Public Files

The Public File is just one indicator of our output. Just ask us if you’d like a hard copy. If you have any comments on it, let us know or, if necessary, contact our regulator, Ofcom.

Hits Radio, like each commercial radio station in the UK, has obligations regarding its programming set out in the Station Format which forms part of our Public File.

News

The licensees are required to broadcast local news at least hourly during daytime weekdays (06.00 to 19.00) and at least three times during peak time weekends and bank holidays (07.00 to 12.00). This local news must consist of or include some news which has been locally-gathered by journalists physically present in the relevant areas.

Except in special or exceptional circumstances (which may include some Bank Holiday periods) the station broadcasts news bulletins hourly from 6am until 7pm. Bulletins are made up of a mix of local, regional, national and world stories.

At the weekend, bulletins containing local, regional, national and world news, along with sport, weather and entertainment news, are broadcast between 9am and 12pm, with additional bulletins available in some areas.

Additionally, at other times, bulletins containing national and world news, prepared by Sky News, may be broadcast.

Our news pages online show some of our most recent stories.

Local areas have reporters whose job it is to gather news locally for the area.

You can contact the news team anytime by emailing [email protected]

If you require a specific newsroom, you can email the regional team directly;

Bedfordshire - [email protected]

Berkshire - [email protected]

Bristol - [email protected]

Buckinghamshire - [email protected]

Cambridgeshire - [email protected]

Cheshire - [email protected]

Cornwall - [email protected]

Cumbria - [email protected]

Derbyshire - [email protected]

Devon - [email protected]

Dorset - [email protected]

Durham (County Durham) - [email protected]

East Sussex - [email protected]

Essex - [email protected]

Gloucestershire - [email protected]

Greater London - [email protected]

Greater Manchester - [email protected]

Hampshire - [email protected]

Herefordshire - [email protected]

Hertfordshire - [email protected]

Isle of Wight - [email protected]

Kent - [email protected]

Lancashire - [email protected]

Leicestershire - [email protected]

Lincolnshire - [email protected]

Merseyside - [email protected]

Norfolk - [email protected]

Northamptonshire - [email protected]

Northumberland - [email protected]

North Yorkshire - [email protected]

Nottinghamshire - [email protected]

Oxfordshire - [email protected]

Rutland - [email protected]

Shropshire - [email protected]

Somerset - [email protected]

South Yorkshire - [email protected]

Staffordshire - [email protected]

Suffolk - [email protected]

Surrey - [email protected]

Tyne and Wear - [email protected]

Warwickshire - [email protected]

West Midlands - [email protected]

West Sussex - [email protected]

West Yorkshire - [email protected]

Wiltshire - [email protected]

Worcestershire - [email protected]

Yorkshire, East Riding - [email protected]

Northern Ireland - [email protected]

South Wales - [email protected]

Wales - [email protected]

Ayrshire - [email protected] or [email protected]

Edinburgh - [email protected]

Glasgow - [email protected]

North East Scotland - [email protected]

North Scotland - [email protected]

Tayside - [email protected]

In addition the stations provide local travel bulletins at the following times on weekdays: 6-10am and 4-7pm.

Programmes

The station broadcasts twenty-four hours a day, with programmes broadcast as per the schedule on our website.

All programming is shared across the network.

Programme Production

Programming within weekday daytimes is not regularly automated. Off peak programming is generally automated Monday to Friday 2200-0400, Saturdays 0000-0600 and 1600-0000, and Sundays 0000-0600, 0900-1200, and 1600-0000 (including overnights on Monday 0000-0400). These shows may be live in times of adverse weather or other relevant circumstances.

Contact

To contact the radio station generally, use our ‘contact us’ page and we’ll make every effort to reply to any emails which raise substantive issues.

Events/Charities support or coverage

The station stages several events and charity initiatives through the year.

Our charity Cash for Kids raises millions of pounds for children through various appeals across the year.

Recent Programme and/or News Highlights

Our website covers much of the programming we’re proud of (general and, where appropriate, news).

Check our news pages to see the latest stories we are covering.

Music

Hits Radio is licensed to play ‘mainstream music’. It plays, accordingly, a mix of current mainstream pop songs alongside classic chart hits from the last twenty years.

How to complain

Live, entertaining radio always carries some risk. We try to get things right, and not all programmes will be to everyone’s taste. Where we do make mistakes, we’ll try to take appropriate action as quickly as we can. Please do get in touch with any comments – praise or complaints and we’ll consider them carefully.

To contact us directly, you can e-mail [email protected]

If you then feel we have not taken the right action regarding a broadcast after contacting us, you may refer the matter to our regulator, Ofcom.