Planet Rock Radio to Close

[midnightrider]

What a fucking disgrace!
According to BBC News, GCap Media, the UK's biggest commercial radio broadcaster and owner of Classic FM, will close digital radio station Planet Rock as it focuses on key outlets.

Planet Rock, which broadcasts classic rock music, has had rock stars such as Ian Anderson, Tony Iommi, Fish, Gary Moore, Phil Manzanera and Rick Wakeman doing their own weekly radio shows. From July 2006, Planet Rock also broadcast the syndicated Alice Cooper breakfast show.

In January 2008, Planet Rock reached a new height of 563,000 weekly listeners putting it further ahead of BBC's 6 Music. In addition to Planet Rock's sucess, the Planet Rock forum also reached 4,000 members.

[Paxoman]

Yeah I heard about this this morning, it is going along with Jazz radio. Don't know what to feel about it really. I'll miss it if it does go, although I don't listen to it that often. Mainly because they may have 563,000 weekly listeners, but they still seem to play the same old 50 songs from the same 10 bands!

[Mad Dan McCafferty]

Let me just say there is no relation to this station closing and my show starting last Sept!!:p

[Paxoman]

Let me just say there is no relation to this station closing and my show starting last Sept!!:p

At least you do have a good mix of bands and are not consistantly playing the Who!

[the trooper]

Like other people have said Planet Rock play the same songs by the same groups day in day out.Planet Rock would be better if they played more of a mixture of new and old rock.The only Saxon song I have heard played is Wheels Of Steel and there are loads of groups who hardly get played.Have not heard much Iron Maiden,Judas Priest they only seem to play Breaking The Law.They play too much Led Zeppelin,The Doors and do most real rock fans want to hear Nirvana.

[Necratim]

it would be great to have a rock station that plays bands like saxon, and more heavy metal, not just the doors or led zeppelin

[Bosnian Witchfinder]

whens it closing down? it was running yesterday

[Paxoman]

whens it closing down? it was running yesterday

Think it is meant to be at the end of this month.

[midnightrider]

Think it is meant to be at the end of this month.

Digital radio station Planet Rock has been granted a stay of execution - for a month or so, at any rate.

Following some half-arsed 'strategic review' by its owners GCap Media, Planet Rock was due to shut up shop on March 28.

However, because 'several parties' have expressed an interest in buying the station, broadcasts will now continue to the end of April.

Although Planet Rock's future is still in the balance, this is plainly a glimmer of good news.

[midnightrider]

Planet Rock still spinning
Digital station Planet Rock looks likely to keep broadcasting until the end of May – and hopefully beyond.

As previously reported on the award-winning Clog, Planet Rock's future was thrown into doubt when owner GCap Media decided to terminate all its digital-only services.

Although digital station theJazz was subsequently axed, Planet Rock's closure was postponed once the Global Radio takeover of GCap became more likely. With Global's takeover now being finalised, Planet Rock will stay broadcasting until at least May 30, before which the assumption is Global will complete its takeover and make a final decision regarding the station's long-term future.

If Global don't want the station, there's a chance it may be sold to a third party rather than closed.

[SAXONATOR]

the astoria should have been tored down already - but it´s still alive - i saw it with my own eyes :D

so don´t wonder when planet rock is broadcasting even in 20 years lol