Black Country's Free Radio sold to media giant Bauer
Black Country radio station Free Radio – the former Beacon Radio – has been sold to a multi-national media giant.
Orion Media, which owns Free Radio and East Midlands sister station Gem, has been taken over by the Bauer Media Group for an undisclosed sum.
Hamburg-based Bauer, which already operates stations including Kiss, Magic and Absolute Radio, plus magazine titles such as Grazia, Empire and Heat, said it now plans to grow the business.
Beacon, which was based in Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton, was re-branded as Free in 2012.
The station, which serves Shropshire as well as the Black Country, moved the following year to new studios in Black Country House in Rounds Green Road, Oldbury.
Bauer chief executive Paul Keenan said: "Free Radio and Gem are influential radio stations in one of the UK's fastest growing regions.
"Bauer's desire to build out its extensive radio business is testament to the nature of the industry which continues to be a strong, robust and growing platform, thriving in the always-on, mobile, connected world.
"Bauer Media's leadership in digital and personalised advertising technology will accelerate the development of the brands and we look forward to working with the team to grow the business."
Free Radio and Gem have a combined weekly listener figure of around 1.25 million.
