Editing Absolute Radio (section)

=== 2008–2013: Acquisition by Times of India and rebranding as Absolute Radio ===
[[File:No 1 Golden Square.JPG|thumb|right|No 1 [[Golden Square]] with Absolute Radio branding]]
On 12 April 2007, it was announced that [[STV Group|SMG plc]] was to sell Virgin Radio, to enable the company to focus on its television station, [[STV (TV channel)|STV]].<ref>{{cite news
 | title = SMG strategy was 'flawed' | work = The Guardian | date = 12 April 2007 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/apr/12/smg.radio | access-date =27 November 2007 | first=Leigh | last=Holmwood| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071209220146/http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/apr/12/smg.radio| archive-date= 9 December 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> On 30 May 2008 SMG sold Virgin Radio to TIML Golden Square Limited, a subsidiary of [[The Times Group]] for £53.2&nbsp;million, with £15&nbsp;million set aside for rebranding. TIML was given 90 days' grace in which to rebrand the station. As part of the deal, Absolute Radio International, operator of two FM licences in [[Oxford]], would manage the station.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article4036887.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501070228/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/telecoms/article4036887.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 May 2009|title=Virgin Radio is sold to Absolute for £53.2m|last=Andrews|first=Amanda|date=30 May 2008|access-date=30 May 2008|work=The Times|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.3454.2|title=Virgin Radio sold for £53million|date=30 May 2008|access-date=30 May 2008|publisher=Radio Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531151016/http://www.radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.3454.2|archive-date=31 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 1 September 2008 it was announced that Virgin Radio would be rebranded as Absolute Radio on 28 September.<ref name="Absolute Radio">{{cite web|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/842893/Plans-revealed-rebrand-Virgin-Radio-Absolute/|title=Plans revealed to rebrand Virgin Radio as Absolute|last=Barnett|first=Emma|date=1 September 2008|access-date=1 September 2008|work=Brand Republic| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080907014531/http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/842893/Plans-revealed-rebrand-Virgin-Radio-Absolute/| archive-date= 7 September 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> At the same time, changes to the line-up were made known with [[JK and Joel]], Robin Burke, [[Tony Hadley]] and [[John Osborne (broadcaster)|John Osborne]] leaving the station and [[Allan Lake]], [[Joanna Russell]] (of [[Trent FM]]'s Jo & Twiggy) and [[Tim Shaw (presenter)|Tim Shaw]] joining,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/about/questions.html|title=Listeners' Questions about Absolute Radio|date=1 September 2008|access-date=3 May 2011|publisher=Virgin Radio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019045517/http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/about/questions.html|archive-date=19 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> though Osborne would return shortly after. The last song to be played on Virgin Radio was "[[American Pie (song)|American Pie]]" by [[Don McLean]] and the first to be played on Absolute Radio was "[[A Day in the Life]]" by [[The Beatles]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.mixcloud.com/andy-walmsley2/christian-oconnell-29-september-2008/|title = Mixcloud}}</ref> Listening figures for the final quarter of 2008 showed that almost 20% of former Virgin Radio listeners had been lost since the rebranding to Absolute Radio.<ref>[http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/876906/Commercial-radios-share-dips-Q4-2008/ Commercial radio's share dips in Q4 2008] Brand Republic, 29 January 2009</ref>

The [[Virgin Radio UK|Virgin Radio]] brand relaunched via DAB and online on 30 March 2016, following a new partnership with [[Wireless Group]] and approval of its digital terrestrial commercial radio licence by Ofcom in March 2015.