Key103
 |
|
| City | Manchester |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Manchester |
| Slogan | Hits Radio for Manchester |
| Frequency |
FM: 103.0 MHz DAB: 11C |
| First air date | 2 April 1974 (as Piccadilly Radio) 3 September 1988 (as Key 103) |
| Format | CHR/Pop |
| Owner | Bauer Radio |
| Sister stations |
Key 2 |
| Webcast | Radioplayer |
| Website | planetradio |
Key 103 is a commercial radio station serving Greater Manchester. It is owned and operated by Bauer Radio and broadcasts from studios at Castle Quay in the Castlefield area of Manchester on 103 FM, DAB and online.
As part of the Bauer City 1 network of local stations in Northern England and the West Midlands, Key 103 produces a mix of local and networked programming from its Castlefield studios 24 hours a day.
From June 2018, Key 103 will be rebranded and relaunched as Hits Radio, broadcasting across the UK on DAB. In Manchester, the station will continue to provide opt-outs for local news bulletins, traffic updates and information.
Originally known as Piccadilly Radio, the station commenced broadcasting from studios at Piccadilly Plaza in Manchester city centre at 5am on Tuesday 2 April 1974 - the fifth Independent Local Radio station to launch and the first of its kind in northern England.
In early 1987, due to a nationwide reorganisation of the FM band, Piccadilly moved its VHF (FM) frequency from 97 to 103 FM. A year later, the Government and the IBA began encouraging all commercial stations with multiple frequencies to provide split programming in order to increase listener choice and competition.
Piccadilly split its services into two on Saturday 3 September 1988. Key 103 launched at midday on 103 FM while the original Piccadilly Radio service continued on 1152 AM. The first presenters on air were Tim Grundy and Becky Want with the first jingle package produced by Stowe Bowden Wilson and featuring voiceovers from Steve Coogan.
Positioning itself as Music, not music, Key 103 aimed at an upmarket, younger audience with a mix of AOR and chart music and specialist output including a nightly business programme, comedy and weekly jazz, folk and classical music shows.
The station later opted for a more mainstream format with presenters from Piccadilly 1152 switching to the FM station, and in 1990, the station was rebranded as Piccadilly Key 103. The Piccadilly branding was gradually dropped during the 1990s.
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