Guardian Media Group Radio is bidding for a licence to launch a 24-hour news and talk station for Manchester and will take on 20 journalists if it succeeds.
The station would be called Channel M Radio and would give the city its first 24-hour talk station.
GMG Radio would appoint its own teamof journalists and presenters, but would also use the resources of the group’s Manchester Evening News and Channel M Television in the city.
In November, media regulator Ofcom will advertise the licence, which will broadcast to 2.3madults.
If successful, the new station is expected to launch in 2005.
GMG Radio chief executive John Myers said: “By pooling the extensive journalistic resources of the Guardian Media Group in Manchester, and adding expertise and additional talent, we are the only group with the capacity to successfully operate a talk format station for this city.”
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