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Hits Radio Manchester

Hits Radio Manchester is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Greater Manchester.

For the Network, see Hits Radio. For the National DAB station, see Hits Radio UK.

FM: 103.0 MHz
DAB: 12C

HITS MCR

Across Manchester

2 April 1974

Piccadilly Radio (1974–1988)
Key 103
(1988–2018)

FM: 97.0 MHz
AM: 1151 KHz
1152 KHz

As of December 2023, the station has a weekly audience of 260,000 listeners according to RAJAR.[1]

Technical[edit]

The station broadcasts on the analogue frequency 103 FM via a transmitter at Saddleworth, from where broadcasting commenced upon the launch of Piccadilly Radio on 2 April 1974.


The DAB signal is broadcast from transmitters located at Winter Hill and City Tower, Manchester on the CE Manchester multiplex. With the addition of Sutton Common, near Macclesfield, the DAB signal has a reliable coverage area that includes Greater Manchester, South Lancashire, most of Cheshire, parts of North East Wales and Merseyside, with much better reception than the FM frequency can provide as 103.0 suffers from co-channel interference from other stations on nearby frequencies.


In May 2016, two additional digital transmitters were launched at Littleborough and Saddleworth.

Hits Radio Manchester