded as Heart in June 2009. In 2010 three of the stations were merged into a new station, Heart North West and Wales.
Read more about this topic: Marcher Radio Group
Famous quotes containing the word takeover:
“A poet is a combination of an instrument and a human being in one person, with the former gradually taking over the latter. The sensation of this takeover is responsible for timbre; the realization of it, for destiny.”
—Joseph Brodsky (b. 1940)