# Hits Radio South Yorkshire

Hits Radio South Yorkshire, formerly Hallam FM, is an Independent Local Radio station based in Sheffield, England, owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to South Yorkshire and Chesterfield.
As of September 2024, the station has a weekly audience of 330,000 listeners according to RAJAR.

## History

The station started broadcasting on 1548 kHz/194m AM, 95.2 and 95.9 MHz FM under the name of Radio Hallam from its studios at Hartshead in Sheffield city centre on 1 October 1974. The first presenter heard on air was ex-BBC Radio 1 DJ Johnny Moran – the first record he played was I've Got the Music in Me by Kiki Dee, which stuck after a minute and a half.
On 1 October 1985, Radio Hallam's broadcast area significantly increased when it began to broadcast to all of South Yorkshire. In 1987, Radio Hallam merged with neighbouring Yorkshire stations Pennine Radio in Bradford and Viking Radio in Hull to form the now-defunct Yorkshire Radio Network.
The frequencies were changed during the 1980s to 96.1 FM for Rotherham, 97.4 FM for Sheffield, 102.9 FM for Barnsley, and 103.4 for the remainder of South Yorkshire. After a take-over of the parent company YRN by the Metro Radio Group, the AM frequency became Great Yorkshire Gold. As part of Hallam's licence agreement, the Rotherham transmitter ceased to be used by the station in the 1990s. Hallam also moved its studio facilities to 900 Herries Road, close to Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough ground. The office space at Hartshead was formerly used by the Sheffield Star newspaper.
As the Metro Radio Group was bought by EMAP, Hallam FM also became part of the Big City Network in Northern England. In 2011, Bauer Media's Big City Network was replaced by the Place Portfolio, containing the group's local radio stations.
In 2016, Hallam FM was the "Station of the Year" at that year's ARIAS Radio Awards.
From late 2019 until early 2020 Hallam FM's Sheffield studios were shared with sister Yorkshire station Viking FM, following the closure of Viking's studios in Hull. Viking FM was then moved to co-locate with Pulse 1 in Leeds.

### Hits Radio rebrand

On 10 January 2024, station owners Bauer announced Hallam FM would be rebranded as Hits Radio South Yorkshire on 17 April 2024, as part of a network-wide relaunch involving 17 local radio stations in England and Wales. The announcement signalled the end of the Radio Hallam brand after nearly 50 years of broadcasting.
The station's local programming was not affected by the relaunch.

## Broadcasting

The station broadcasts on three analogue frequencies. Almost the whole region is covered on 103.4 FM from a transmitter at Clifton, near the M18 as well as on 97.4 FM (Tapton Hill, Sheffield) and 102.9 FM (Ardsley) which boosts reception in Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley. The station also broadcasts via DAB on the Bauer Radio South Yorkshire multiplex, and online via their app.

## Programming

Networked programming originates from Bauer's Manchester studios.
The station's only remaining local programme is the long-running Big John @ Breakfast, which is produced and broadcast from Bauer's Sheffield studios and airs weekdays from 6–10 am. The show has been on air since 2000 and is presented by "Big" John Harrison and Liesl Soards. During its time on air, the show has been recognised by the wider radio industry, most notably as winner of the "Best Breakfast Show" Gold award at the 2002 New York Radio Awards and as "Breakfast Show of the Year" at the 2015 Arqiva Radio Awards.

### News

Bauer's Sheffield newsroom broadcasts local news bulletins hourly from 6 am–7 pm on weekdays, and from 7 am–1 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Headlines are broadcast on the half-hour during weekday breakfast and drivetime shows, alongside traffic bulletins.
National bulletins from Sky News Radio are carried overnight with bespoke networked bulletins on weekend afternoons, usually originating from Bauer's Leeds newsroom.

### Big John @ Breakfast

Big John @ Breakfast is the current breakfast show on Hits Radio South Yorkshire, and has been on air since 2000. It is presented by "Big" John Harrison and Liesl Soards, along with producer James Crookes. The show is broadcast live across South Yorkshire weekdays from 6am to 10am and it is now the only locally produced programme on the station.

## Awards

* 2002 New York Radio Awards - "Best Breakfast Show" - Gold
* 2005 Sony Radio Awards - “Promo Award - Get Me To The Church On Time”
* 2015 Arqiva Radio Awards - “Breakfast Show of the Year”
* 2016 ARIAS Radio Awards - “Hallam FM - Station of the Year”
* 2018 ARIAS Radio Awards - “Best Music Presenter at Breakfast” Nomination
* 2020 ARIAS Radio Awards - “Best Music Breakfast Show” Nomination

## Notable past presenters

* Steve Banyard
* Tom Binns
* Jon Culshaw
* Daryl Denham (now at BBC Radio Kent)
* Stephanie Hirst (now at Hits Radio)
* Keith Skues
* Cindy Kent (now at Serenade Radio)
* Stuart Linnell (now at Serenade Radio)
* Scottie McClue (now at Nation Radio Scotland)
* Chris Rogers
* Matthew Rudd (now at Absolute 80s)