 In 1994 GEM's owners Midland Radio plc were bought, by expanding radio company GWR, which gradually networked the station's programming with that of other gold stations it had purchased elsewhere in the country.The station was subtly rebranded "Classic Gold GEM" and over time, it became more "Classic Gold" and less "GEM", until only four hours of local programming was left.By the end of the 1990s, Classic Gold GEM and GWR's network of other medium wave "Classic Gold" stations across the country were sold to media company UBC, in order for GWR to comply with government rules of the time, restricting how much share of listening one company could own.