SCOTTISH breakfast shows on the Capital, Heart and Smooth radio stations are to be scrapped - putting around 100 jobs at risk.
Some of the country's most famous morning radio presenters including Capital's Des Clarke, Heart's Robin Galloway and Smooth's John McCauley are expected to be amongst those affected.
It means that Global Radio, who run the radio statins will launch UK-wide breakfast shows as part of a major operational restructure.
Global say they will be creating the three largest commercial radio breakfast shows in the UK but it will be at the expense of locally produced programmes, with more than 100 jobs at risk.
Ashley Tabor, Global's founder, told staff the news at a meeting on Tuesday and said it "would mean change".
He also said "the ability to lead the commercial radio sector's next huge step, and to properly compete with BBC Radio 1 and 2 at breakfast time" was "a huge opportunity".
Stations still need to apply to change their formats, and Ofcom has published a number of approved format changes for Global Radio stations across the UK.
READ MORE: Regulator calls in Glasgow radio station for on-air obscenities
The new national breakfast shows will start in April with Capital London's breakfast show replacing 14 breakfast programmes on the Capital network in England, Scotland and Wales. Capital will also move to nine drivetime shows - instead of the current 14. Scotland's Drivetime is among those that will be retained.
Later in the year, Heart will roll-out a single breakfast show across England, Scotland and Wales to replace its current 22 breakfast shows, while its 23 separate drivetime shows will be cut to 10.
And Smooth will create a new national breakfast show with drivetime shows cut to seven.
Global also said it would mean cutting their broadcast centres from 24 down to 14 – therefore closing 10 studio sites. Glasgow is one of those that will remain.
Sites earmarked for closure are Brighton, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Exeter, Gloucester, Kendal, Kent, Lancaster, Norwich and Swindon.
Mr Tabor said the move sought to reinforce Global’s commitment to local news, travel and its national news operation.
Tabor added: “Whilst the new deregulation will mean some significant changes at an operational level, these bold steps enable Global to lead the way in launching the UK’s three largest national commercial radio breakfast shows.
"We’re really excited to combine the best national talent with our unique ability to include great local content in network shows on Heart, Capital and Smooth.”
Ofcom is believed to have approved the move following a change in guidelines for local radio having relaxed its rules on how and where stations make their programmes last October.
Analysis by Radio Today said that 95 local radio presenters could lose their jobs as a result of the changes.
Many big-name stars have yet to comment on the news, but some station staff have given their reaction.
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